Lowe managing director Andrew Lowe was contacted yesterday and confirmed the company was starting a salt-pelting operation in Mataura, because pelts were perishable products and "quality problems" had arisen when transporting them to Dunedin in the past.
Graeme Lowe Otago was shut down overnight on July 28, the parent company citing declining stock numbers and the increasing export of salted pelts directly to China.
A former Dunedin fellmongery staff member, who asked not to be identified, contacted the Otago Daily Times saying Lowe Corp had just started operating a small plant in Mataura, which had angered some redundant staff who were unaware of the new plant.
However, Mr Lowe said the company "had been looking at several options" at the time the Dunedin plant was closed, which was why no mention was made in the press statement covering the closure and redundancies.
When asked, he said the plant was likely to employ fewer than 10 people when fully operational, and any former Dunedin staff would be considered for jobs.
In the press statement on closure of the Dunedin plant, Mr Lowe said the closure decision would not disadvantage Lowe suppliers in any way.
"The products will be processed at another of our plants," he said.
Companies Office records show Mataura Hide and Skin Processors Ltd was incorporated on July 31, 2009, three days after Lowe announced the Dunedin closure. It is 100% owned by Lowe Corporation Ltd and its directors are Andrew Lowe, Graeme Lowe, Francis Newton and Ian Silver.
While the Dunedin fellmongery still appears on Lowe's company website, there is no indication of a plant operating in Mataura.
