North West-based NWK mill joins forces with KZN counterpart

4th March 2015 By: Tracy Hancock - Creamer Media Contributing Editor

North West-based NWK mill joins forces with KZN counterpart

Noorfed brand Super Goal maize meal

Agricultural services and inputs provider NWK Group’s Noordfed Milling enterprise, in the North West, has acquired a 100% interest in Empangeni Milling, in KwaZulu-Natal, a venture that is expected to enable both mills to expand their markets geographically in both provinces, as well as nationally.
 
“A modern mill, geographic location close to the raw material and our established market share in KwaZulu-Natal pave the way for the vision that Empangeni Milling/Noordfed has of the future to ensure that we feed the people of South Africa with passion and with the best-quality product,” noted Empangeni Milling’s former CEO, Hendrik Roux, in a press release on Tuesday. Roux had since been appointed managerial head and had been tasked with, along with his management team from Empangeni Milling, the management of the combined venture.

Empangeni Milling, which was formerly in the JSE-listed Grindrod stable, had established brands and a high-volume market in a 200 km radius from Empangeni near Richards Bay. Noordfed’s hazard analysis and critical control points-accredited maize and wheat milling facilities, in Lichtenburg, were in the heartland of the white-maize region of the North West province, known for its high-quality maize.

Empangeni Milling was expected to complement the modern milling facilities and production capacity of the Noordfed Mill, and, as of February 1, Empangeni Milling/Noordfed had delivered the same level of service as before to it client base, NWK highlighted.

“We foresee a seamless integration that will have no effect on orders, product availability or deliveries,” added Roux.

NWK stated that consumers of Noordfed brands like 10/10, Super Goal, HayDay and Fat Fowl chicken feed could, therefore, be assured of the best quality products.

Empangeni Milling/Noordfed, an advocate of and committed to black empowerment as well as the establishment of a broad-based black economic-empowerment partner, noted that the current consultation with black-women-owned Intshona Holdings was progressing well. “The proposed transaction would be to the socioeconomic benefit of rural women and communities, and specifically farmworker communities,” NWK stated.

As this consultation was still in the negotiation stage, more information in this regard would be announced in due course.