Volvo Group Australia opened the new Sydney Parts Distribution Centre in Minto, south-west Sydney, on 9 July, a facility designed to strengthen parts management and distribution for the Australian market.
The new centre replaces Volvo Group Australia’s previous Minto facility, which had been operating since 1975, introducing more advanced logistics systems than those available when the original site was built.
The new facility covers 21,000 square metres, roughly twice the size of the previous centre, and can manage up to 72,000 SKUs. These include traction batteries and components specific to battery electric vehicles, reflecting the changing vehicle parc and the service requirements of modern fleets.
Managing an inventory of this scale requires an Automated Storage and Retrieval System, ASRS. According to Volvo Group Australia, it is the first application of its kind within the group globally. The system uses high-density storage and automated processes to retrieve parts and deliver them directly to the operator’s workstation. In the new centre, parts picking reduces the need for manual movement across the warehouse. Cranes integrated into the racking handle lifting operations and can extend into the aisles to place components onto pallets.
“This technology alone provides greater parts availability, reduced lead times, and improved first-time fill rates.”
Said Martin Merrick, President and CEO of Volvo Group Australia.
The system reduces operator movement, bending and manual lifting. It is supported by ergonomic features such as height-adjustable workbenches, anti-fatigue matting and material handling equipment, all intended to reduce physical strain during warehouse operations. According to Merrick, improving the team’s working environment was one of the main criteria behind the project.
The centre was designed from the outset to meet 5-Star Green Star requirements, with criteria focused on energy efficiency and indoor environment quality. The new Sydney Distribution Centre forms part of a broader Volvo Group investment programme in Australia, worth close to AUD 400 million over the past 18 months, covering distribution, retail and capability development.
Merrick also said the new centre will strengthen support for customers in freight, public transport, marine and industrial sectors, helping improve parts availability and fleet uptime across Australia and New Zealand. Anoulack Chanthivong MP, New South Wales Minister for Industry and Trade and Member for Macquarie Fields, attended the opening. Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks, also took part in the ceremony.
“The Sydney Distribution Centre is the first of its kind anywhere in Volvo Group’s global operations and it is an important step in strengthening our support for customers in Australia. It brings together safety, quality and efficiency to improve parts availability, enable faster service and enhance uptime – keeping trucks on the road where they belong.”
Said Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks.
The opening of the centre confirms the growing role of parts logistics in uptime management, in a market where both conventional and electrified fleets require increasingly rapid response times.
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