The facility replaces the long-standing centre in Caringbah in Sydney’s south which was close to full capacity.

Hino Australia vice president of product support, Greg Bleasel, said the Horsley Park centre will optimise the supply chain network would provide faster service, improve inventory levels and lead to a higher supply rate, ultimately supporting the brand’s forecasted growth of parts sales.

Hino said it had worked with a leading international storage solutions provider to design and install a storage solution that includes small parts storage, through to single and double-depth pallet racking and open-faced cantilever racking.

“This new storage system will ensure we can safely store and handle current and new parts of all sizes, future-proofing the operations against new product ranges and increased volumes,” Mr Bleasel said.

Compared to the Caringbah facility, Horsley Park’s floor space has doubled and there are now 10 loading docks – up eight docks over Caringbah – to significantly increase the volume of incoming and outgoing freight.

“We partnered with our fellow Toyota Group Company, Toyota Materials Handling, to implement new and highly innovative material handling equipment solutions, which will deliver significant improvements in productivity and safety,” Mr Bleasel said.

Further enhancements include changing the rack height to 6m from 8m to improve safety and visibility with the aim for better productivity.

In addition, the centre has a purpose-built collection area for drivers and customers including a waiting area, kitchen and bathroom facilities.

The new centre is also seeking a five-star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) with important sustainability features such as:

• A 30kW solar system that can generate up to 82 megawatts a year, which is calculated to offset a portion of the power consumption
• A 40kL rainwater tank to capture and re-use rainwater within toilets, urinals and landscaping irrigation
• Energy-efficient LED lighting with timers and motion sensors through the warehouse and office spaces coupled with the use of translucent roof sheeting to provide maximum internal light
• Water-efficient fixtures and fittings (tapware and toilet suites), and native plantings to reduce water demand.

The new PDC is situated within the established industrial areas of Horsley Park and Eastern Creek with easy access to key transport routes.

By Neil Dowling