Kmart has opened a new distribution centre at the Ruakura Superhub in Hamilton to supply North Island stores and beyond.

Spanning 40,000sqm, the new facility has been developed by Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) and succeeds the existing site in Wiri, South Auckland. It offers warehousing, distribution, storage, a container yard and offices.

The site also features solar panels, onsite stormwater treatment, rainwater harvesting, electronic vehicle charging stations, bike racks and end-of-trip facilities for the distribution centre team.

Kmart CEO John Gualtieri described the opening as a “significant milestone” that signals Kmart’s commitment to continued growth in New Zealand.

“Our new distribution centre will enable us to improve our productivity, meaning we are creating a more reliable flow of stock into stores and into our customer’s hands.”

TGH CEO, Chris Joblin, said the new facility is a “big step” towards the shared goal of TGH and Kmart to ensure a highly efficient and connected supply chain.

“Kmart centre’s prime position grants access to the Ruakura Inland Port, forging an eco-friendly connection to the Port of Tauranga and MetroPort in Auckland via rail freight transport lines – offering transport efficiencies and a lower environmental impact.”

Tory the robot

Meanwhile, the retailer has also released its self-navigating robot system Tory across each of its 26 stores in New Zealand.

The system uses RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology to accurately count all pieces of clothing, footwear and accessories in Kmart stores each day by scanning RFID tags on products.