Bakery firm builds Lm7m state-of-the-art plant

Golden Harvest, which grew from a small bakery to a leading manufacturer of bakery and confectionery products on the island in a span of just under 60 years, has built a Lm7 million state-of-the-art plant.

Environment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino, who visited the new factory at the San Gwann industrial estate on Tuesday, heaped praise on the company management. The company decided to make such a huge investment even though the confectionery industry was under such heavy pressure due to the rising prices of wheat and flour on the international markets, he said.

The new venture would serve for Golden Harvest to improve the quality of its products and the company would also be able to consider expanding into new markets, he said.

The way the new plant has been designed and the equipment installed will boost efficiency and facilitate the work processes, thus benefiting workers. Being more efficient, the plant will consume less energy. Solar water heaters are expected to result in a saving of Lm20 a day in energy consumption and, in addition, rainwater will be retained and used in the factory operations.

Mr Pullicino said that when the company moves to the new factory, residents of Gzira, where the existing plant is sited, will benefit in terms of less inconvenience, less noise, less air pollution and odours. The area where the old factory stands can then be developed in line with the surrounding zone and, thus, contribute towards the regeneration of the Gzira core, he said.

Mr Pullicino praised Golden Harvest's decision to use mechanical engineering students from Mcast in the installation of equipment at the new plant.