Kmart Harnesses Growth In New Zealand With A Brand-new Distribution Centre And Groundbreaking In-store Technology

Kmart New Zealand has marked a new chapter of growth today, with the opening of its new distribution centre and the introduction of the famous self-navigating inventory robots in every store, both of which will help build an even better customer experience for New Zealanders.

It all begins today with the official opening of Kmart’s new 40,000 sqm distribution centre at the Ruakura Superhub in Hamilton. The facility, the size of four rugby fields, was developed by Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) and will service the long-term needs of Kmart’s New Zealand stores and growing customer base in the North Island.

The distribution centre will serve as a strategic hub for Kmart’s North Island operations and beyond from the end of September, succeeding the existing site in Wiri, South Auckland. Kmart Chief Executive Officer, John Gualtieri, says this significant milestone signals Kmart’s commitment to continued growth in New Zealand.

“We’re passionate about setting up for the future in New Zealand, and moving to a larger, purpose-built facility in the Ruakura Superhub will allow us to more efficiently do what we do best – giving customers easy access to the everyday items they need, at the lowest possible prices. Our new distribution centre will enable us to improve our productivity, meaning we are creating a more reliable flow of stock into stores and into our customers hands,” says Mr Gualtieri.

The new facility is not short on space, located on nine hectares which includes warehousing, distribution, storage, a container yard, and an office facility. Kmart’s ongoing commitment to more sustainable practices is evident within the site too, with features including solar panels, rainwater harvesting, onsite stormwater treatment, electronic vehicle charging stations, bike racks and end of trip facilities for the distribution centre team.

TGH Chief Executive Chris Joblin says the new facility is a big step towards the shared goal of TGH and Kmart to ensure a highly efficient and connected supply chain.

“Notably, the Kmart centre’s prime position grants access to the Ruakura Inland Port, forging an eco-friendly connection to the Port of Tauranga and MetroPort in Auckland via rail freight transport lines – offering transport efficiencies and a lower environmental impact,” says Mr Joblin.

It is also a strong sense of community that brings the Kmart and TGH teams together. As the Superhub’s largest occupier to date, Kmart will be creating over 100 new jobs in the local community.

“Kmart is proud to support the economic advancement of Waikato-Tainui by partnering with TGH at Ruakura Superhub, and it’s been great to see a strong interest in our job opportunities from Waikato-Tainui members and the local community,” Mr Gualtieri says.

The exciting changes don’t stop there though – as a New Zealand first hits Kmart stores in the form of the ‘Tory’, Kmart’s self-navigating robot. Each of the 26 stores in Kmart’s fleet will receive the new groundbreaking technology, which is the first robot in New Zealand to use RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology.

Tory uses this RFID technology to accurately count all pieces of clothing, footwear and accessories in Kmart stores each day by scanning RFID tags on products, creating a better experience for customers by providing up-to-date product availability.

Typically working overnight, Tory gives store team members more time to focus on serving customers, while also giving them an accurate view of what products their store has and where to find them. For Kmart, this technology means that where stores would previously do a stocktake once a year – Tory can do this once a day.

“We know how much joy our products bring to our New Zealand customers, so getting the products they need into their hands as easily as possible is our highest priority. We’ve had great success rolling out our Tory robot, and we are excited to bring this technology to each of our New Zealand stores”, says Mr Gualtieri.

And why the name Tory you might ask? It’s short for inventory! And was affectionately named by Kmart team members. While customers may not always see Tory roaming around the shop floor, what they can expect to see is improved availability in their local store, seven days a week, every time they shop with Kmart.

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