New Zealand Post has started building its new overnight courier, parcels, processing and distribution hub at Christchurch Airport’s Dakota Park. It is due for completion in May 2017.

The national postal operator had finalised an agreement two weeks ago for New Zealand Post to lease a new building right beside a new runway facility that services its upgraded air fleet.

Chief Operating Officer for Service Delivery of New Zealand Post Ashley Smout said that the facility will be a “significant strategic asset.”

Smout added: “The Southern Operations Centre will house our Courier Post and Pace express and courier operations. It will form an important part of the backbone of New Zealand Post Group’s overnight courier and parcels network, along with the Waikato Operations Centre in Hamilton, the Auckland Operations Centre in Highbrook and the national road and air fleets.

“It will serve as our South Island transport and processing hub and enable us to introduce planned innovations and new services to give customers more control over and quicker processing of their parcels.”

New Zealand Post said that the Southern Operations Centre will:

“Have additional space for growth – the company has secured first rights to the 25,000m2 of adjacent land to the East of the site should this be required for any group expansion in the future

Building space occupies 14,628m2, compared with 5,000m2 at the current Wairakei Road site

Support a fleet of 80 couriers

Support 14 air movements and 46 line haul movements in a 24-hour period

Include automated sorting equipment capable of processing parcels at up to 6,000 pieces per hour

For clients, according to New Zealand Post, the new technology and location will mean:

Increased processing speed and accuracy of tracked items

“In-flight redirections” to automatically intercept and retrieve identified parcels

Improved customer service visibility through new scan footprints of consignments

Improved efficiencies, product handling and security

An optimised combination of air and road transport links for improved efficiency and speed.”