Valleyfresh Australia, part of the Freshmax Group, officially opened its new Sydney Service and Distribution Centre yesterday (29 May).
The 6,500m2 purpose-built facility will boost the company’s packaging, ripening and cold storage operations, adding to its existing facilities in Melbourne and Brisbane.
The Marsden Park site is strategically located within the Greater Western Sydney growth corridor, positioning the Valleyfresh and Freshmax businesses close to key production hubs, transport networks and retail distribution centres.
“This [facility] makes us really relevant in this market now,” Freshmax Group CEO, Murray McCallum, told more than 100 guests who attended the opening. “It will act as a springboard for our growth in New South Wales.”
The warehouse component of facility has ripening capacity for 480 pallets, plus coolroom storage for a further 400 pallets.
A dedicated packing room, fitted out with equipment from Italian manufacturer Sorma and its Australian agent J-Tech, will not only cater for Freshmax’s domestic and international orders, but also its growing third-party packing operation.
“This site is the first of its kind and scale in the Sydney area. It sets us up to expand our third-party services offering for the region, whilst continuing to deliver superb service to our national retail partners,” McCallum added.
Built in accordance with Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) requirements, the centre will soon be accredited to handle audits on import and export consignments, with rapid cooling and fumigation facilities on site.
Valleyfresh Australia general manager, Simon Powell, thanked the wide range of parties that contributed to the construction of the facility, which has taken two and a half years to complete.
“It has been a long road, but the partners we have worked with have supported us the whole way,” Powell said.
