Stated throughout the history of the Northern Co-operative Meat Company Ltd, is its commitment to reinvest profits to ensure that it provides state of the art services and facilities to its members.

The following historical brief shows the road the Co-operative has travelled so far:

1933-1943 - The First Decade

• The Co-operative was incorporated on the 21st October 1933
  
• The building of the new meat works was completed in 1939
  
• In 1943, The Co-operative's Board of Directors passed a resolution stating that the Co-operative would only operate as a service processing operation and that the Co-operative is not to enter the buying and/or selling of livestock or meats. This original policy is still upheld to this day.

1943-1953 - The Second Decade

• Sound profits were achieved throughout the decade
  
• Dividends were first paid to shareholders 1946 and were then paid each year of the decade thereafter. The Co-operatives Board of Directors has continued to uphold the policy of paying dividends based on annual profits to this day.
  
• Capital expenditure was committed to up-grading the By-Products operation during the decade
  
• A record number of cattle were processed in 1953 - 55% higher than the previous record set earlier the same decade

1953-1963 - The Third Decade

• A 400% increase in capital expenditure (over the second decade) was expended on developing and improving the Co-operatives assets and facilities during the third decade
  
• Growth in operations was particularly notable in the area of boneless meats for both export and domestic markets. This expansion demanded an up-grade of the rendering department to keep up with the boning operation
  
• Growth also called for considerable expenditure on blast freezing and freezer storage facilities
  
• The decade also marked the Co-operative's Silver Jubilee in 1958

1963-1973 - The Fourth Decade

• The fourth decade proved to be a period for setting new production records for the Co-operative. The total tonnes of boneless meats produced, more than doubled the previous decades output and the number of animals processed, also increased by 13.5% over the last decade
  
• Additional facilities were constructed to handle these increases in production. Namely blast-freezing and freezer storage
  
• As the decade drew to a close, the Co-operative became involved in a joint venture to build a wet-blue tanning plant at Casino
  
• The Co-operative almost doubled the amount of staff it employed over the decade

1973-1983 - The Fifth Decade

• During the decade the Co-operative became the largest single slaughtering establishment in Australia, processing double the kilos of carcase weight achieved for the fourth decade
  
• A similar increase in production occurred in the preparation of boneless meats, also processing double the tonnage achieved for the previous decade
  
• The Co-operative led Australia as a distinct trend emerged, the production of high quality vacuum-packed primal cuts for the domestic and export markets.
  
• 1975 saw the opening of the wet-blue tannery adjacent to the Casino processing plant
  
• A record amount of funds were spent on capital expenditure for the development of the abattoir, this was far in excess of those spent in the fourth decade. In 1983 the abattoir was recognised as a new plant capable of meeting the regulatory requirements of any importing country
  
• In preparing for the Co-operative's Golden Jubilee the Directors were of the firm view that they had carried on the vision of the Society's founders

1983-1993 - The Sixth Decade

• Over this decade production records continued to be broken. Processing animals increased by 23% over the previous decade, but the most significant increase occurred in the production of boneless meats, an increase of 106% over the last decade. This was largely due to the trend towards the production of high quality vacuum-packed primal cuts
  
• The Co-operative directed large sums of capital expenditure towards improving the boning room facilities, cold storage capacity for both frozen and chilled cartoned meat, and supporting refridgeration equipment
  
• The Co-operative continued employing staff over the decade and again almost doubled staff levels over the previous decade

1993-2003 - The Seventh Decade

• Pig processing ceased operation at the Co-operatives Casino plant on the 23rd June 1997 and was transferred to Cassino RSM Processing - a joint venture between the Co-operative and R.S. Morrow & Son
  
• 1997 - A purpose built small stock floor for bovine processing was commissioned for animals under 200 kilos. This allowed the beef floor to process grown stock over 200 kilos
  
• 1997- The introduction of sophisticated computer software and hardware throughout the plant to improve efficiency and accuracy in weighing, loading, trace-back and inventory control.
  
• 1998 - An Environmental Officer was appointed to further develop the Co-operatives Environmental Management Plan
  
• In 1999, The Co-operative purchased the wet-blue tannery outright, giving it total control over the operation
  
• Capital expenditure (in the first eight years), also included the upgrade of the Casino plant, namely the boning room extension, the offal room upgrade, the building of the further processing room, the purchase of plate freezers and state of the art refridgeration computer software and hardware
  
• In May 2001, the Co-operative achieved the highest ever production month in the boning room. This was due to productivity increases brought about by improving and streamlining the operation
  
• In July 2001, the Co-operative purchased Cassino RSM Processing outright from R.S. Morrow & Son.