Multimodal transport and logistics company, SCT, has commenced construction on a new refrigeration facility in Western Australia.
The 9,000m² building area is situated in Forrestfield and is projected to facilitate 50,000 additional pallets of freight to and from WA, utilising the lowest-emission freight option for the journey.
It will incorporate the latest temperature control technology into its design supporting freezer, chiller, and ambient facilities to support product coming into the state, and drive opportunities for WA companies to send a broader product range to the eastern seaboard.
The SCT Group is celebrating its 50th year in business having been established in 1974 by Peter Smith.
In a statement, the company said although this is a time to reflect on the many milestones the business has achieved over the journey, it’s not a time to stop innovation or growth.
“This Investment is part of our growth strategy and commitment to assist the WA market with supply chain resilience to compensate for the deteriorating rail network and more extreme weather events.” said Geoff Smith, SCT Managing Director.
SCT is the largest rail freight forwarder of food and beverage into Western Australia, employing more than 400 people in Western Australia.
The rail and road freight carrier said it was taking a proactive approach on behalf of its WA customer base to address recent weather disruptions across the rail network that have cut off supply lines between east and west, and emptied supermarket shelves.
“It’s a devastating occurrence for our customers, our company and our employees who live and breathe these challenges on a daily basis” said Matthew Carruthers, SCT WA State Manager.
“This investment at Forrestfield is a small but significant step to managing these disruptions, but more needs to be done.”
SCT is, according to Geoff Smith, conscious of the impacts of recent rail network outages on the WA public, particularly regarding supermarket and grocery items.
“We continue to seek a dialogue with the WA Government on the steps that can be taken to address these issues, which will require a larger commitment to the WA freight and logistics sector by both the private sector and government stakeholders,” he said.
No stranger to unique refrigeration solutions, the business as far back as 2003, has been pioneering innovations in this space.
As a notable milestone, SCT was the first outfit in Australia to use refrigerated rail vans, which boasted twice the thermal efficiency of conventional rail units at the time.
Its extensive rail network and purpose-built warehouses have added another layer of value to this offering.
As evidenced by this current investment, SCT stands ready to play its part in making the flow of freight to and from Western Australia more cost effective and secure.
In March the road fleet commenced an ambitious renewal program with the latest vehicles from Scania.
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
