• About Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Newsletter
  • Podcasts
  • Digital Magazine
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Self Development
  • Growth
  • Finance
  • Marketing
  • Technology
  • Sustainability
  • About Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Newsletter
  • Podcasts
  • Digital Magazine
NZBusiness Magazine

Type and hit Enter to search

Linkedin Facebook Instagram Youtube
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Self Development
  • Growth
  • Finance
  • Marketing
  • Technology
  • Sustainability
NZBusiness Magazine
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Self Development
  • Growth
  • Finance
  • Marketing
  • Technology
  • Sustainability
Business

Key business players create a confident Manawatū

Manawatū has emerged as one of New Zealand’s most resilient regions to come out of COVID-19, with some of the country’s leading companies heavily investing in the region. Strong business […]

Glenn Baker
Glenn Baker
January 9, 2022 3 Mins Read
2.9K

Manawatū has emerged as one of New Zealand’s most resilient regions to come out of COVID-19, with some of the country’s leading companies heavily investing in the region.

Strong business investment and an annual GDP growth of 4.6 percent, coupled with the burgeoning Central New Zealand Distribution Hub (CNZDH) development, means Manawatū is primed for unprecedented levels of growth.

This investment is backed by annual commercial building consents for the region growing by 91 percent between 2019 and 2021, compared with just two percent nationally. 

CEDA spokesperson Ray Mudgway (pictured below) says the growing attractiveness of Manawatū for New Zealand and international companies has been aided by the CNZDH development, which will see the region become New Zealand’s central distribution hub.

“COVID-19 and the most recent lockdown in Auckland have highlighted the vulnerability of global supply chains along with the pressure on the efficient delivery of goods in New Zealand,” says Mudgway.

“Businesses are recognising the advantages we have in Manawatū and the work being done to develop the regions strengths as a multi-modal logistics hub.”

Mudgway says more than $8 billion of transport and infrastructure investment is planned and already under way in Palmerston North city and Manawatū in the next 10 years, fuelled by significant public and private investment.

New Zealand food giant, Countdown is backing the region, opening their new $100 million distribution centre three weeks early to cope with demand in their supply chain.

Countdown’s National Non-Retail Property & Development Manager, Bruce Waite, says their newly expanded distribution hub has already helped to relieve pressure on their network, exacerbated by the Auckland lockdown.

“We’ve been able to supply many of our Waikato stores from our expanded central hub, which we weren’t previously able to do, giving us more flexibility and allowing us to be locationally reactive.”

Waite believes Manawatū is ideally located to service the lower North Island, not only because of its central geographical location, but for its location in relation to transport routes north, south, east and west.

“We’re already seeing massive advantages of having a larger presence in the region; it’s a no brainer for us to be here.”

Waite says the CNZDH development and potential linkages with rail between distribution centres will support further improvements in their supply chain efficiencies. “Manawatū is a thriving and growing region that is maturing from a service town into a key player. It’s inevitable that the region would mature into playing a strategic role in New Zealand’s transport network,” he says.

Green energy expansion

Green energy supplier, Hiringa, is also expanding its footprint in the region. Construction of four high-capacity green hydrogen refuelling stations for zero-emission heavy FCEVs (fuel cell electric vehicles) is now underway, alongside stations in Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga, all on Waitomo truck stops.

Dion Cowley, Hiringa’s Project Development and Public Sector Lead, says Palmerston North was chosen for the prominent role it plays in serving the country’s distribution needs.

“Hydrogen refuelling works particularly well when you apply it to a hub model. There are a lot of freight movements in and around Manawatū involving companies looking to decarbonise, so we see real advantages with Palmerston North included in our initial roll out,” he says.

Cowley says Hiringa is looking forward to offering Manawatū a new zero emission fuel, helping to shift the heavy transport sector towards decarbonisation.

“The CNZDH project provides a fresh start, allowing freight to be looked at in a cohesive manner and providing multiple utilities for businesses in one spot.”

The CNZDH is a unique, multi-modal transport and logistics system based in Manawatū. Once fully completed, the hub will provide economic, social and environmental benefits for the region and the country.

It will help to reduce emissions through more efficient freight movement and provide more efficient delivery of goods in New Zealand. The CNZDH is a key component of the national transport system, complementing the Golden Triangle (Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty) and the southern Christchurch node.

 

Share Article

Glenn Baker
Follow Me Written By

Glenn Baker

Glenn is a professional writer/editor with 50-plus years’ experience across radio, television and magazine publishing.

Other Articles

2021 NZW Mentors at Workshop
Previous

NZ Winegrowers launches mentoring programme

Workplace safety
Next

Apathy behind NZ’s high workplace accident rate

Next
Workplace safety
January 11, 2022

Apathy behind NZ’s high workplace accident rate

Previous
December 15, 2021

NZ Winegrowers launches mentoring programme

2021 NZW Mentors at Workshop

Subscribe to our newsletter

NZBusiness Digital Issue – March 2025

READ MORE

The Latest

From redundancy to resilience

May 16, 2025

Episode 16: Bryce Marsden on sustainable impact through education, youth and environment

May 15, 2025

The high cost of leadership neglect

May 14, 2025

Why making Auckland a Tech Hub makes sense

May 14, 2025

Is AI making us happier? Why some Kiwi leaders would trade coffee for Generative AI

May 13, 2025

Step back to move forward – how Kiwi business owners can unlock growth

May 12, 2025

Most Popular

NZBusiness Digital Issue – June 2024
Understanding AI
Navigating economic headwinds: Insights for SME owners
How much AI data is generated every 60 seconds? New report reveals global AI use
Nourishing success: Sam Bridgewater on his entrepreneurship journey with The Pure Food Co

Related Posts

Franchise business, Chem-Dry.

The franchise business putting people first

April 16, 2025

The rising threat of cybercrime to small business, and why insurance matters

April 9, 2025

Minister Louise Upston’s plan to attract more visitors and less red tape for hospitality operators

April 1, 2025

The art and infrastructure of large-scale events

April 1, 2025
NZBusiness Magazine

New Zealand’s leading source for business news, training guides and opinion from small businesses to multi-national corporations.

© Pure 360 Limited.
All Rights Reserved.

Quick Links

  • Advertise with us
  • Magazine issues
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy
  • Sitemap

Categories

  • News
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Growth
  • Finance
  • Education & Development
  • Marketing
  • Technology
  • Sustainability

Follow Us

LinkedIn
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Self Development
  • Growth
  • Finance
  • Marketing
  • Technology
  • Sustainability