A global supply chain has set up its $80 million Australasian headquarters in Truganina, creating 300 jobs and committing to recruit and retrain retrenched automotive workers.
CEVA Logistics opened its 166,000 square metre transport, distribution and logistics hub – equivalent in size to eight MCGs – on Friday, the largest warehouse under one roof in the southern hemisphere.
Of the 250 people recently employed, dozens are former automotive staff made redundant following the closures at Ford and Holden, Ceva’s Australia New Zealand managing director Carlos Velez Rodriguez said.
Mr Rodriguez said the company had committed to retraining people who had lost jobs as a result of the automotive sector’s decline. An extra 40 positions are due to be advertised soon.
Mr Rodriguez said Truganina had been identified as the best location to set up a logistics hub after months of research, citing the suburb’s proximity to Melbourne, its ports, curfew-free airports and highways.
“And then we heard about the [Western Distributor],” Mr Rodriguez said. “That project is critical … Victoria is at the heart of the Australian economy. Victoria has fantastic business-oriented politicians and community – we have the harbour next door to us, we have highways going from Sydney to Adelaide, railway hubs and fantastic employees. How could it be better?”
Construction on the warehouse started in 2013, and finished last year. The building is environmentally-friendly, with 4000 solar panels expected to generate 95 per cent of the building’s electricity, and tanks able to hold 100,000 litres of rainwater.
Industry and Employment Minister Wade Noonan said the state government is committed to working with big business that wants to set up headquarters in Victoria, and invest in infrastructure.
“[This type of investment] creates jobs, new opportunities, and the downstream economic impacts of companies, like Ceva, investing heavily in Melbourne’s west and Victoria has a great spin-off impact for our economy,” Mr Noonan said.
