The Holcim (New Zealand) Ltd team planning a $400 million cement plant near Weston and a $100 million shipping terminal at Timaru's PrimePort is "very hopeful" the projects will be approved later this year.
At a business breakfast attended by more than 100 people in Oamaru yesterday, project manager Ken Cowie was guardedly confident the Holcim Ltd board of directors could approve the projects in August.
In May, the parent company's executive committee recommended the projects to the board for consideration. The next board meeting is in August and the projects could be on its agenda.
After the August meeting, there is one more board meeting scheduled for this year.
Mr Cowie understood no project had been turned down by the board once it had been passed by the executive committee, made up of senior and regional managers of Holcim Ltd.
"But there are no rules about that. The closer we get [to the board meeting] the more nervous we get." Holcim NZ had done everything it could and it was "now crunch time".
"The New Zealand team is confident we can get there, but at this stage it is up to the board," he said.
Asked if there was anything the community could do to help get approval, Mr Cowie said the board was aware of community support for the project and that was "seen as a positive".
The board would have to consider the Weston plant on its merits. Asked what the project would mean to Oamaru, Mr Cowie said it would bring "quite a lot to the community".
At construction peak time, up to 500 people would be employed.
Once commissioned - the earliest date would be 2014 if approval is received in August - about 120 workers and up to 25 management staff would be required.
A further 180 jobs could be created in North Otago's goods and services sector.
However, Mr Cowie said balanced against that was the impact on Westport when Holcim's cement plant, which was more than 50 years old, was closed once the new Weston plant was in production.
This week, Holcim NZ called for expressions of interest from contractors to build the Weston cement plant and Timaru shipping terminal, so it will be in a position to start work promptly on the projects later this year and next year, if approval is granted.
