McCain Foods Australia to use NewCold robotic Cold Store Facilities in Truganina

McCain Foods Australia has announced a new contract agreement with cold storage provider, NewCold as part of an ongoing effort to improve supply chain efficiencies.

NewCold’s first warehouse in Truganina, Melbourne will manage the storage and handling of McCain’s frozen products, as part of a 10-year agreement.

Construction has significantly advanced on the automated facility, which will consist of an integrated system combining automated, state-of-the-art pallet handling systems, using in-house warehouse and control software developed by parent Dutch cold storage innovator, NewCold Advanced Cold Logistics.
 

Artist impression of the NewCold cold storage facility (Courtesy: NewCold)

McCain Foods ANZ Supply Chain Director, Taso Kourou, stated that this facility upgrade would drastically improve logistics capabilities, meeting the needs of local and international customers, demanding improved efficiency from production to distribution of frozen products.

Taso Kourou, McCain Foods ANZ Supply Chain Director:
 

“The storage and handling of McCain’s frozen products in the new automated facility will give us a more stable temperature regime and highly accurate stock control.”

McCain Food’s Regional President for Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India & China, Louis Wolthers, says the McCain team is keen to see the outcomes of the new agreement take effect.

Louis Wolthers, McCain Food’s Regional President for Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India & China:
 

“From a sustainability perspective, through the use of the warehouses’ highly controlled in-and-outflows combined with efficient cooling equipment, energy usage per pallet stored is up to 50 per cent lower compared to a conventional storage option.”

From receipt, storing and subsequent retrieval of palletised products, the warehouse makes use of unmanned stacker cranes, conveyors and automated truck unloading systems, all together capable of handling more than 11,000 pallet movements per day, allowing McCain to efficiently move stock out of the warehouse to customers more efficiently than ever before.

McCain will also have access to continuous feedback on performance, service and efficiency, allowing for a great opportunity for continuous improvement through its supply and delivery methods. The focus will be on recruiting local employees to staff the facility, with extensive skills and technology training for employees to ensure they can manage the facility at maximum efficiency.
 

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Kick-off of the construction in June 2016: Minister for Industry and Employment, Wade Noonan, announces that Dutch-based cold storage and logistics company NewCold will establish its Asia-Pacific Headquarters and a major automated cold storage warehouse in Truganina, creating 127 full-time jobs in Melbourne’s west.

The NewCold Advanced Logistics warehouse is a first of its kind in Australia, giving McCain an unparalleled mix of efficiency, speed, sustainability and automation, which in turn will create better outcomes for FMCG customers.

NewCold will be open for business in Autumn 2017, and is the beginning of a new approach to temperature-controlled storage in the southern hemisphere.

McCain Foods will store all frozen products with the automated facility on Robinsons Road, Truganina by July 2017.