A 2.8ha footprint building is about to be enclosed, its roof two-thirds on, floors being laid and exterior walls now being enclosed.<\/p>\n
Foodstuffs’ upcoming North Island frozen and chilled distribution centre is a giant building. Photo \/ Corey Fleming <\/p>\n
Such a large new building is needed because customers vastly increased their purchases of frozen and chilled foods during Covid and continue to buy those products, Quin said.<\/p>\n
All up, it will be able to store 27,656 pallets. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the biggest pile of insulating panels I\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d Quin says, pointing to rows of polyisocyanurate PIR panels stacked to one side of the building site.<\/p>\n
The panels, supplied by Christchurch-headquartered Kingspan New Zealand, will ensure the building stays within the target -24C to +2C range, Quin said.<\/p>\n
Auckland Airport contracted Macrennie Construction as the head contractor.<\/p>\n
Conset Construction is doing a vast amount of indoor and outdoor concrete work. <\/p>\n
A rendering of Foodstuffs’ new $70 million North Island chilled and frozen distribution centre (far right) in South Auckland. The existing support centre and ambient distribution centre are the two buildings shown on this plan to the left and centre. Image \/ Foodstuffs<\/p>\n
Foodstuffs<\/a> has leased the site at The Landing from Auckland Airport<\/a> on a 25-year term.<\/p>\n That is opposite Foodstuffs\u2019 M\u0101ngere headquarters<\/a>, on the corner of Te Kapua Drive and Patai Way on airport land.<\/p>\n Steel for the building is coming from West Auckland\u2019s DH Steel Construction, owned by Auckland businessman Mike Sullivan, also of Countrywide Properties and Clearwater Construction.<\/p>\n Some steel components come pre-assembled, while others are assembled at the building site.<\/p>\n Steel Roofing, Citywide Electrical and Kidd Civil Consulting are other operators on the site, where Boersen estimates about 200 people are now working.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to get it square,\u201d he said of laser technology being used within the building, with its internal stud height of 16m and an external height of 22m. <\/p>\n About half the building will be a chiller and half a freezer, with the flexibility to convert all to frozen storage in future if needed.<\/p>\n A frost heave floor system in the chiller area allows future conversion to a fully frozen building.<\/p>\n A lounge for truck drivers is being developed, along with offices and many on-site car parks.<\/p>\n An outdoor basketball court is also planned at the site, with Hanson telling how Foodstuffs\u2019 own headquarters across the road also has one.<\/p>\n Quin says the building will be operated 24 hours a day, six days a week, with Sundays off.<\/p>\n Shifts will start at 6am, 2pm and 10pm. <\/p>\n Unlike Foodstuffs South Island\u2019s new $28m automated frozen distribution centre<\/a> opened last year, the M\u0101ngere building will not be automated.<\/p>\n Hornby is more for storage, whereas M\u0101ngere is for distribution, Quin said, so instead of robots, \u201cpeople will do our picking\u201d.<\/p>\n The Auckland building will have 2.5ha of rooftop solar panels, generating about 20% of its electricity needs.<\/p>\n Boersen said Foodstuffs was negotiating to sell its existing Wiri frozen and chilled distribution centre, where the firm has been for 17 years.<\/p>\n Hanson said when completed, the new building would:<\/p>\n Increase chilled and frozen capacity\u00a0Improve food distribution resilience across the upper North Island\u00a0Help supermarkets remain well-supplied\u00a0Improve efficiency for food suppliers\u00a0Reduce product handling\u00a0Improve fleet utilisation\u00a0Support future population growth\u00a0in the upper North IslandProvide a safer working environment\u00a0Improve sustainability performance<\/p>\n The site had been future-proofed with the capacity to charge electric trucks, he said.\u202f<\/p>\n Boerson said the building contract was between Auckland Airport and Macrennie, with Foodstuffs to be the tenant. <\/p>\n Once the building is finished, it can only be chilled at 2C progressively; the floor or steel could crack if it is cooled faster.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s complexities of scale,\u201d Boerson said of the challenges of building Project Igloo. <\/p>\n Foodstuffs North Island Paitai Way chilled and frozen food distribution centre<\/p>\n Rising on Auckland Airport land at M\u0101ngereNew $70m project replacing the existing Wiri hubFor chilled and frozen food itemsTotal footprint: 28,128sq m, size of four rugby fieldsWarehouse: 24,821sq mRacking up to 12m high for 27,656 palletsTwo temperature zones: chiller +2\u00b0C and freezer -24\u00b0C\u00a027 state-of-the-art loading docksCapacity to park 30 trucks on-site\u00a01.96MW rooftop solar array with 3557 panels to offset grid electricityThe solar array will produce about 20% of buildings\u2019 electricity needsDeveloped by Auckland Airport, to be leased to Foodstuffs North IslandSite on Paitai Way, The Landing, Auckland Airport\u00a0Due to open in March 2028.<\/p>\nDavid Boersen (left), Chris Quin and Nick Hanson inside the new building. Photo \/ Corey Fleming<\/p>\n
The big site as it was last August, before the building began to rise. Photo \/ Dean Purcell<\/p>\n
Plans for the truck loading and unloading area at Foodstuffs North Island’s new $70 million chilled and frozen distribution centre at M\u0101ngere, South Auckland. Image \/ Foodstuffs<\/p>\n
An artist’s impression of how Foodstuffs North Island’s new $70 million frozen and chilled distribution centre could look once it is finished. Image \/ Foodstuffs<\/p>\n
At the site last August, before the new building rose. Photo \/ Dean Purcell<\/p>\n