Pan Pac opens new central hub in whirinaki rebuild [NZ]Friday 16 Oct 2026
The opening was attended by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Chair Sophie Siers, Japanese Ambassador Makoto Osawa, Oji Holdings Corporation President and CEO Hiroyuki Isono, mana whenua, local MPs, mayors and Pan Pac staff. Cyclone Gabrielle left the Whirinaki mill buried under two metres of floodwater and silt, causing an estimated $280 million in damage and lost production. Parent company Oji Holdings backed the full rebuild, recognising the importance of the operation to the region. Pan Pac employs more than 850 staff and contractors, contributes around 6% of regional GDP and accounts for approximately 40% of trade through Napier Port. Speaking at the opening, Siers drew parallels between Oji’s principle of moral management and the Māori concept of kaitiakitanga, highlighting their shared emphasis on looking after people and place for the long term. The opening comes as the council nears completion of a $23.5 million flood resilience project aimed at better protecting the Whirinaki industrial zone from future flooding. More >> Source & image credit: Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (via LinkedIn)  | ||
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