We caught up with Stephen at our Muckamore depot to find out what actually happens when the wool depot shifts into “maintenance mode” each April.
Spoiler: it’s a busy month!
Getting Ready for Members
Stephen explains, “In April, once we grade all the wool, we carry out general maintenance across the depot. We clean and check all machinery, and clean and weigh every skep. It important to also refresh the floor paint for walkways and skep lines, and, if time allows, we repaint the canteen and offices.”
With about eight weeks to cover the whole network, he says, “All tasks are complete before the new season begins.”
Servicing Machinery and Safety Checks
Maintenance mode isn’t just about bags. Stepen shows us around the depot: “Its essential maintenance at this time to keep operations running efficiently during the season.We thoroughly service and check both the packing machine and the core testing machine. The packing machine runs 39 hours per week, so we must keep it in full working order at all times.As a small depot, we rely on just one of each machine. The two forklift trucks are serviced every six months, as we use them heavily and depend on them daily.”
All lifting equipment also gets independently inspected every 6–12 months, and operators do daily pre-use checks to catch any issues early. Stephen adds, “Any breakdown affects the entire operation”
Can You Deliver Wool During Maintenance?
We asked Stephen if farmers can still drop off wool: “Wool is accepted all year round, although we set a cut-off point in mid-March so we can grade all wool by the end of March. We include all wool delivered before this point in the current season. Any wool delivered after this into the stack and inform the farmer that it will be added it to the system at the beginning of May. In most years, we receive between 5–10 tons during this period.We pack everything up in the last week of March.”
So if you’re worried about late deliveries, don’t be – your local depot has you covered.
What Happens When We “Pack Up”?
Stephen explains packing up at the end of the grading season: “When we pack everything up, we often still have wool in skeps that does not reach bale weight. Following instructions from Richard Alderson (Wool Sales), we combine the remaining grades into suitable lots. Then we core-test all lots and upload them to the wool system. Wool Sales selects the lots they need for upcoming auctions.
Why Pre-Season Maintenance Matters
“We carry out safety checks on all machinery and lifting equipment during April. Before each day’s use, we inspect every machine and record any defects, then fix them immediately.” Stephen says. “An insurance company visits the depot to complete six-monthly and annual inspections on all lifting equipment, including forklift trucks, hoists, fall arrest systems, and skep elevators. We also work closely with Colin Jarvis, the Health and Safety Manager for all grading and intermediate depots, to ensure we meet all regulations.”
Closing Sale Lots
Before the new season starts, Stephen tells us they close all sale lots. Why? “We close off all lots from the current season to ensure the wool reaches auction. When Wool Sales sells the wool, the results determine the average price and price per kilo for each grade. We then return this value to our members for their wool.”
Still Have Wool to Drop Off? Don’t Worry!
Stephen reassures, “April is busy, but if you still have wool to deliver, there’s no need to stress. Drop it off during maintenance, and we’ll have it ready for full processing once the season starts.”
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