DHL Global Forwarding, the freight specialist arm of Deutsche Post DHL Group, is opening a facility in Brisbane to handle Australian perishable goods exports, with an investment of $17 million over 10 years.
The company said Queensland’s total agricultural and food exports hit $10.72 billion in 2022, a 25.5% increase from the previous year.
To cater to this growing demand, the newly launched 4880-square-metre facility houses the largest international cold chain services in Brisbane at 1700 square metres. The company said it offers complete cold chain services for goods such as high-quality meat, fresh produce and seafood.
The facility is located at Brisbane Airport, with airside access. DHL said it was the first and only freight forwarder to have such access.
DHL Global Forwarding managing director George Lawson said, “We built the new Brisbane facility to meet the fast-growing demand for perishables. The agricultural and fisheries sector is a key foundation of Queensland’s economy, and it has remained robust despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic. Queensland’s total agricultural and food export has seen a 16% increase from the average of the past five years and is set to continue rising in the foreseeable future. Expanding our facilities will help cater to this rising demand and help our customers transport these time and temperature-sensitive perishable goods quickly and efficiently. The new facility will also support general cargo growth in Queensland.”
DHL Global Forwarding Australia station manager – Queensland Lachlan Elliott said the state’s agricultural produce is popular among global consumers.
“Queensland exports more than half of its agricultural output. The right supply chain solutions are critical to ensuring that these perishables can reach consumers in pristine condition,” he said.
“Our new facility in Brisbane will do exactly that, especially in our environmentally sustainable offerings, to help customers achieve a greener supply chain.”
DHL said the new facility is aligned with the principles of Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) 5 star Greenstar.
