New facility 'show of confidence'

KPH Transport Hawke's Bay manager Torrin Day, (left), with company founder Brett Wharfe, Tukituki MP Craig Foss, and managing director Paul Butler at the opening of the company's new facility in Hastings on Saturday. Photo / Paul Taylor

A produce transport company's new $1.1 million facility in Hastings has been welcomed as a "show of confidence" in the local economy.

KPH Transport's new 10,000m2 premises opened in Hastings at the weekend, complete with a cool store, dry store and a 1500m2 loading canopy.

The company's Hawke's Bay manager, Torrin Day, said expanding the business in Hastings signified a commitment to the region.

"[KPH] sees Hawke's Bay as the centre of produce in New Zealand - they saw this as a logical place to come, and they're committed to Hawke's Bay growers," he said.

The company now forms the main link between Hawke's Bay growers and the New Zealand domestic market, carting produce around the country, "from Kaitaia to Bluff".

"We probably transport 80 per cent of the produce out of Hawke's Bay. We run trucks in every direction, north and south, seven days a week."

KPH employs 25 staff in Hawke's Bay and is likely to create more jobs, Mr Day said.

More than 150 people attended the facility's opening on Saturday night, including Tukituki MP and associate Transport Minister Craig Foss.

"The move and investment by KPH into the Bay is another show of confidence in our economy," Mr Foss said.

"Refurbishing an empty building, new capital, new jobs and adding Hawke's Bay to the KPH network is great news. My discussions with the KPH management team were energising, as they were, like myself, so excited about the potential for growth in Hawke's Bay."

Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule could not attend the official opening as he was in China, but said he was "very proud" of the new facility.

"Logistics is something that will continue to grow.

"One of the fundamental things about Hawke's Bay is we have products that are wanted domestically and internationally. The logistics support, and trucking businesses, are very important."

KPH, which originated in Auckland in the early 90s, bought existing Hastings-based transport company, Cooltrain, in July last year. It also has depots in Cambridge and Palmerston North.

The move to Hawke's Bay doubled the size of the company's fleet.

It now has 80 pieces of plant equipment including trucks and specialised trailers. The trailers feature temperature control technology, allowing drivers to monitor trailer temperatures with their smartphones.

It took six months to revamp the rundown building next-door to the company's existing site on Stevens Place, Hastings, with local builders employed for the job.