Woolworths has unveiled its newly upgraded Townsville Regional Distribution Centre following the completion of a $12 million expansion to strengthen supply chain resilience in North Queensland.
At 10,416 square metres, the DC is now more than double its original footprint and Woolworths has hired an additional 30 team members to help boost its capacity to service local stores in Townsville and Far North Queensland.
The expanded site can hold an additional 435 fresh food and essential product lines, including key contingency items such as tinned vegetables, toilet paper, nappies and baby formula.
The DC services 39 Woolworths supermarkets spanning from Sarina to Weipa – delivering fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, eggs, milk, and groceries from hundreds of suppliers.
Dale Acton, Woolworths Group’s General Manager for Queensland Supply Chain said Townsville has faced tough times in recent years, and the Group wanted to do its bit to aid the economic recovery after the 2019 floods.
“With the extra space and equipment upgrades, we’re better placed than ever before to service our North Queensland stores year-round and in the unfortunate event of a natural disaster,” he said.
Queensland builder Spaceframe commenced works in December 2019 and employed around 170 workers throughout construction. Following completion, Woolworths has extended its lease with property owner Centuria.
Jesse Curtis, Fund Manager for Centuria Industrial REIT, which owns the DC, said Centuria has enjoyed a close working relationship with Woolworths.
“Centuria’s improved facility now provides a cold storage area about the same size as three tennis courts and the dry-store area is the equivalent of almost three-and-a-half Olympic swimming pools. Centuria’s development team spent six months overseeing the expansion of this key distribution centre and we are excited its officially opened,” he said.
The upgrade of the distribution centre followed a commitment from Woolworths in February 2019 to invest $20 million in the Townsville store and supply chain network.
“The investment made by Woolworths to expand its Townsville distribution centre means they have more stock available locally to replenish stores when needed, which is great news for the community when they’re in recovery mode,” Townsville Mayor, Jenny Hill said.