Westland Reports 14% Surge in Product Shipments in 2024

In a significant boost to New Zealand's dairy industry, Westland has reported a 14% increase in its product shipments during the final quarter of 2024. This surge is attributed to the robust beginning of the milking season coupled with heightened global demand for dairy products.

During this period, Westland shipped a total of 60,000 tonnes of dairy products, compared to 53,000 tonnes in the same timeframe in 2023. One of the standout figures was the doubling of butter shipments, as well as significant increases in colostrum, UHT milk, and UHT cream volumes.

The growth mirrors Westland's strategic efforts to cater to worldwide markets, which included onboarding 46 new Westpro customers in the previous year. Consequently, their reach extended to 120 ports globally, up from 108 ports previously.

Westland's General Manager for Supply Chain, Kevin Wang, highlighted the strong performance in both export and domestic sectors, noting the comprehensive demand across the company's product portfolios. Wang remarked on the seasonal challenges in expanding milk production capacities, pointing out obstacles such as holiday schedules and logistics constraints. Nevertheless, he praised the company's teams for their exceptional collaboration and problem-solving skills.

The announcement of the transfer to an acting CEO comes as Zhiqiang Li steps into the role following Richard Wyeth's resignation in January.