10 Mar 2009
Logistics hub would be huge boost for Eastern Bay
Escalating industrial land costs in Mount Maunganui and the Port of Tauranga’s ambitious growth plans have presented the Eastern Bay of Plenty with the possibility of establishing a transportation, distribution and logistics hub at Kawerau.
Establishment of a logistics hub would provide a massive boost for employment in the area as well as making a considerable contribution to the local economy.
Toi EDA has started a project to assess the potential for setting up a hub around the Kawerau rail head. Research will identify site options and indicate whether further investigation and feasibility studies are worthwhile.
The study will help key companies to better understand the value of the rail link from Kawerau to the Port of Tauranga. It will also influence how the logistics and distribution opportunities for the area are described in future regional strategy development.
Land in Whakatane and Kawerau is much cheaper than in Rotorua and Tauranga, and an industrial hub in either district would be a huge boost for the Eastern Bay’s economy.
The Whakatane and Kawerau Districts Industrial land Strategy Discussion Document Update has already suggested that the logistics industry is likely to be an important component of Whakatane’s economy in the future.
The document, produced in 2007, says logistic businesses provide a range of employment opportunities for a wide variety of skill bases.
It says warehousing associated with many logistical operations would create employment opportunities in areas of economic need.
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