A large-format warehouse for Glassons contains clothing, while nearby, a new building for France\u2019s Lactalis is a fast-moving hub for dairy products that arrive at a big chilled, frozen and ambient-temperature warehouse and go out for either domestic or export consumption.<\/p>\n
Mark Weaver, Ben Stewart and Ben Murphy at the Hornby Quadrant. Photo \/ Anna\u00a0Heath. <\/p>\n
Ben Stewart said his family\u2019s business had amalgamated many different types of holdings about 20 years ago to get the scale to take such large warehouses.<\/p>\n
The final stage of vacant land is now being used for grain growing and is leased to a local farmer.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s evolution,\u201d says Stewart of changing uses.<\/p>\n
Big businesses worry about the fragility of North-South Island road connections, so have decided in recent years to build huge southern hubs in Christchurch, he said.<\/p>\n
Freight links are still a concern to many.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople wrote off Christchurch after the earthquakes as being too dangerous. But now businesses don\u2019t trust Cook Strait and want logistics centres here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Inside the new Lactalis New Zealand distribution centre in Hornby Quadrant. Photo \/ Anna\u00a0Heath<\/p>\n
The occupiers have either leased or own these big buildings with huge footprints, just off State Highway 1.<\/p>\n
Owners can be Calder Stewart\u2019s FortHill Property, another owner\/investor – or the tenant themselves.<\/p>\n
The land is at the crossroads of the region\u2019s main transport channels.<\/p>\n
Land, lots of land! Mark Weaver, Ben Stewart and Ben Murphy on the quadrant. Photo \/ Anna Heath<\/p>\n
When finished, the Hornby Quadrant will have a $3b land and building valuation, Stewart said.<\/p>\n
He took the Herald on a tour of some of the largest of the logistics and warehouse properties.<\/p>\n
Oji Fibre Solutions’ building is the largest at Hornby Quadrant. Photo \/ Calder Stewart<\/p>\n
The biggest is the 32,000sq m Oji Fibre Solutions\u2019 warehouse, which has an estimated land\/building valuation today of more than $100m.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was delivered in less than 12 months from the initial drawing to completion,\u201d Stewart said. The warehouse was finished in 2022.<\/p>\n
In April, an 8800sq m $30m dairy products warehouse was opened for French-headquartered Lactalis, originally developed for Mainland before the Fonterra<\/a> sale.<\/p>\n The Sleepyhead<\/a> manufacturing and warehouse building is about 11,000sq m, a design and build sold to that bed manufacturer. <\/p>\n Fletcher Building<\/a> company Comfortech has a 10,000sq m building for its Pink Batts, acoustic and other products. <\/p>\n Fisher & Paykel Appliances has a 6500sq m building completed this decade.<\/p>\n My Food Bag <\/a>has a 4500sq m building, which Stewart said is busiest just before weekends as orders are assembled.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the biggest South Island logistics site being developed by one private company,\u201d Stewart said.<\/p>\n His claim obliquely refers to rivals.<\/p>\n These include the IPORT business park: a $500m 122ha zone between Jones, Hoskyns and Maddison Roads south of Hornby, being developed by the Carter Group.<\/p>\n Another rival in the area is the fast-expanding Airport Business Park at Christchurch Airport.<\/p>\n John Sax\u2019s Waterloo Business Park near Templeton is another rival to Calder Stewart.<\/p>\n Mark Weaver, Calder Stewart\u2019s project director, said some new spec warehouse\/office complexes could be leased at $400,000\/year.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the sweet spot at the moment,\u201d Weaver said, showing off an empty for-lease 2000sq m building at 22 Establishment Drive, which Calder Stewart has built.<\/p>\n It has been available for about two months and is across the road from the Glassons\u2019 warehouse.<\/p>\n New premises are being developed for J. Swap Contractors. That company owns the buildings being developed by Calder Stewart.<\/p>\n Stewart said negotiations were in hand to develop a new fuel station with associated food outlets on Shands Rd.<\/p>\n A 20,000sq m warehouse for a large food business is also planned. <\/p>\nPylons cross the Calder Stewart land. Photo \/\u00a0Anna\u00a0Heath<\/p>\n
Stewart said businesses want Christchurch warehouse space. Photo \/ Anna Heath<\/p>\n
All that milk – it’s got to go somewhere between being made and distributed. Hornby Quadrant is where it goes briefly between stages. Photo \/\u00a0Anna\u00a0Heath. <\/p>\n
A chilly place inside Lactalis, Hornby Quadrant. Photo \/\u00a0Anna\u00a0Heath<\/p>\n