Battery dealer’s outlook positive
FAMILY business A1 Batterypro has secured a strategic position on the key northern highway entrance to Townsville with its purchase of an office warehouse at Mount Louisa.
A 700sq m unit at 547 Industry Park on Woolcock St with frontage to the highway has been acquired for a price understood to be just over $ 1.1 million.
A1 Batterypro were quick to snare the site after a previous tenant, Auslec, consolidated onto another property within its group in Townsville.
Business owner James Heel said the purchase reflected their aim to take a long- term position in Townsville as well as a firm belief in the need to establish a presence at a site that would be easily identifiable and recognisable.
Having recently moved into the new property, A1 Batterypro has painted the unit in its trademark blue to match its marketing strategy.
Having customers knowing where to go was vital, Mr Heel said.
“People are creatures of habit. If a location is not something identifiable, they are not going to go there,” Mr Heel said.
Also, the unit had “great exposure” to some 20,000 vehicle a day passing their front door, he said.
A1 Batterypro, affiliated with Delkor batteries, was established in Mackay 26 years ago, providing a full range of battery types and has been a market leader in the use of selfsufficient solar and battery storage systems.
Its two outlets at Mackay, while grid connected, are both self- sufficient with solar and battery systems and there are plans to introduce a similar system to its Townsville premises.
The firm had leased prem- ises at 547 Industry Park for about 15 months.
Mr Heel said he saw Townsville as a key hub for future growth.
Their batteries are imported directly into Townsville port from South Korea, allowing them to get efficiencies in logistics costs and pass on the benefits to customers.
“Like all of North Queensland, Townsville is quiet at the moment but with the potential for growth and expectations that the market will pick up, I think we are in the box seat,” Mr Heel said.
The sale continues a successful campaign to develop the industry park since its acquisition by the Melbourne- based Gibb Group in 2012.
Gibb Group business development manager Glen Wintour said they had four warehouses, ranging in size from 700sq m to 850sq m, available for lease or sale out of the 27- unit complex.
Mr Wintour said they had also sold two of five adjoining vacant lots.