L’Oréal ANZ has opened a $40m Redbank centre, expanding capacity with renewable energy and sustainability measures.
L’Oréal Australia and New Zealand has expanded its supply chain capacity with the opening of a new $40 million distribution centre in Redbank, Queensland. The 14,533sqm facility was officially opened in August 2024 by L’Oréal Groupe ANZ CEO, Alex Davison, and represents a major milestone in the company’s ongoing investment in the region.
The new distribution centre joins L’Oréal’s existing site in Victoria and will service customers across Queensland, New South Wales, and the Northern Territory. By balancing capacity between the two locations, the company aims to strengthen resilience across its network while meeting increasing consumer demand.
Alex says the investment reflects both operational needs and the company’s broader corporate vision.
“Our global vision at L’Oréal Groupe is to create beauty that moves the world, and in Australia and New Zealand, this represents our commitment to delivering products from our diverse portfolio of 36 brands to our valued customers and partners in a responsible and sustainable way.”
“The establishment of our distribution centre in Queensland marks a significant milestone in our growth strategy, enabling us to enhance service by reducing delivery times and ensuring products are readily available. This expansion not only supports our future growth but also deeply aligns with our corporate and sustainability commitments.”
He also described the opening as a major step in strengthening local capabilities.
“Today’s opening of our new distribution centre in Queensland reflects a significant milestone for L’Oréal in Australia. The new site will enhance our capabilities locally, ensuring we can continue to meet growing demand for our products, while also cutting delivery times across key states and bringing down transport emissions across the board.”
Operating two hubs along the eastern seaboard enables L’Oréal to spread volumes more evenly and manage disruption risk. By locating stock closer to customers in northern states, the company can shorten lead times and reduce reliance on long-haul transport from Victoria.
“We’ve selected Southeast Queensland as a strategic location for our new distribution centre because it enables us to be closer to our customers and opens up access to key domestic transport routes,” Alex says.
The opening also underscores the importance of supply chain resilience in today’s fast-moving consumer markets. With e-commerce growth and rising customer expectations for fast delivery, brands are increasingly looking to expand distribution footprints and improve last-mile efficiency. For L’Oréal, Redbank provides both capacity and flexibility to respond to fluctuating demand across three major states.
By diversifying across Victoria and Queensland, the company has also introduced redundancy into its operations. If one site experiences disruption, the other can absorb demand, keeping products moving to customers and retail partners. That resilience has become a central focus for many global businesses, and L’Oréal’s expansion in ANZ shows how this strategy is being applied locally.
Sustainability is a defining feature of the Redbank facility. Like all L’Oréal sites in Australia and New Zealand, the distribution centre runs on 100 per cent renewable energy. The building incorporates a biodiversity garden, rainwater harvesting systems, and electric vehicle charging stations for staff and visitors. A 350kW rooftop solar system, made up of 832 panels, further strengthens the site’s renewable footprint. Alex says sustainability is embedded across every level of the Group’s operations.
“We are proud to have been actively tackling climate change for over 15 years, and all L’Oréal sites in Australia and New Zealand are powered by 100 per cent renewable energy – a testament to our ‘L’Oréal For the Future’ program and our new targets set in place to achieve climate transition, safeguard nature, drive circularity and to support the communities that we serve and live in.”
The “L’Oréal For the Future” program sets ambitious environmental goals, including reducing carbon emissions, protecting biodiversity, and supporting a circular economy. These targets are built around four priorities: accelerating climate transition, safeguarding nature, driving circularity, and supporting communities. At Redbank, these commitments are visible not only in the energy systems but also in the landscaping and infrastructure designed to reduce environmental impact.
Project partners TMX Transform and Goodman Group worked with L’Oréal to integrate these sustainability measures from the outset. Goodman’s Green Star standards were also factored into the development, ensuring the facility aligns with nationally recognised benchmarks for environmentally responsible industrial buildings.
The integration of renewable energy and water conservation measures reflects the growing importance of sustainability in industrial property. In Queensland, water conservation in particular is a pressing issue, and the site’s rainwater harvesting system directly addresses this challenge. By embedding sustainability into the design stage, L’Oréal has ensured the Redbank site will meet both current and future expectations for environmental responsibility.
The new site is also expected to deliver local economic benefits. L’Oréal confirmed that 60 jobs will be created by the end of 2024, spanning a mix of logistics, supply chain, and support roles.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding welcomed the announcement.
“This $40 million investment in our region will support new jobs that will enhance our local economy and reinforce Ipswich’s growing reputation as an attractive city for businesses and industry to thrive. Attracting L’Oréal Groupe to Ipswich is another sign that businesses have confidence in Ipswich as we continue to boost supply chain resilience and provide opportunities for our residents to work where they live.”
For L’Oréal, the jobs are tied directly to its diversity and inclusion agenda. Alex explains: “We’re also proud of our commitment to build diverse and inclusive teams. The jobs created directly relate to our inclusive sourcing program, which aims at providing job placements for people in vulnerable situations. Our partnership with fantastic organisations such as Hoban exemplifies this commitment to create a stable and positive impact on local communities.”
This inclusive approach aligns with the company’s global corporate responsibility strategy, which balances environmental, economic, and social pillars. At Redbank, community-focused employment initiatives demonstrate that expansion projects can deliver both commercial capacity and positive social outcomes.
Australia and New Zealand is one of L’Oréal’s fastest-growing regions worldwide. In 2023, the Group reported global sales of €41.18 billion, supported by its portfolio of 37 brands. Locally, the company markets 32 brands in Australia and 26 in New Zealand, spanning mass market, department stores, pharmacies, salons, travel retail, and branded outlets.
Alex says the Redbank facility represents a long-term commitment to the region.
“This is why we’re continuing to invest locally, and this new distribution centre is a prime example of this.”
The new Queensland hub strengthens L’Oréal’s ability to meet demand, enhance delivery outcomes, and embed sustainability at the core of its operations.
By pairing national growth strategies with local execution, the company is positioning itself to serve customers more efficiently while meeting its global sustainability targets.
The Redbank project underscores a central theme in L’Oréal’s expansion: growth paired with responsibility. As Alex concludes: “Our commitment is to grow responsibly. Facilities like Redbank demonstrate that operational expansion and sustainability can go hand in hand.”
