Stacks of possibility
A BOX distribution centre for Bowen will help farmers grow their profits.
Oji Fibre Solutions, one of Australasia’s biggest pulp paper and packaging companies, plans to open a distribution centre in Bowen.
The company opened a $ 72 million factory on the Gold Coast in February.
Oji Fibre Solutions state sales manager Queensland Jason CairnsLawrence said when it started full production, the company identified strategic sites in Queensland for distribution centres.
Bowen, Mareeba and Bundaberg – all fruit and vegetable growing areas – will have distribution centres.
“Our patented corrugated cartons are sent to our regional centres flat packed to save producers on transport costs,” Mr Cairns- Lawrence said.
“At these centres we have machines that put the boxes together so they can collect them or have them delivered to their farm.”
No site for the Bowen centre has been chosen. Mr Cairns- Lawrence said construction going ahead would depend on whether Oji Fibre chose a greenfield site or found something already suited to its purpose that could be modified.
No time frame has been set but Oji Fibre said the centre was in its threeyear strategy.
The Bowen centre will help plug the gap between the Far North and Wide Bay regions.
Mr Cairns- Lawrence said packaging was critical for farmers.
“If they have an A- grade product and it arrives to market spoiled and Bgrade then they do not get the full price of their goods,” he said.
“Woolworths and Coles will often reject an entire pallet if they see two or three boxes compromised.
“When you think about bananas or avocados travelling to markets in Melbourne, they have to arrive as fresh as possible, with cartons being able to sustain everything from transport to climate conditions like humidity.
“Also, when stacking boxes on top of each other, they need to stack as accurately as possible.
“Any lean and you may not get as many boxes on a pallet, taking up more room for transport, thus adding to costs.”
Mr Cairns- Lawrence said the bottom boxes carried a weight of more than 100kg, so the corners could not sag and needed to be as strong as possible to hold the weight.