Brisbane Airport Corporation announced a new distribution hub for Wallenius Wilhelmsen Solutions. The Oslo-based logistics company specialises in the global distribution of cars, trucks, agricultural, construction and mining equipment, and other machinery including breakbulk and project cargo, with operations in 29 countries. In Australia, Wallenius Wilhelmsen is providing logistics solutions to manufacturers in the automotive, rolling machinery, and project cargo industries, with five Technical Services facilities in strategic locations around the country. Brisbane Airport Corporation will develop a 6,000sqm building and a 42,000sqm hardstand area for Wallenius Wilhelmsen Solutions, to open in early 2023.
The Wallenius Wilhelmsen facility will also include a warehouse and workshop of approximately 5,500sqm of Net Lettable Area (NLA), a concrete hardstand area of 13,522sqm and an asphalt hardstand area of 28,478sqm.
Martin Ryan, Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) Executive General Manager Commercial, said the purpose-built facility would include overhead gantry cranes, workshop pits, wash bays, and 2x paint booth capable of conducting full resprays of various equipment and machinery. “Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s decision to base its Queensland logistics centre at Brisbane Airport is testament to our commitment to provide custom solutions for our tenants in an unrivalled location,’’ he said. “With the continued growth in freight and logistics industries, Brisbane Airport is well positioned to be able to grow with the demand from major companies looking to develop or expand their footprint in Queensland.”
Wallenius Wilhelmsen will join the more than 425 businesses established across the Brisbane Airport precinct, including other major transport and logistics companies like Australia Post, Toll and Geodis. A number of major logistics and transport companies are expanding their operations within the Airport precinct, with recent upgrade completions or plans in the works. These include Direct Couriers, DHL, and Bonds Transport.
Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s General Manager for Land Based Operations in Australia Prakash Joshi said they were pleased to be joining the industrial hub at Brisbane Airport, given its exceptional transport links and focus on sustainability. “Given our global focus on sustainable supply chains, Brisbane Airport’s combination as a key intermodal hub and its low-carbon goals made it a clear choice for our logistics centre,” Joshi said. “We look forward to joining the freight community at the precinct.”
Supply chain and logistics companies are a growing sector of the Airport’s tenancy amid escalating freight demand and the unique opportunity for 24/7 operations. Following the successful establishment of the Export Park precinct, development is now underway at Airport Industrial Park, a master-planned warehousing, logistics and manufacturing precinct, to cater for the demand for industrial space in Queensland. It is part of the A$1.7 billion property portfolio under the management of Brisbane Airport Corporation, which guides the sustainable development of the BAC’s 2,700-hectare overall lease holding.