MHD DISTRIBUTION CENTRES
MUNRO FOOTWEAR POSITIONING FOR GROWTH AT CHARTER HALL’S MIDWEST LOGISTICS HUB, TRUGANINA An artist’s impression of Munro Footwear facility.
Charter Hall explains to MHD how smart warehouses are driving omni-channel business transformation. Charter Hall is delivering Munro Footwear Group’s purpose-built distribution centre in Melbourne’s west later this year. The stateof-the-art facility will help the shoe retailer keep up with the demands brought on by the e-commerce boom.
T
he shift to online retailing shows no sign of slowing down with the pandemic further super-charging customer demand for quick and costeffective deliveries, particularly in the fashion sector. In fact, Australia’s e-commerce penetration rate as a percentage of total retail sales continue to rise and is at a new record of 14.6 per cent equivalent to $55 billion over the past 12 months (Source: CBRE Australian Industrial & Logistics Market Report May 2022). This growth is translating into rapidly evolving and complex distribution centre requirements as businesses seek to transform their omni-channel operations to respond to their customer base shifting their spend from bricks and mortar to online. For Charter Hall, Australia’s largest provider of industrial and logistics
20 | MHD JUNE 2022
facilities, this is demonstrated by increasing e-commerce related enquiries from existing and new customers with more than 20 per cent of leasing enquiries in the last 24 months incorporating an omni-channel approach. “As demand for state-of-theart industrial and logistics facilities accelerates further, we are redefining what is possible when it comes to the operational and technological capability and sustainability innovation,” Andrew Simons Head of Department, Industrial and Logistics at Charter Hall, explains. “At Charter Hall, we specialise in partnering with Australia’s leading and most trusted businesses as well as global brands, to develop, own and manage next-generation industrial and logistics facilities that are custom-designed to meet our customers’ needs for the long-term,” he adds.
“For many businesses this means investing heavily upfront in highly techenabled facilities that have in-built flexibility to support their business growth and deliver on their increasingly sophisticated operational requirements. “For even the largest businesses this can prove challenging, which is one reason why we’re seeing more organisations seeking our expertise in the development of their facilities. “For example, automation is truly shaping the way we work, impacting everything from facility design to software selection and recruitment with businesses looking to streamline processes and increase efficiencies. “We’re looking in tandem with our customers to help them capitalise on the benefits automation brings to operational efficiency, customer experience and ultimately the bottom-line.”
