Loscam officially opened its new $20 million purpose-built pallet repair facility and depot in Melbourne’s west this morning.
Located in Truganina on 31,500sqm, this is the largest facility of its kind for the company and the first major capital expenditure in the Australian business by China Merchants Group since it acquired Loscam in 2010.
The facility was opened by the Chairman of China Merchants Group, Dr Fu Yuning, and Cr Kim McAliney, Mayor of Wyndham City.
The repair facility, designed and built by DEXUS Property Group, provides undercover capability of 6000sqm. An adjacent office building adds another 300sqm to the development. Seventy staff will be located on site.
Loscam chief executive officer Mark Daniel said the depot will alleviate the demands of repairs on facilities outside Victoria, leaving more opportunity for new business growth in those markets.
“With the increasing amount of industry moving into the area west of Melbourne, we see this as a fantastic opportunity for continued growth in the business,” he said.
Safety and environmental features were a priority in the design of the facility, Daniel said. The new depot also aims to reduce double-handling.
“The new repair equipment, for example, is expected to use 40 per cent less electricity, and the layout ensures maximum efficiency of space and traffic flow,” he said.
Rainwater harvest technology, bio retention and tri-lighting has been installed, as well as translucent roof sheeting, which considerably reduces lighting consumption.
With the capacity for up to 11 repair lines and 250,000 pallet intakes, Daniel said the facility would set a precedent for the company's future depot developments across Asia.
Image: Loscam pallet pooling services. Image credit: Ferret - Australia's Manufacturing, Industrial and Mining Directory