John Dee expansion: Major Warwick employer unveils multimillion-dollar expansion

The staged project is set to cost more than $25 million in total and generate close to 300 new jobs with the major Warwick employer. See the full plans and what it means for you here:

Major employer John Dee has officially opened a massive expansion at its Warwick meat-processing facility, which is set to create almost 300 new jobs and significantly boost the factory’s production.

The Rosehill Rd site now boasts a new regional cold store area and improved technology such as an automated storage and retrieval system, with the upgrades forming part of a staged development worth more than $25 million in total.

It is estimated the final project will create up to 155 new full-time jobs and another 138 indirect full-time roles in addition to the existing 630 jobs at the company.

With the massive development attracting millions of dollars in funding from the State and Federal Governments, John Dee CEO Warren Stiff said opening the expansion marked the conclusion of a project five years in the making.

“This state-of-the-art facility allows us to store, retrieve, and consign Australia’s best beef brands direct from John Dee to the world’s most discerning customers,” Mr Stiff said.

“The project also allows us to significantly expand our processing numbers and provide further employment opportunities on the Southern Downs long into the future.

“From feasibility modelling, design, grant application, finance, (to) construction and commissioning, a hardworking team from within John Dee and external specialists worked together to bring together what we see today.”

John Dee remains Australia’s oldest single-family-owned meat processing facility, with this latest development completed by Brisbane-based company Wiley.

The expansion was officially opened on Thursday by a group of the region’s political and business representatives, including Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi, who said he was thrilled to see the area attract such significant funding.

“Improving critical infrastructure for the region’s beef supply chain is a positive development for our region and vital to supporting one of our biggest industries (in) agriculture,” he said.

“It’s great to see this partnership deliver nation-building infrastructure that delivers food security for our country, provides clean, fresh, (and) safe food to the world, and secures local jobs that keep our economy strong.

“It is a great credit to the Hart family, who have invested so much in the region and have the confidence and foresight to continue to invest in our future.”

Member for Maranoa David Littleproud said the $4.97 million investment from the Federal Government would help John Dee boost its throughput by 50,000 head annually and capitalise on export market opportunities worth about $111 million.

“What this project really boils down to is creating employment opportunities, providing incentives for people to move into our community, and making sure that businesses in the Southern Downs continue to grow with cutting-edge technology,” he said.

John Dee is one of the region’s largest employers and income generators, with the company turning over an estimated $86.54 million at its Warwick site alone.