The official launch of the Viewpoint Supply Chain is underway, bringing a new level of integrated logistics across a significant portion of the North Island.
“Eighteen months ago, Napier Port began testing customer demand for a North Island-focused supply chain service that offered a personalised, tailored approach to warehousing and logistics,” says Napier Port CEO Todd Dawson.
“Off the back of recent years’ supply chain disruptions, importers, exporters and freight forwarders had been telling us for a long time that their pain points were around efficiency, wasted time and cost, and lack of flexibility and responsiveness when moving cargo between distribution centres and ports.
“We set out to change that by matching the visibility Napier Port has over shipping logistics, such as the real time arrivals and departures of vessels, with timings for road and rail transport. “Customers and freight forwarders know every time they pick up the phone to call Viewpoint, one of our team will answer and will find a solution that saves them time, cost or removes waste.
“This is the visible advantage Viewpoint has,” says Dawson.
KiwiRail Chief Executive, Peter Reidy, said KiwiRail supports the Viewpoint launch. “Rail is central to New Zealand’s economy, especially considering over 90 percent of all imports and exports require access to sea freight and ports.
“The KiwiRail team have worked closely with Napier Port for many years now. Re-opening the rail line through to Napier recently, after it was significantly damaged during Cyclone Gabrielle, means we can support both Napier Port and their customers to move import and export freight more efficiently around the North Island – and with lower emissions,” explains Reidy.
“One benefit Viewpoint delivers is the ability to move full train loads both ways, because they are able to match customers’ full and empty containers with shipping calls and other transport operators. It removes waste in the rail component of the supply chain and shares the value created.
“Viewpoint is introducing a new level of integrated logistics across this half of the North Island and paving the way for projects like our Regional Freight Hub near Palmerston North and CEDA’s Te Utanganui, the Central New Zealand Distribution Hub,” Reidy adds.
Jerry Shearman, Chief Executive of the Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA) based in Palmerston North, said CEDA’s primary goal is to deliver economic, social and environmental benefits for central New Zealand and Napier Port was a key partner in achieving this.
“Hawke’s Bay is a strong connector in the central region, underpinned by Napier Port’s depots and inland port in Manawatū and their strategic partnership with Te Utanganui, the multi modal distribution network for imports and exports throughout central New Zealand and beyond. Viewpoint facilitates this connectivity and drives efficiencies in the supply chain, which also encourages sustainable connections between regions,” Shearman said.
Todd Dawson concluded by saying that Viewpoint benefits customers and freight forwarders directly, “but wider than that, the collaborations between key stakeholders in the North Island supply chain, such as KiwiRail and CEDA, shows how successfully ports and others can partner to benefit not just their immediate region, but ultimately NZ Inc.
“When you start working across regions, with other stakeholders who share the same social, economic and environmental goals you begin to deliver scale and a solid case study for rolling out a national infrastructure and transport network that will enable the smooth flow of domestic supplies, as well as import and export freight, which is essentially the backbone of our country.”
Viewpoint is holding a series of regional roadshows to meet customers and suppliers:
- Hawke’s Bay launch at Napier Port – Thursday 5 October, 10.30am-12.30pm
- Palmerston North launch – Tuesday 17 October, 3.30pm – 5.00pm
- Gisborne launch – Wednesday 25 October, 3.30pm – 5.00pm
For more information go to [email protected] Importers, exporters and freight forwarders across the North Island who want to remove waste, time and cost from their cargo costs should visit https://viewpointsupplychain.co.nz/
Main photo: The Viewpoint Supply Chain Team (L-R): Nicolas Ganivet (Supply Chain Network Manager), Andrea Manley (GM Strategy & Supply Chain), Joubert van Tonder (Business Development Manager – Supply Chain) and Matt Gittings (Supply Chain Planner).
