WA smallgoods maker D'Orsogna to open manufacturing plant in Melbourne's Merrifield Business Park
Renowned WA smallgoods maker D’Orsogna is expanding its business on the east coast, opening a $41 million facility in Melbourne’s north later this year.
In what was one of the biggest industrial deals in Melbourne in 2017, D’Orsogna has signed up to build a 10,858-square-metre manufacturing plant on 3 hectares at Merrifield Business Park, in Melbourne’s north, located 30 minutes from Mickleham.
Developed by MAB Corporation and Gibson Property Corporation, the business park is set to become Victoria’s biggest master-planned business and employment precinct and will be larger than Melbourne’s CBD.
D’Orsogna’s $41 million turn-key deal for the building – $61 million when manufacturing equipment and machinery is included – is set to create up to 240 jobs.
The D’Orsogna story began in 1949 when Italian migrants Tommaso and Giovanni D’Orsogna opened a family butcher shop in West Perth.
From its humble beginnings, the business has grown to employ more than 500 people and the company’s products, including hams and continental meats, are distributed Australia wide.
The new facility will allow D’Orsogna to expand its eastern seaboard business and create better efficiencies in its distribution network, with a focus on the south-east Asian market.
D’Orsogna managing director Brad Thomason said the Merrifield site enabled the company to create a factory tailored to its needs.
“We’re thrilled to be calling Merrifield our eastern states home very soon, and proud to be partnering with MAB and GPC,” he said.
“There are many synergies between our businesses – we are a proud Australian, family-owned businesses with a focus on quality, growth and local investment.
“We have ambitious expansion plans for the business over the next few years. The scale and flexibility of Merrifield provides us with an opportunity where we can essentially double our manufacturing footprint.”
MAB Corporation managing director Andrew Buxton said the deal signalled the continuous growth of the manufacturing industry in the City of Hume.
“We are thrilled to bring a food manufacturer of this calibre to Melbourne’s north – this is a boon for both the state and Merrifield,” he said.
“Already we’ve seen big names such as Dulux and D’Orsogna establish a presence in Melbourne’s north, no doubt because if its connectivity to the east coast of Australia, with direct access to the Hume Freeway and proximity to Melbourne Airport, as well as access to a solid local employment base.”
Mr Buxton said the D’Orsogna facility will be best-in-class for the food manufacturing industry, focusing on efficient and sustainable practices.
The facility is set to open its doors later this year.
