Synlait


Synlait Milk is a dairy processing company based in the Canterbury region of New Zealand. The company manufactures ingredient and nutritional milk powders. The factory is located off State Highway 1 just west of Dunsandel.

Processing

The Synlait Milk facility processes more than 600 million litres of milk each year. It is capable of processing 4.2 million litres of raw milk per day, from which up to 340 metric tonnes of milk powder can be produced.

Manufacturing capability

Synlait has four milk powder dryers, including a purpose-built infant formula facility, the largest and most sophisticated in the Southern Hemisphere. It can process up to 9 tonnes of infant milk powder per hour. One Dryer is purely commodity powder based while there are 2 Infant Formula Dryers that can produce both Infant and commodity powders, the other dryer is a specialty milks dryer which is primarily used for lactoferrin.

Milk suppliers

Almost all of the 150 Synlait milk suppliers are located within an radius of the manufacturing plant.

People

Synlait employs a staff of over 900 people at its multiple sites based at Dunsandel and Temuka in Canterbury and Auckland, Palmerston North and Pokeno in the North Island.

Products

Synlait manufactures the following:
2000: Synlait Limited established. The first commercial project was the purchase of Robindale Dairy farm.
2005: Synlait Limited owns eight dairy farms and the business focus now shifts from dairy farming to dairy products manufacturing.
2007: Spray drier one commissioned at Synlait Limited owned farm Dunsandel Dairies.
2008: First milk processed via spray drier one.Anhydrous Milk Plant commissioned. Milk contracted from third party dairy farms commences.
2009: Special milks spray drier commissioned. Synlait was awarded Fastest Growing Manufacturer, and 7th Fastest Growing Company in New Zealand in the Deloitte Fast 50 index. Synlait wins Canterbury Large Emerging Exporter of the Year in the Air New Zealand Cargo, Canterbury Export Business Awards.
2010: Bright Dairy of China investment of $81 million. The investment funds the commission of spray drier two – purpose built for infant formula manufacture. Separation of the Synlait farming business from the milk processing business. Synlait was awarded the 12th fastest growing company in New Zealand in the Deloitte Fast 50.

2011: Infant formula production starts via spray drier two. Synlait makes the Deloitte Fast 50 index for the fourth consecutive year.
2012: Synlait wins the Champion Global Operator at the Champion Canterbury Business Awards. Synlait wins the Agri-Business Award in the Sensational Selwyn Business Awards. Synlait posts a $6.3 million profit for the year ending July 2012.
2013: Synlait launches an internationally accredited ISO 65 dairy farm assurance system called Lead With Pride. $15 million special milks spray dryer upgrade commissioned to produce Lactoferrin.
2014: Synlait named Supreme Winner at the 2014 Champion Canterbury Business Awards and winner of the Champion Global Operator category for a medium-large business.