Hellmann Opens Temperature-Controlled Freight Hub

Hellmann Worldwide Logistics New Zealand media release (March 2009)

Hellmann Unveils “Pure Clean Green” Temperature-Controlled Freight Hub

A new standard in temperature-controlled international freight-forwarding and logistics hubs is to be officially opened by Hellmann Worldwide Logistics in Christchurch on March 12.

Located at 4 Richard Pearse Drive within Christchurch International Airport, the facility has been predicated on environmental, efficiency and energy-conscious criteria and reinforces a commitment to customers and the perishable and ambient logistics industry, explains Hellmann New Zealand managing director Chris McCagney.

“While competitors continue to develop traditional energy-hungry facilities utilising global warming and ozone-depleting refrigerants, our optimised plant design predominantly uses ammonia as the primary refrigerant with glycol as the secondary refrigerant,” he says.

“As a comparative measure, traditional refrigerants such as R404A have a global warming potential of 380 units, whereas our primary ammonia/glycol solution has a global warming potential of just one unit. The other key measure is that our primary solution has zero ozone depletion potential.

“We have invested considerably in an optimised heat transfer system so that we spend less energy in cooling the primary refrigerant, and in an energy-efficient water cooling system as opposed to a traditional energy-hungry air cooling system. So, in addition to reduced carbon emissions, our facility will use between 15-20% less power than traditional plants.”

Mr McCagney says Hellmann -- which is the only freight-forwarder with its own global network committed exclusively to the perishables industry -- expects the environmentally-friendly nature of its Christchurch facility to prove a key point of difference with customers.

“A major part of our business entails working with customers that trade off the ‘Pure New Zealand’ image. They rely on having balanced and sustainable supply chains, and more than ever we see their clients increasing requirements for sustainability and factoring in environmental impacts when making purchasing decisions. Our intention is do everything possible to ensure our customers can defeat the food miles argument in international trade.

“To be blunt, it would be difficult to build a business case to support the green investment in this plant -– the alternative was to save a considerable amount by opting for a traditional refrigerated facility. But we saw this as a competitive advantage for Hellmann as well as for our customers.”

Silver Fern Farms sales and marketing general manager Glenn Tyrrell says the investment will assist in maintaining the highest standards of product quality.

“Integrity of temperature control at all points of the supply chain is critical to achieve maximum shelf life and protect product quality through to the end consumer,” he says.

“Our customers are increasingly aware of the issues surrounding CO2 emissions and carbon footprints especially associated with transportation. While the airfreight industry has real challenges in this area, it is prudent to invest in technology that can at least minimise the impact of airfreight transport.

“We have had a very good relationship with Hellmann (previously Eskimo) for more than 20 years and we have consistently been able to rely not only on their handling facilities, but also the people that have taken responsibility for ensuring that our chilled meat arrives on schedule and in the best possible condition.”

New Zealand King Salmon sales and marketing general manager Don Everitt says he is pleased to see environmental issues figuring so highly in the plant design.

“They have certainly put a lot of thought into how the plant would be laid out, not just in terms of its own efficiency as a distribution point, but also because of the ecological sustainability of what they are doing,” he says.

“It is great that Hellmann is prepared to invest in the perishable business in Christchurch at the airport. They have certainly done it with our blessing and support and we’re grateful we have a facility there now that is state-of-the-art.

“We have been a customer for about five years now -- pretty much all our export chilled product to about 20 countries -- and have enjoyed the services their old facilities, but now it will be so much faster, smarter and more effective.”

Mr McCagney says risk management and cool chain integrity were major considerations in the design of the plant, which is a consolidation of Hellmann’s previous two Christchurch facilities.

“We have invested heavily in high-end industrial plant and equipment, such as dual compressors which give us some future-proofing and spare capacity. We operate a control system which logs and undertakes surveillance of critical operational and maintenance activity, all backed up by 24/7 support.

“We have also strongly invested in safety systems, such as ensuring the ammonia is contained within the centralised plant room rather than being reticulated through the entire plant as is commonplace in larger plants.”

He says the new facility also has a prime location, backing onto airline ground-handling facilities to further ensure the efficient transfer of product.

“We have a 700-square-metre enclosed canopy for all-weather handling and high speed roller doors leading into the six-metre-high cool-chain area, which includes a 330-square-metre environmental loading area into which all product is received. Off this are two 100-square-metre chillers and a 60-square-metre pallet-racked-freezer running at -18°C for temporary storage where shipments are held pending delivery to the airlines or container loading.

“The facility can hold eight reefer containers on power at any one time and is capable of holding 1500 ambient pallet equivalents in secure high-stud racking.

“Handling equipment includes a ramp and drive-in fork hoist for loading sea containers, while for airfreight there is a roller unit loading device (ULD), weighbridge and scissor lift and dollies on which ULDs are towed to the Airline’s terminals.”

Background

Established in New Zealand in 1986, the Hellmann business operates across two fronts –- Hellmann Perishable Logistics for temperature-sensitive goods and Hellmann Worldwide Logistics for ambient goods.

Employing about 90 people in Auckland and Christchurch facilities, the business provides international air and sea freight-forwarding, customs brokerage, contract logistics, inventory management and distribution services to a wide range of blue chip manufacturers, growers, traders, wholesalers and retailers.

Hellmann Perishable Logistics is a leading international perishable specialist, having for over 20 years provided solutions to so many of New Zealand’s leading shippers of seafood, meat, horticultural products, flowers, dairy products, livestock, stone fruit, pharmaceuticals and bioscience materials.

Established in 1861 by Carl Heinrich Hellmann, the Hellmann global business is now a fourth-generation privately-owned global logistics provider, employing over 16,500 people in 443 branches across 157 countries. Current managing owners, Jost and Klaus Hellmann, have taken a strong stance on ecological, social and economical sustainability.

ends

© Scoop Media