Tools firm relocates for roomier warehouse
Huge growth in demand is behind a decision by The ToolShed to relocate its national warehouse and support office, including a 550-square-metre retail outlet, into purposebuilt premises in the Te Rapa Gateway Business Park.
The Hamilton-based business has grown to 26 stores throughout New Zealand, including two outlets in Hamilton.
Brothers Graeme and Wayne Giles decided to relocate the business due to ongoing growth and a lack of warehousing space at the company’s Norton Rd site.
Director Graeme Giles said the business had grown 30 per cent annually in the past three years and 28 per cent this year.
‘‘This is mainly driven by the construction trade and being able to supply what customers require at the right price. Last year we imported around 120 20-foot containers of The ToolShed-branded equipment and were constantly running out of stock and storage room.’’
The ToolShed is now one of New Zealand’s largest specialist tool outlets, being authorised agents and resellers of DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita, HiKoki (formally Hitachi) and Powerbuilt, along with being the sole distributor of its own ToolShed brand.
The new site is located next to the new Foster Construction headquarters in Arthur Porter Drive and diagonally opposite 4 Guys Auto Barn.
Graeme Giles said the new outlet and head office was on a 5500sqm site and would provide nearly three times the storage area than the current building due to its massive 12-metre stud height.
Construction is due to be completed by about the end of April. Fitout is expected between the company’s national annual conference and the Fieldays, with the new complex opened mid-year.
Te Rapa Gateway is a project by Chalmers Property, the property investment arm of Port Otago, owned by the Otago Regional Council. The original 109-hectare site is almost half-occupied by Porter Group, and Chalmers Property is busy developing the remaining area.
Sales and marketing manager Michael Clark said the company was active in specbuilding for lease and sale, which was encouraging businesses already located in Hamilton to relocate.
‘‘Hamilton is growing. There is a shortage of buildings and very low vacancy rates so we start building before we have tenants.’’
Te Rapa Gateway has released about 90 per cent of the land available in stages 1 and 2. Stage 3 requires a small amount of roading and bridging work, and stages 4 and 5 are a few months away.
‘‘Everything has been pushed forward. We’re getting the land out as fast as possible,’’ Clark said.