While many have been complaining about the imposition placed on us by the pandemic, local orchardists and fruit packing house, Geoffrey Thompson Holdings have been working hard to set a new record in the packing shed while at the same time, undertaking a change of management.
Geoff Thompson has returned as the CEO with a rebuilt management team to take the company forward into the future.
New to the company is Robert Bryant. Rob grew up in the region and took his former company, Money3 to listing on the ASX and more recently as founder of the Cottage, a drug and rehabilitation centre in Shepparton has come in as a new board member and Chairman of the company.
Rosanna Marino has been company secretary and chief financial officer with the company for 29 years and has now been appointed to the board.
Also appointed to the board is Leath Nicholson who has been legal counsel for the firm. Leath was a corporate partner at a leading Melbourne law firm, gaining experience with a breadth of ASX listed entities.
Geoffrey Thompson Holdings are currently revamping the former SPC site in Mooroopna to be a state-of-the-art packing shed and cold storage facility. People in the region will no doubt have seen the tower appearing nearer to the railway side of the complex nearing completion. This will house bins up to 40 high in a managed atmosphere and temperature. The packing line will transfer operations from Wheeler Street to this new upgraded and world class facility later this year.
While we look at changes at the top end of the firm, the company has been setting a new record with fruit production having exceeded 107,000 bins for the season. This is 14% higher than previous seasons production.
With all things considered, changes caused by the pandemic, harvest labour shortages, and while slowly outgrowing the current facility in Wheeler Street, Shepparton, the production team is to be commended for making the impossible, possible.
Geoff Thompson is philosophical about the company. “We have 60,000 to 80,000 thoughts in a day. Your success and ours will depend on which thoughts you pay attention to and act on. Consider ‘you are not your thoughts; you just have them.’
“We are committed to ensuring the investment of both state and federal government and the goodwill of the community is honoured by delivering a world class fruit processing company that enriches the region,” said Geoff.
Geoffrey Thompson Holdings is certainly holding its end of the bargain. The company is in good hands and with the new facility and revamped team, will only get better.
While the company undergoes some substantial changes, somethings remain the same and they are currently seeking to expand their packing shed staffing by hiring 25 additional women and men to work on the apple lines at the Wheeler St Shepparton shed. Those interested can call Sebastian on 0456 836 580
Geoffrey Thompson Holdings CEO, Geoff Thompson and newly appointed director and board chairman, Robert Bryant standing before the new high rise cool room at the currently under construction Mooroopna facility. Photo: Steve Hutcheson.
