Arnott's Group opens $65m automated distribution centre in Western Sydney

The Arnott’s Group (the Group) has officially opened its $65 million Automated Distribution Centre in Huntingwood, Western Sydney, adjacent to the Group’s largest biscuit site, in a move set to facilitate the Group’s domestic and international growth aspirations.

The opening was attended by local MP and Member for Prospect Dr Hugh McDermott, together with Elders from the Deerubbin Aboriginal Land Council, Arnott’s Group Executives and 50 of the Group’s top suppliers, including  representatives from automation partner Daifuku and logistics partner Linfox.

The Distribution Centre serves as a thoroughfare for over 60% of the Group’s national inventory, delivering significant operational savings, with its location placing it in prime proximity to distribution hubs for key retail partners.

The 43,000 m² site can accommodate 28,000 pallets  — almost four times the site’s previous capacity — and was constructed with a sophisticated ‘one-touch’ logistics solution, leveraging robotics and automation. The site incorporates minimal touch-point automation and a new palletising system with a 35-metre-high bay.

Arnott’s Group Director of Procurement and Logistics Tom Vicars said the distribution centre had already unlocked significant efficiencies and scale for the business, necessary if it is to meet its significant growth plans.

“We continue to expand our Australian operations and need the storage and logistics infrastructure in place to accommodate this growth. We intend for Western Sydney to be the beating heart of our national operations, and you need only step into the warehouse to get a sense of the sheer scale of what we are hoping to achieve.”

Speaking at the opening event, Michael Jee, Executive General Manager at Daifuku, said it was an honour to partner with such an iconic Australian company to create a facility that has already increased efficiencies across its operations.

“The solutions within the facility are designed to streamline the process from manufacturing through to delivery, with automation meaning products are inducted, stored, monitored and prepared for delivery with minimal human intervention. This one-touch philosophy means that both products and orders are managed and prepared faster, improving delivery times to store and providing an unparalleled level of visibility and productivity.”

The day-to-day operations of the site are managed in conjunction with Linfox, as part of a 15-year national agreement with The Arnott’s Group.

Linfox ANZ CEO Mark Mazurek said: “Linfox is proud to be a key partner of The Arnott’s Group in Australia and New Zealand. Our shared commitment to safe and better ways of working has been the cornerstone of our relationship, and together we have created industry-leading environments and solutions for our teams. We look forward to continuing the success of the Huntingwood facility and supporting The Arnott’s Group into the future.”

Coinciding with the launch was the installation of 2464 solar panels on the roof of the Distribution Centre, expected to generate over 1500 gigawatt-hours of renewable energy, which, combined with the factory installation, will supply up to 22% of the total electricity needs for Arnott’s Huntingwood.