Coles has officially opened its first automated distribution centre at Redbank.
The facility, also the largest in Australia, spans the size of two Suncorp stadiums.
The Redbank plant is set to be followed by a second Coles automated distributed centre that will open in Kemps Creek in New South Wales next year.
More than 90 per cent of the stock processed at the centres will be done completely by automated systems using Witron technology.
Coles Chief Executive Officer Steven Cain says it is one of the most significant moments since Coles was founded in 1914 and five years in the making.
“Modernising our operations is how we improve efficiency and availability in our stores and deliver higher service levels for our customers, team members and suppliers,” Mr. Cain says.
“Our new ADCs can process twice the number of cases and hold twice the number of pallets compared to one of our current DCs.
The ADCs enable us to half our current total footprint, leading to a more productive and sustainable business model.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Premier Annastacia Palaszcuk, Coles executives and workers were there for the opening and a tour of the distribution centre at Redbank yesterday.
Mr Albanese says the facility is world-leading technology that will help advance supermarket supply chains.
“This technology is not only a first for Australia, but also a win for the state of Queensland.
As we’ve seen during the pandemic and natural disasters, resilient supply chains are essential when it comes to feeding our nation and providing Australians with essential supplies.
A facility like this one in Redbank shows how retailers and manufacturers can look to the future to improve the productivity, safety and sustainability of their operations for all Australians,” he says.
The facility is part of a $1 billion investment by Coles to improve the supply chain.
It’s created 430 local jobs for Ipswich.
