Mars Wrigley Australia has announced a seven-year partnership with Toll Group and Charter Hall to construct and manage a state-of-the-art warehouse in Truganina, West Melbourne.
For the first time in company’s more than 100-year history in Australia, the new Truganina warehouse will store all of Mars Wrigley’s products under one roof and with the aim of delivering greater efficiencies and service improvements to customers across the country. The new warehouse will have the capacity to house up to 49,000 pallets at any given time – enough space to store 733,824,000 MARS® Bars.
Marius Vermeulen, supply chain director at Mars Wrigley Australia said: “It’s an exciting project for our business and one that’s been several years in the making. This will be one of the most advanced warehouses in Australia, with Automated Guide Vehicles assisting our workers to increase warehouse flow, improve racking, and reduce handling – creating a safer working environment.
“We’re looking forward to realising the benefits this new facility will deliver to our customers, our business and consumers through an enhanced customer service offering that will allow us to continue to share our much-loved brands with Aussie consumers today, tomorrow, and into the future,” Vermeulen said.
Jason Bush, Toll Group’s executive general manager retail, consumer and healthcare said: “We are proud of our long-term relationship with Mars, designing and building this new state-of-the-art facility with them is testament to our partnership. The warehouse will provide a strong customised solution for their products and support their vision to deliver exceptional customer service.”
Mars Wrigley’s current warehouse services more than 56 truckloads of Australia’s favourite confections, such as MARS®, M&Ms®, SNICKERS®, SKITTLES® and EXTRA®, a day, and the new warehouse will help streamline this process.
The temperature-controlled warehouse, which is expected to become operational in late 2020, will be technologically advanced, with AGVs (Automated Guide Vehicles) planned to assist workers move pallets around the warehouse.