Whitegoods manufacturer Fisher & Paykel Appliances Holdings Ltd will close its Brisbane plant with the loss of 310 jobs. 

The move comes as part of a strategy to concentrate its production operations in Thailand, Mexico and Italy.

Citing high costs at existing plants, New Zealand-based Fisher & Paykel says it will develop a plant in Mexico that it acquired from rival US whitegoods maker Whirlpool.

It will shift three manufacturing facilities to Mexico and to existing sites in Thailand and Italy.

The company expects to save about $42 million pre-tax a year from the changes, after a one-off cost of a similar amount.

"Capital expenditure is estimated at about $85 million," the company said.

Fisher & Paykel will cut its Dunedin workforce in New Zealand by 430, its Brisbane workforce by 310, and 330 jobs will go at its DCS cooking plant in California.

The cost of the moves will be funded mostly from the sale of the sites in NZ and Australia that will be closed down.

Fisher & Paykel also expects savings by sourcing components from the respective local vendors.

"Our products are innovative and high end, but unless we can reduce some of the cost disparities in the manufacturing process, particularly the cost of labour, we will not be able to continue to provide an adequate return to our shareholders," chief executive John Bongard said.

Mr Bongard said the high New Zealand dollar, complex and expensive compliance costs in manufacturing in Australia and New Zealand and free trade agreements with China and Thailand had made it difficult to compete.

Remaining production facilities in Auckland, Ohio in the US, and Borso del Grappa in Italy, along with their engineering and design teams, will continue to operate as before.

The company will send New Zealand, Australian and US personnel to manage the manufacturing processes in the new facilities to ensure quality standards are maintained.

The Australian operation will continue to employ 330 people and 340 staff will continue to work in the US.

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