World-first Alliance warehouse opens in Melbourne

The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance — which last year overtook the Volkswagen Group to become the world’s biggest car-maker last year with 10.61 million light vehicle sales — has opened its first shared automotive parts and accessories warehouse globally, in the Melbourne suburb of Truganina.

Strategically positioned between the Victorian capital’s airport and sea container terminal, the Alliance’s purpose-built National Distribution Centre is designed to maximise productivity, efficiency and accuracy.

The state-of-the-art 37,000 square-metre facility will become the new master warehouse for the national distribution networks of the Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Infiniti brands.

Kent O’Hara, global senior vice-president of aftersales for the Alliance, which was formed when Renault-Nissan took control of Mitsubishi in October 2016, said the landmark warehouse would allow all three companies to enhance service to their national dealership networks, thus benefitting customers.

“Today’s grand opening is a significant milestone for the Alliance,” said O’Hara yesterday.

“This shared facility is another example of how the Alliance continues to generate synergies to the benefit of our companies, customers and shareholders at a global level.”

Part of a CEVA ‘super site’ that is the largest logistics facility in the southern hemisphere, the facility has direct access to all interstate roads and can house up to 100,000 different parts and accessories.

Operating 24 hours a day and employing more than 90 staff, it manages 11 inbound sea containers daily, as well as airfreight and other local shipments, totalling 2500 inbound parts each day.

On the outbound side, eight B-double transporters deliver 8500 parts direct to dealerships as part of a same-day service, via 10 container docks.

Comprising a 677 square-metre wet room with space for 700 pallets, the warehouse is one of the first six-star Green Star accredited buildings in Australia.

It has a roof-mounted solar system, high-bay LED lighting with daylight and motion sensors, a rain water system for bathroom and garden irrigation, and a dedicated area for the storage of hazardous liquids such as engine oil and transmission and brake fluid.