With heavy hearts, more than 120 workers walked away from their jobs at Fisher and Paykel Appliances in Mosgiel for the last time yesterday after a farewell barbecue.
The function marked the final day of production at the whiteware plant and the last day of employment for 123 workers.
The redundancies were the latest in a steady stream at the factory since the end of last year, as F&P worked towards ceasing production and dismantling machinery in time for a handover of the site to new owner Fonterra, in June.
It followed F&P's announcement last year it planned to shift production offshore, with the loss of 430 jobs in total.
Yesterday's on-site barbecue was attended by about 150 past and present workers, including those on their final day.
F&P vice-president of investor relations Paul Brockett, of Auckland, told the Otago Daily Times some workers would remain on site for several months, including about 120 engineers and maintenance workers tasked with dismantling machinery.
Another 20 call centre staff were also still based at the plant, but would soon transfer to new offices in Dunedin's Wall Street mall, he said.
Media were prevented from speaking to staff at the function - with security guards posted at the factory's gates - but workers spoken to by the ODT as they entered had mixed feelings about their final farewells.
Pasina Peniamina (37) said he had worked at the plant for six years, and faced a nervous time. He had no job lined up to support his wife and three young children, all aged under 8.
"It sucks, really, but what can you do?" he said.
He had yet to start job hunting or consider whom he would approach for work, but said he was not sure if he and his family would be able to remain in Dunedin.
"I don't really know. I just thought I would get over Fisher and Paykel first," he said.
"Everyone is in the same predicament at the moment."
However, fellow workers Alan (52) and Gabriella Pouell (49) were more philosophical about the closure.
Mr Pouell worked for the company for 21 years, and Mrs Pouell for 10 years. The couple had met and married while working together in the company's Caversham factory in 1994.
"If it weren't for them [Fisher and Paykel], we would never have met, and that's a good thing," Mrs Pouell said.
While he understood the company's reasons, Mr Pouell said the closure was "a sad day" for the workers, particularly those with young families and mortgage payments.
"I have mixed feelings. I've been here a long time and I'm going to miss it, but it's time to move on and find something else to do.
"It must be hard for people with families and mortgages. It must be quite frightening," he said.
Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union site convener Mer Greaner - who worked at the plant for 20 years - said yesterday the farewell barbecue had been "a good day" despite some mixed emotions.
"I have been here 20 years and I have had 20 good years. It [the closure] does [annoy] you, but you have got to get over that," he said.
Fisher and Paykel global human resources manager Michelle Read, of Dunedin, referred ODT queries to Mr Brockett in Auckland yesterday, saying the barbecue was "a very personal function and farewell for our staff".
