Transport and logistics giant Maersk has opened its new $150 million cold storage facility at Ruakura Superhub — the company’s biggest infrastructure investment in New Zealand.
The 18,000 square metre Waikato facility is strategically located in the “golden triangle” between Auckland and Tauranga. It will move goods between transport modes such as rail and truck throughout the region which sees 65% of New Zealand’s total freight flow.
The facility will leverage landside logistic capabilities allowing for larger quantities of imported and exported goods to flow through New Zealand and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
The cold chain facility can house nearly 30,000 pallets of products in both cold rooms and blast freezers reaching temperatures of -18 degrees. The blast freezers can freeze produce down to international food standards in less than 24 hours.
The multitude of rooms, which TransportTalk got a sneak peek at, allows for various products to be stored at different temperatures to meet a range of customer needs.
Maersk chief executive Vincent Clerc attended the February 21 opening and says Asia-Pacific is a “must-win” market for the firm.
The company has doubled its global warehousing footprint since 2020 to more than 650,000 square metres and added more than 275 facilities in the Asia-Pacific region.
Clerc points out that Asia-Pacific is the largest regional economy in the world, bigger than Europe and North America, and on track to cross 50% of global GDP by 2040.
Key markets in Oceania have a forecast market size of $140 billion by 2026.
Maersk’s aim is to “become the most trusted integrated supply chain partner in Oceania”, Clerc says.
“New Zealand has long played a vital role in the global supply chain from dairy, meat to seafood and fruits, the primary industry sector to drive the development of country’s economy.
“We have over the years made very significant investments in our ocean network and offer today a best-in-class experience from capacity, coverage, and reliability perspective.
“We have operated in New Zealand for 27 years – and we are enthusiastic about fostering sustained growth and forging these long-term partnerships with our customers,” Clerc adds.
Maersk Oceania managing director Kylie Fraser says the new facility will link the ports of Auckland and Tauranga, helping to increase the volume of possible imports and exports to and from New Zealand.
The facility will be utilised by New Zealand dairy giant, Fonterra, supporting its North Island production. Other customers include BluePrint Global/NZ Grass-Fed Butter, Mega Foods, and Service Foods.
“Expansion of our product solutions into the cold store segment presents a significant opportunity for our customers to benefit from a state-of-the-art facility, as we transform the New Zealand logistics landscape and connect and simplify our customer’s supply chains,” Fraser says.
Site manager Peter Phillip is in charge of running the facility which currently has 20 staff members. He says the site is expected to scale quickly as volume is coming “thick and fast with plenty of demand”.
Maersk has partnered with local Waikato-Tainui iwi which owns the land on which the Ruakura Superhub sits.
Through the partnership, Maersk has made a significant social investment into the region through job creation and providing Waikato-Tainui with logistics and supply-chain training systems to upskill those in the community wishing to take up a career in logistics.
Tuku Morgan, chairman of Te Arataura, the executive committee of Waikato-Tainui, says historically Waikato-Tainui ancestors would trade up and down the nearby Waikato River.
The partnership with Maersk acknowledges the ancient tradition.
“Partnering with a global logistics giant like Maersk, who could see the massive benefits and efficiencies Ruakura Superhub offered, epitomises the vision we have for the Superhub as a critical supply chain enabler and driver of regional economic development.
“We’re proud to partner with Maersk to support their growth and ongoing contribution to Aotearoa New Zealand which will, in turn, support us to drive the economic resilience of our 86,000-strong iwi.”
Maersk also partnered with commercial construction company Apollo Projects on the design and construction of the facility and supply chain consultant TMX Transform for property advisory and project management.
The facility meets the highest sustainability rating possible for a cold store, aiming to achieve at minimum, a Greenstar-5 rating with an aim to improve this to 6-stars, which will be the highest of any cold store in New Zealand.
The facility’s design has enabled Maersk to limit its environmental footprint with the installation of solar panels on all rooftops, using CO2 instead of ammonia in all freezers, collecting and re-using rainwater and providing electrical charging stations for cars and trucks.
Maersk has also partnered with Coda Group which will provide landside transport services at the new site.
