New Zealand opens new delivery hub at Christchurch Airport

New Zealand Post has opened its new Southern Operations Centre at Christchurch Airport’s Dakota Park. The purpose-built building will serve as an overnight courier, parcels, processing and distribution hub for the South Island.

New Zealand Post Regional Service Delivery Manager John Roche said: “Bringing our operations together at one site in Christchurch is a significant investment for NZ Post’s overnight courier and parcel distribution network. In total, we’ve invested $8 million in the new facility.”

The Centre will house courier, road and air freight operations, and new automated parcel sorting facilities. It will be the base for around 170 staff.

Roche said the airport location of the building and the investment in new technology will result in a more efficient operation and better services for customers.

“It will enable us to increase processing speed and accuracy of tracked items and have in-flight redirections to automatically intercept and retrieve identified parcels,” said Roche.

“The new parcel sorting technology will be able to process up to 6,000 parcels per hour, which is four times faster than now. The building will also support 14 air movements and 46 road line haul movements in a 24-hour period.”

New Zealand Post Group’s lease with Christchurch International Airport Limited for the new 14,600 m2 building runs to 2026, with options to extend.