Rubisco New Zealand has moved to Ashburton, New Zealand. The company is outgrowing its facilities in Burnside and Christchurch where it processes hemp.
Rubsico Established in 2024, the company manufactures hemp, wool and other materials. As a result, the original plant is no longer able to meet the demand for its hemp processing services. This involves separating the bast fibres from woody hurds in a method called decortication.
By moving the decortication, the company will be nearer to the primary supply of hemp fiber. It will also streamline the supply chain to reduce transport emissions and expand value-added processing in Burnside.
Guy Wills, Rubisco’s CEO said that the facility would allow Rubisco “to scale up production while continuing to innovate” due to the strong local supply network and the growing demand for hemp-based products. We expect that Ashburton will be operational in early 2026. This marks a new chapter for Rubisco as it strives to provide sustainable solutions on global markets.
Among the value-added products from Rubisco is its FuturFiber hemp–wool geotextiles, a natural fibre erosion control and weed suppression matting product that is the first to hold a GreenTag EPD. FuturFiber is carbon negative in that it sequesters more carbon than it emits, locking away -1.4 kg of CO₂ during production and biodegrading at its end of life according to the firm; returning nutrients to the soil.
Rubisco is busy but the overall picture of industrial hemp cultivation in New Zealand hasn’t been impressive. The amount land planted for hemp as well as the number of licenses granted have decreased in the last few years. David Seymour is New Zealand’s Minister of Regulation. He announced in February that the “outdated, burdensome regulations” were holding back local industries.
Seymour, the Minister at that time, said “this overregulation inhibits economic growth and innovations within the sector.”
The Minister had intended to present reform options for the Cabinet in late 2014, or around this time.
Industrial hemp, which by definition contains only traces of THC (the intoxicating cannabinoid), is classified under New Zealand’s Misuse Of Drugs Act as Class C.
How hemp is manufactured.