NEWS
Woolworths completes $12M facility upgrade Supermarket company, Woolworths, has
before to service our North Queensland
and recover from the challenges of a global
strengthened its supply chain resilience in
stores year-round and in the unfortunate
pandemic and a one in 500 year flood.
Far North Queensland.
event of a natural disaster.”
This is what happens when we create an
Woolworths has upgraded its Townsville
The DC services 39 Woolworths
environment which allows private enterprise
Regional Distribution Centre (DC) following
supermarkets spanning from Sarina
to expand and invest in Townsville.”
the completion of a $12 million expansion.
to Weipa – delivering fresh fruit and
Queensland builder Spaceframe commenced
The DC is double the original footprint at
vegetables, meat, eggs, milk, and groceries
works in December 2019 and employed
10,416 square metres. The company has
from hundreds of suppliers, who have
around 170 workers throughout
also hired an additional 30 team members
generously supported better local range
construction. Following completion,
to boost capacity and service local stores in
availability for North Queensland customers.
Woolworths has extended its lease with
Townsville and Far North Queensland.
“In the lead-up to a natural disaster such
property owner Centuria.
The expanded site can reportedly hold an
as a tropical cyclone, supermarket shelves
Jesse Curtis, Fund Manager for Centuria
additional 435 fresh food and essential
can be stripped bare as residents prepare
Industrial REIT, which owns the DC, said:
product lines.
for impact, and flooding events can see our
“Centuria’s improved facility now provides
“This is a big moment for our local team
region cut off from the rest of the state,”
a cold storage area about the same size as
in Townsville and the broader North
said Townsville Mayor, Jenny Hill.
three tennis courts and the dry-store area
Queensland community,” said Woolworths
“The investment made by Woolworths to
is the equivalent of almost three-and-a-
Group General Manager for Queensland
expand its Townsville distribution centre
half Olympic swimming pools. Centuria’s
Supply Chain, Dale Acton.
means they have more stock available locally
development team spent six months
“Townsville has faced tough times in recent
to replenish stores when needed, which is
overseeing the expansion of this key
years, and we wanted to do our bit to
great news for the community when they’re
distribution centre and we are excited its
aid the economic recovery after the 2019
in recovery mode.”
floods.
“Woolworths is an extremely important
officially opened”. The upgrade of the distribution centre
“This project has injected $12 million of
part of our community, employing more
followed a commitment from Woolworths
fresh investment into the region, created 30
than 1,000 people in the Herbert electorate
in February 2019 to invest $20 million
new permanent jobs and will deliver a more
alone,” said Federal Member for Herbert,
in the Townsville store and supply chain
resilient supply chain network for our North
Phillip Thompson.
network. Woolworths delivered a full
Queensland customers.
“Projects like this expansion – and the 30
renewal of its Fairfield Central supermarket
“With the extra space and equipment
new jobs that it brings – are a massive vote
in March 2019 after it had been badly
upgrades, we’re better placed than ever
of confidence in our region as we grow
damaged by the floods.
Far North Queensland’s supply chain benefits from distribution centre upgrades.
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Trailer Magazine NOVEMBER 20
