New Industrial Facility Cements Hornby's Reign

Tue, 20 July 2004

Major New Industrial Facility Cements Hornby's Reign

A massive new $7 million industrial facility is reinforcing Hornby's place as the South Island's leading centre for warehousing, transport and distribution.

The facility, in Connaught Drive, has been purpose built in two stages for Cardinal Freight Distribution Ltd. Cardinal moved to the site at the completion of stage one in Easter 2002.

Stage two, now nearing completion, is the culmination of this major development and will double the existing facility's size. It will be one of the highest industrial buildings in Christchurch, boasting a nine metre stud height, rising to 13 metres at the gable. The 11,000m2 facility (over one and a half rugby fields) also offers expansive canopy areas. Having purchased Phoenix Freight in December 2003, Cardinal Freight will co-locate both businesses on the one site and Phoenix is due to move into the new premises at the end of July. The facility will serve as the South Island distribution centre for both companies.

Cardinal's local manager Glen Walker says the synergies that exist between the two companies drove the decision to locate them together. He says real benefits will be derived through operational efficiencies and economies of scale, resulting in improved service to their clients.

Simes Commercial Agent Andrew Mason brokered the deal between the site's original owners and the facility's builders, Chas S Luney, and Cardinal Freight.

Andrew Mason says this is another development that is cementing Hornby as the place to be in the South Island for major transport and distribution companies.

"Few other areas in Christchurch can offer sites at the scale and value needed to make these developments work. Now that several of the major players, such as Cardinal, Linfox, Progressives Supply Chain and Foodstuffs, are all located within a stone's throw from each other, efficiency suggests many others will follow."

ENDS

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