Hamilton City Council is welcoming the announcement that Kmart will be relocating its North Island distribution centre to the city.

Tainui Group Holdings announced today Kmart will lease an approximate nine hectare site at the Ruakura Superhub, located in the city’s east.

Kmart’s distribution warehouse will cover approximately 40,000m2, making it one of Hamilton’s largest buildings. The company’s North Island distribution centre is presently based in South Auckland.

Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate congratulated Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) on the Kmart announcement and said the retail giant’s presence at Ruakura further highlights the importance of the superhub initiative.

“From the outset there has been a very collaborative approach between TGH and Council to the Superhub development because at the end of the day, we hold the same common goals for our city,” Southgate said.

“We want Hamilton to be a place of economic opportunity for everyone; we’re united on that. Together we’ve worked hard to help build Hamilton’s reputation as a great place to do business and we’re seeing that reflected in major decisions being taken by large corporates.

“Hamilton is becoming a major logistics hub for New Zealand and a growing centre for commerce and this is further proof of that. I think the future is looking very positive for our city.”

The Ruakura development reflects years of master planning which Council has been heavily involved in, from consenting to planning and delivering enabling infrastructure, as we partner to ensure Hamiltonians enjoy a connected, vibrant, attractive and prosperous Ruakura community.

Councillor Ryan Hamilton, Chair of Council’s Economic Development Committee, said TGH is the personification of Council’s economic development aspirations.

“Council is about providing a platform that builds on our natural and commercial endowments, promotes sustainability, and has people prospering at its core,” Councillor Hamilton said.

“Our economic agenda has Waikato at its heart and lifestyle of choice: live, work and play.”

A growing number of organisations have chosen to relocate, grow or establish operations in Hamilton in recent years, including Rabobank, HCL Technologies and Maersk.

“And a recent economic report by Council reveals the city’s economy is in strong health, with the city’s gross domestic product (GDP) climbing to $12 billion in 2021 – an increase of 4.3% since 2019,” Councillor Hamilton said.

Kmart’s distribution warehouse will be based in the Ruakura Superhub’s logistics area. The superhub development is anchored by an inland port, situated next to the East Coast Main Trunk line, and is bordered by the Waikato Expressway.

Council has been a key investment partner in Ruakura, alongside central government, constructing roads through stage one of the superhub development, including a major arterial road between the University of Waikato and the expressway’s Ruakura Interchange.

Ruakura will become New Zealand’s largest integrated development, which will be anchored by an inland port operation. Once developed, Ruakura will deliver major economic, social, environmental, and cultural benefits to the Waikato and New Zealand.

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