Foodstuffs North Island has officially opened a new cross dock and depot facility in Hastings.
The new $20 million multi-temperature facility is the second new regional transport depot to be opened by the co-op in the last six months.
It is equipped with dedicated docks for loading and unloading, allowing up to six trucks to be loaded simultaneously. The facility will also be used for removing cargo from import containers arriving at Port Napier.
“We’re delighted to officially open our new cross dock and depot facility in Hastings, it’s going to be a real game-changer for not only our operation in the region, but right across the North Island,” said Chris Quin, CEO of Foodstuffs North Island.
“It’ll help ensure food is distributed efficiently, safely, and with the highest levels of quality. It’s a really significant investment in the Hawke’s Bay region and we’re excited to see the positive impact this new facility will have on our customers and on the wider community.”
“Despite being newly opened, we’ve already given it one heck of a shake down following Cyclone Gabrielle. We made the strategic decision to use the site was used as a staging post for serving the region during Cyclone Gabrielle, and was used for loading food and other essentials such as Star Link kits onto helicopters, trucks, and other vehicles for reaching cut-off and isolated communities across the Hawke’s Bay and beyond.
“It’s been an unsung hero in helping us recover our operations so quickly in the wake of the cyclone,” Quin said.
The new facility will also be used for cross-docking, where bulk orders arrive on large trucks, before being broken down into small orders for delivery to local stores by smaller vehicles.
The new building features automatic gates, laser lights for walkways, CCTV, multi temperature facilities for storing fresh, frozen and ambient products, automatic doors, six docks for safe and efficient rear loading of trucks, EV chargers and full electric forklift fleet.
The new building has 30 people employed by Foodstuffs North Island.
