Senior Leaders from across New Zealand’s automotive industry gathered to mark the grand opening of the new Genuine Parts Company (GPC)’s mega distribution centre in Wiri, Auckland. The facility is fully operational after the completion of a three-year build and development project.

GPC’s new supply site will support the 122 branches of Repco and Napa branches and its industrial parts supply business Motion Industries New Zealand.

Built for the next 30 years of supply for GPC’s New Zealand business it is their single largest capital investment in Australasia.

The distribution centre has been designed and constructed by national property and building solutions firm Calder Stewart. Purpose built, the distribution centre is packed with the latest equipment to enhance team safety and operational efficiency with a strong emphasis on sustainable design principles. Solar panels and advanced energy control systems, electric forklifts and rainwater collection will target significant energy footprint reduction and a 35 percent annual water savings.

At its heart is one of the most advanced automation systems currently available from global experts Schafer. GPC New Zealand Executive General Manager Jonathon Maddren says with capacity to hold 140,000 product lines, the new distribution centre will increase the service and product range Repco, NAPA and Motion can offer.

“The investment GPC has made in automation and scale of operation will optimise our service and range for customers, partners and our team,” says Maddren. “This system will provide more than five times greater operational efficiency driving smoother and faster supply across the country, that’s a gamechanger” he says.

This includes automatic organisation overnight for optimal pick and automatic stacks making it faster, safer to get products off the shelves, leading to better speed to customers.

“The customer environment demands faster service than ever before. Our customers will experience the difference in speed and accuracy as impact of this facility comes to full operation in the next few months. It is also enhancing the speed and efficiency of our supply partnerships and of our service to our branch teams. Ultimately,” Maddren says “the future in speed to customer is here.”