Compressed Air Solutions for New Zealand New Milk

New Zealand New Milk's Auckland facility depends on a reliable compressed air supply to run both their manufacturing plant and their nitrogen generation system. Recurring breakdowns were costing them in lost production and revenue, and they needed a service partner with the expertise to fix the problem properly.

We provided an immediate solution to restore production, followed by a full system upgrade and an ongoing maintenance programme to keep things that way.

The client

NZ New Milk is an infant formula manufacturer operating two production facilities in Auckland. They are part of Sanulac, the newest division of Lactalis, the French-owned global dairy leader and the world's largest dairy and cheese manufacturer. Lactalis operates over 270 factories worldwide, processes more than 22 billion litres of milk each year, and recorded approximately NZD 60 billion in turnover in 2025. Sanulac spans 94 countries with 83,000 employees.

NZ New Milk supplies consumer-ready infant formula into markets including Asia Pacific, operating under strict quality control and product tracking requirements.

Compressed Air Solutions for New Zealand New Milk

Air compressors for manufacturing facilities NZ

The challenge

At least half of NZ New Milk's compressed air supply feeds directly into their nitrogen generation system, which keeps the packaging line running. The facility also carries a high human safety factor, meaning the consequences of an unreliable system extend well beyond production downtime.

Their existing service arrangement wasn't providing the reliability or expertise the site required. Industrial Air Systems had made initial contact with NZ New Milk some months earlier, and when the situation deteriorated, they got in touch. The experienced team, transparent pricing, and fast response times gave them the confidence that Industrial Air Systems could manage a site with this level of complexity and consequence.

The solution

With a live breakdown on their hands, Industrial Air Systems moved quickly. The regional service manager visited the site to assess both the immediate situation and longer-term requirements, and a free-of-charge loan compressor was provided to get production running again while the permanent solution was developed.

Industrial Air Systems' team were already familiar with NZ New Milk's existing multi-brand compressor models and nitrogen generation systems, which allowed them to move without delay. A senior technician and an experienced company director worked alongside the service manager to develop two tailored service solutions.

The final package included a complete plant upgrade with new generation permanent magnet rotary screw compressors, a thorough maintenance programme, and 24/7/365 redundancy cover. A larger capacity compressor model was also installed, providing immediate redundancy and room for anticipated future production growth.

The results

With the loan compressor bridging the gap, production was back up before the permanent solution was even in place. Once the upgraded system was installed, the operational benefits were immediate.

The new permanent magnet rotary screw compressors deliver up to 20% in operational savings compared to the standard VSD units previously in use. Combined with the full-coverage maintenance programme, those savings project to approximately $17,000 per annum with a three-year ROI, alongside a measurably reduced carbon footprint.

NZ New Milk's compressed air supply is now reliable, and their team can focus on product quality and production output rather than managing an unpredictable system.

Compressed Air Solutions for New Zealand New Milk

Overview

The client

The challenge

The solution

The results

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