Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Weet-Bix plant closed due to quake fears

Updated at 9:13 am on 29 November 2011

The Sanitarium plant in Christchurch is closed because of earthquake safety fears.

The food company says an engineering report has found there could be problems with the strength of a tower and parts of the factory building.

About 60 employees are at home on full pay for three weeks while the company waits for a second, more detailed report to establish what work needs to be done.

Sanitarium says its Auckland plant is working overtime in order to ensure there are sufficient stocks of Weet-Bix and Marmite in the South Island.

General manager Pierre van Heerden says he is confident that supplies will not run short though Sanitarium will probably have to go to a sister company in Australia to top-up some production.

He told Morning Report the company wants to keep the Christchurch factory open.

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