Tenant, jobs for inland port
Hundreds of jobs will be created in the next few years after one of two massive inland ports near Hamilton secured its first tenant.
Ports of Auckland is building a major freight transport hub at Horotiu, just north of the city, and have done their first deal with Open Country Dairy (OCD). The business should be operating from the site within the first half of next year. OCD are New Zealand’s second largest exporter of whole milk powder.
The Waikato Freight Hub which sits on 33 hectares, will have a rail connection added in the next two to three years.
Until then, freight will travel by road to Hamilton and then by rail to Ports of Auckland’s Waitemata¯ sea port. A strong freight and logistics sector is key to supporting the region’s growth believes Waikato District Council Mayor Allan Sanson.
‘‘Waikato is New Zealand’s second fastest growing region after Auckland. It makes up the heart of the ‘Golden Triangle’ bounded by Auckland and the Bay of Plenty, and our region is a major contributor to national export earnings which continue to be dominated by our primary industries.’’
When fully operational the hub is expected to provide around 300 new jobs for the region.
‘‘It’s great for the district but it is also great for the region. Obviously you look up the road four or five kilometres and you’ve got Hamilton, so I am under no illusion that quite a number of employees will come out of Hamilton.’’
Sanson believes the region can sustain two large inland ports – with work also underway on Tainui’s inland port based in Ruakura. That project will consume 485 hectares of land east of the city, from the Wairere Dr and Gordonton Rd intersection in the north, to Silverdale in the south. It will cover an area larger than the Auckland CBD.
‘‘[Horotiu] is far more advanced and they’re looking to start operations with the dry store here in the coming months. I know Tainui are working hard on finding tenants for themselves and no doubt they will do in time.
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‘‘We now have Open Country Cheese here and we have up to potentially four dairy factories being built in Pokeno. They all require large logistics, movement of product, so this location is ideal for that,’’ Sanson said.
Road safety shouldn’t be a factor as, in theory, the hub should cut down the number of truck movements through to Auckland.
Port of Auckland CEO Tony Gibson said that they are thrilled to have secured OCD as their first major tenant.
‘‘This new facility will give Waikato farmers a more efficient and environmentally friendly way to send their exports overseas, improving their competitiveness and sustainability.