Leading transporters benefit from proximity to port

8 June 2001

The opening of two world-class transport operations at the Port of Brisbane's Fisherman Islands showed the logistical advantages gained from establishing at the port precinct, Innovation and Information Economy Minister Paul Lucas said today.

"The Port of Brisbane Business Park at Australia TradeCoast provided the perfect location for transport, logistics and container park operator, Chalmers Industries, and container-packing operator, Globex ContainerLink," Mr Lucas said. "It allows them to relocate their respective container park and container-packing operations in one site to maximise synergies between the two businesses, while employing up to 54 people."

The Chalmers Industries and Globex ContainerLink (formerly Chalmers Commodities) sites occupy 8.4 hectares - 30% of the available industrial land at the Port of Brisbane Business Park's stage 1. They will operate from the same office.

"The development is part of the overall vision the Queensland Government has for Australia TradeCoast, of which this project is a component and in which the Port of Brisbane Corporation is a participant, Mr Lucas said.

Chalmers Industries Chairman Mr Daryl Chalmers said the site was chosen for its proximity to the existing marine terminals and the Brisbane Multimodal Terminal.

"The Port of Brisbane Corporation gave us a very attractive, workable solution to our expansion problems expansion," he said. "The new facility is fully computerised, with an up-to-date container-tracking system, as well as CEDEX facilities.

"It holds up to 9,000 empties, has two container wash bays, an under-cover workshop able to repair up to 50 containers at any time, and a pre-trip facility catering for up to 100 containers. We can also handle all of our clients' 40-foot container needs."

Chairman of Globex International and parent company, Grainco Australia, Rod Birch said innovation was a key element in the success oft he facility and of the business.

"The level of innovation at our Globex ContainerLink facility, and at the Business Park in which it's situated, mirrors our business philosophy," he said. "At Grainco Australia, we are investing considerable resources into a review of our whole supply chain, from farm gate to port, to identify how to better use technology and innovation to further reduce costs and improve efficiencies for growers and customers.

"The development of the Globex ContainerLink facility is just one of our initiatives delivering benefits to our customers. "

Mr Birch said one of the key drivers in the development of the new facility was the desire to locate the container-packing business at Fisherman Islands in close proximity to Globex's existing port terminal.

Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Brisbane Corporation Graham Mulligan said another key factor in relocating both operations to Fisherman Islands was the provision of future key infrastructure in the form of the Port of Brisbane Motorway.

"When completed in 2003, heavy commercial vehicles will have faster access to the port from the Gateway Motorway, improving the port's productivity and reducing costs for associated industry," he said. "We are negotiating with a number of other organisations for a substantial take-up of the available land in Stage 1 of the Port of Brisbane Business Park.

"With the success of this first stage, we are now looking at opening up Stage 2 of around 15 hectares."