Ruakura Superhub revs up operations

As the country’s largest inland port ramps up operations in Ruakura Superhub and the first tenants open their doors, CBRE is offering limited opportunities for mid-sized businesses to be part of Tainui Group Holdings’ mega-development, located alongside the Waikato Expressway on the eastern edge of Hamilton City.

Claus Brewer and Kate Martinus of CBRE’s industrial and logistics team are marketing warehouse units for lease in stage one of the industrial and commercial precincts within the giant 490ha development.

Flexible warehouse space is on offer, to be constructed by Tainui Group Holdings. The warehouses, which vary in size from 1,000sqm and upto 7,000sqm (plus offices, canopies and yards), are planned for a site located within the industrial precinct of Ruakura Superhub, adjacent to the planned 10ha native wetland.

“Ruakura Superhub is now open for business and this large-scale development, which will unlock logistics operations in the Auckland-Tauranga-Hamilton golden triangle as well as nationally, is proceeding at a fast pace. The inland port will be operational in 2023, along with the development’s first logistics and distribution tenants. We’re excited to now offer the next opportunities for businesses to be part of this game-changing development,” says Brewer.

The warehouse units will be constructed on Te Ipukura Street, a proposed road within the development linking to the nearby Waikato Expressway interchange via Ruakura Road.

Stage one of the warehouse development is planned to include up to five units in a single building; with warehouses starting at 1,000sqm in size offices of approximately 150sqm and up, canopied loading and unloading areas, yards and rear car parking.

The units could suit small and medium-sized businesses looking for an opportunity to co-locate alongside national and international logistics heavyweights, van der Zeyden says.

“These are the first smaller-scale industrial units to be offered within Ruakura Superhub. They present an ideal opportunity for local businesses and small to medium operators that could benefit from proximity to the new inland port and large logistics firms.”

They could also act as incubator premises for growing businesses, as well as offshore companies looking to establish in New Zealand, she says.

“Overseas-based companies eyeing the forecast growth in this part of the North Island may view these units as a lower-cost way to enter the country while they investigate the viability of a larger distribution centre.”

The units also offer the opportunity for occupiers to work with Tainui Group Holdings on future expansion projects within Ruakura Superhub, eliminating the need to search for new premises elsewhere to accommodate business growth, van der Zeyden adds.

Stage two is proposed to include two larger 7,000sqm warehouses with 500sqm of offices, large breezeways for inwards and outwards goods movements and yards for truck manoeuvring and container storage. To be constructed across two buildings, this stage is also planned to accommodate smaller 1,300sqm warehouse/office facilities, also with canopies, yards and parking, however this stage is subject to change to suit potential occupiers, says Brewer.

“Plans for the second stage have the potential to be altered to accommodate users of any size. The two buildings could accommodate one or two large users, or be split further into smaller units for multiple small businesses depending on tenant demand. Tainui Group Holdings is taking a flexible and agile approach to suit occupiers’ needs.”

Ruakura Superhub’s vast expanse of flat land offers the unique ability to scale for the future needs of global supply chains, Brewer says.

“Ruakura offers space options for businesses looking to grow and meet the needs of a rapidly evolving logistics market. The first tenants; PBT Big Chill, Kmart and Maersk will enjoy first mover advantages alongside the new inland port.”

The port facility is a transformative central feature of the development. KiwiRail trains between Auckland and Port of Tauranga will service Ruakura Inland Port via two 800 metre rail sidings, from where trucks will move them between the inland port, import/export logistics operators and distribution centres all within Ruakura Superhub, greatly improving productivity and efficiency and potentially taking 65,000 trucks off the roading network every year when the inland port is operating at full capacity.

“Tainui Group Holdings is keen to partner with committed occupiers and make this project a reality. Like all developers in the current environment, tenant pre-commitment is necessary in the face of high construction costs, but they are eager to press go and welcome the next group of occupiers to this impressive hub.”

The full Ruakura Superhub site is around the same size as the Auckland CBD and adds 8% to the urban footprint of Hamilton. On completion, it will include retail, a knowledge zone and residential development along with the inland port and industrial/logistics precincts. The planned wetland, as well as local parks and an extensive network of planted swales, will be home to more than a million native plants as part of extensive sustainability features in the Superhub.