Specific designs delivered
Industrial activity has quickened in recent weeks as developers focus on corporate clients’ specific requirements. Developments in the main manufacturing centres Auckland and Christchurch, involve longstanding players like Goodman and Calder Stewart.
In a couple of weeks, rubberware manufacturer Skellerup and 1200 employees will celebrate a move to new premises on the western outskirts of the city at Wigram, after 77 years in east Christchurch’s historical industrial area of Woolston.
‘‘Project Viking’’ has been delivered by prominent Christchurch Developer Calder Stewart.
Earthquake damage in 2011 at the old Woolston site prompted Skellerup to secure a new property at Wigram from Nga¯i Tahu Property.
Calder Stewart’s design and build required close collaboration.
On the old site, the array of electricity networks, hydraulics, process water, airconditioning, and ventilation had developed organically over decades.
It has taken time to rediscover how they all fitted together.
The rubber mixing plant at the heart of the manufacturing process defined the layout of the new site.
It was dismantled on the old Woolston site and reconfigured, to better suit the planned layout with various setups modelled on computers using laser-measured dimensions.
The designers also used plywood models of moulding machines to calculate how to optimise space, operator comfort, production and easy maintenance.
The move to Wigram means the former site is now for sale. The general area remains industrialzoned but there have been many changes over the years as companies become cleaner.
A former tannery - The Tannery has been developed over the road by Alistair Cassells into a vibrant food and retail outlet with numerous operators.
The old Skellerup site is being marketed ‘‘as is where is’’ with vacant possession by Knight Frank agents Campbell Taylor, Sam Stone and Terry Connolly.
Colliers is also marketing a large site in western Christchurch at Sockburn on behalf of German publicly listed multinational The Linde Group. Its subsidiary BOC will lease part of it for another 15 years.
Meanwhile in Auckland, stationery supplier ACCO is doubling its space at Goodman Property Trust’s Highbrook Business Park, and has committed to an eight year lease over a purpose built 6400 sqm warehouse.
Goodman is also developing a 9600 sqm warehouse for NZX-listed Steel & Tube at Glassworks Industry Park in Hornby, Christchurch.
It is the fourth development undertaken for the company since 2009, with the steel supplier now one of Goodman’s top five customers.
These two projects have a combined cost of $30.6 million.
Goodman ‘‘recycling’’ programme involves a conditional contract to sell three Auckland office properties for $206 million.
The sale to property funds manager and syndicator Oyster Management includes the two Millennium office estates and the Yellow HQ building, developed by Goodman. The adjoining properties are at 600-604 Great South Road in Greenlane.
Earlier in September Goodman sold three Christchurch properties for $47.1 million to a private local investor. One of them is at Southpark Industrial Estate in Middleton, and two from Show Place Office Park in Addington.
At the same time, Goodman has acquired two adjoining industrial properties in Henderson, Auckland for $18.9 million on the corner of Selwood Rd and The Concourse.