A SUBSTANTIAL upgrade at EastPack Ōpōtiki is aimed at removing the jobs no one wants and increasing the throughput at the packhouse.

Site manager Tai Shepherd said the volume of fruit processed at the packhouse had increased by 20 percent last year – and for this year, another 20 percent increase was expected.

“The point of the upgrade is achieving an increase in capacity using the same footprint,” he said.

“We have decreased our overall headcount and we've replaced the more labour intensive roles with machine operator roles.”

Mr Shepherd said the roles that were most difficult to fill had been replaced with automation, this included labour-intensive roles.

“Many of the packing and stacking roles have been automated,” he said.

“This gives us more reliability for our roles through the season as our volume continues to increase – and it makes us less reliant on RSEs and overseas workers.”

As a result of the automation, 36 new machine operator roles had been created.

Training would be provided for those roles and applicants must be drug free.

“We want people that have a good attitude and can fit into our team environment,” Mr Shepherd said.”

“All of those 36 roles are fixed-term roles, but we're looking for people wanting to further their careers and eventually become permanent.”

Mr Shepherd said the commissioning of the new systems would begin on Monday next week, using plastic fruit to test it all.

“We'll be ready to run in real time with real fruit when the harvest starts in early March.”