Nyrstar's Hobart zinc smelter has today chalked up a significant milestone, officially marking 100 years of continuous operation.
The smelter and its ubiquitous chimneys has now been a fixture of Hobart's skyline since World War I, and it's hard to imagine Hobart without it.
Generations of Tasmanians have worked at the smelter over the last 100 years, witnessing first-hand the great advances in technology, changes to environmental practices and improvements in safety over that time.
Today, Nyrstar remains a vital part of Tasmania’s economy, employing 600 people with another 3,500 Tasmanians indirectly dependent on the smelter, pumping around $70 million into the Tasmanian economy each year through wages paid to employees and contractors.
In total, the smelter contributes around $800 million towards Tasmania’s Gross State Product and 24 per cent of Tasmania’s total export value.
We've always clearly said that while it's important to support growth in areas like tourism, the resources sector is one of our state's most critical industries.
That's why my Government has backed Nyrstar to modernise and expand with an agreement to facilitate a $52 million reinvestment in the Hobart smelter through four major projects
This is an important statement of support by my Government in the future of this foundational business, and further evidence of our strong commitment to securing Tasmanian jobs.
I congratulate all involved over the 100 year history of Nyrstar on the milestone, and look forward to seeing it operate for many more years yet.