Construction is underway on a new low temperature rendering facility at our Oakey plant, signalling a significant investment in the efficiency, sustainability and processing capabilities of our Group.
The new facility will replace the site’s existing rendering plant, which has been in operation for 50 years. Designed to meet the latest industry standards and operational requirements, the upgrade will ensure our processing capacity continues to thrive into the future.
The project includes the installation of a low temperature rendering process. This approach reduces reliance on higher temperature pressure cooking processes typically used in rendering. The result is a more efficient process that improves the recovery of byproducts like meal and tallow from recycling and waste streams, with estimated recovery improvements of around 2 to 5 percent.
The facility will also incorporate the latest biofilter technology for odour capture and treatment. These systems use advanced capture technology combined with bio-media processing to treat emissions more effectively.
Sustainability improvements are a key component of the project. The replacement of the existing boiler system, along with reductions in steam capacity and electrical energy requirements, is expected to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 9,600 tonnes of CO₂-e per year once the facility becomes operational, , equivalent to taking 4,154 cars off the road each year.
Construction of the facility began in May 2025 and is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2026.
Once operational, the plant will have a rendering processing capacity of up to 12 tonnes per hour. The facility will span approximately 1,440 square metres and operate as a continuous rendering process with around ten major processing components, including a 100-tonne dryer.
Several contractors have been involved in delivering the project, including McNab, Rendertech, Annual Installations, Wolff Power, and Northrop.
This new facility also represents vast employment opportunities within the plant, giving existing employees the opportunity to upskill as they begin to operate new technology.
Combined with initiatives like our biogas facility, which converts wastewater into renewable energy, this project reinforces our Oakey plant’s ongoing commitment to smarter and more sustainable processing.
This upgrade is an exciting investment for our Group, strengthening Oakey’s position as one of Australia’s largest and most technologically advanced processing facilities.
Keep up with us on: