The Arnott’s Group has officially launched its automated distribution centre in Huntingwood, Western Sydney, in a bid to boost domestic and international growth initiatives.
Located adjacent to the group’s largest biscuit site, the $65 million distribution centre serves as a thoroughfare for over 60 per cent of the group’s national inventory, delivering significant operational savings. It is also seated in prime proximity to distribution hubs for key retail partners.
The 43,000 sqm site is capable of accommodating over 28,000 pallets, which is almost four times the site’s previous capacity.
The automated site was constructed with a one-touch logistics, leveraging robotics automation and incorporates touch point automation and a new palletising system with a 35m-high bay.
“We continue to expand our Australian operations and need the storage and logistics infrastructure in place to accommodate this growth. We intend for Western Sydney to be the beating heart of our national operations, and you need only step into the warehouse to get a sense of the sheer scale of what we are hoping to achieve,” Tom Vicars, director of procurement and logistics for Arnott’s Group.
“This project is a significant investment to modernise our network and ensure we have the systems and processes in place to support our growth, remain competitive and continue to make our iconic products in Australia with ingredients sourced predominantly from Australian suppliers,” Vicars added.
The opening of the new centre was attended by Hugh McDermott, member for Prospect, together with Elders from the Deerubhbin Aboriginal Land Council, Arnott’s Group Executives and 50 of the Group’s top suppliers, including representatives from automation partner Daifuku and logistics partner Linfox.
“The solutions within the facility are designed to streamline the process from manufacturing through to delivery, with automation meaning products are inducted, stored, monitored, and prepared for delivery with minimal human intervention. This one-touch philosophy means that both products and orders are managed and prepared faster, improving delivery times to store and providing an unparalleled level of visibility and productivity,” Michael Jee, general manager at Daifuku.
The distribution centre is also equipped with 2,464 solar panels on its roof, which is expected to generate over 1,500 GWh of renewable energy.
