New Zealand: Holcim, part of LafargeHolcim, is making faster than expected progress on an operational restructure that will lead to 120 job losses on the west coast.

The New Zealand operation has revealed plans to close its manufacturing plant at Cape Foulwind, Westport, with cement instead to be imported from the Mitsubishi Kanda plant in Fukuoka, Japan, via the Timaru and Auckland ports. Holcim will now close its Westport cement plant in the middle of 2016, with 120 job losses expected. The company said that some employees have switched to other roles.

Holcim is building a 30,000t cement silo at Timaru Port and is spending a similar amount at the Port of Auckland. The company had previously said that the silo and importing facilities would be finished in the second half of 2016. However, Holcim New Zealand country manager Glenda Harvey said that the Timaru facility could be operational in January or February 2016 and that the Auckland facility should be completed in May 2016 rather than June 2016. The Westport cement plant will remain operational until the Auckland import site is fully commissioned, then it will be closed.

When the Timaru and Auckland terminals are completed, there will be about 30 staff employed in sales, operations and technical laboratory roles. Westport cement plant staff have been able to apply for positions at Holcim's Timaru and Auckland operations and also overseas, with a small number having taken up roles in other parts of the business. Workers have redundancy provisions in their contracts. The company has about 40 staff within its Christchurch head office operation and 360 in the country across the cement and aggregates businesses.

Some Westport residents have said that the Westport cement plant site and buildings could be used as an industrial park, for electricity generation or as an eco park. Harvey said there has been no update on the site, or if alternative uses could be found. The cement plant has been operating for 57 years.