New Zealand co-operative dairy company Westland Milk is planning to invest around $100m in an infant formula dryer at Hokitika.
Following the consent approval, construction on the new dryer will begin in April and the dryer is expected to become operational in August 2015, reports stuff.co.nz.
Commenting on the plan, Westland chief executive Rod Quin was quoted by stuff.co.nz as saying that the nutritional dryer was the next stage in Westland's growth plan. The company was continuing to develop its capacity as a supplier of high-end nutritional products and relied less on selling bulk ingredients.
"Prospects for the dairy industry worldwide, and in New Zealand in particular, are for continued growth with increased demand, especially from China.
"Westland is well placed to fit with the new regulatory market in China and demand for our nutritionals capacity is already accelerating," added Quin.
Meanwhile, the company also plans to develop a manufacturing facility to produce milk products at Rolleston.
The Rolleston plant, which is under the planning stage, will manufacture ultra-heat treatment products.