By Charlene Macaulay
Avalon Airport has added another string to its bow with the opening of a 40-hectare industrial precinct anchored by the Cotton On Group.
The Avalon Airport Industrial Precinct is expected to create 750 on-site jobs and 1100 indirect jobs by 2026.
Cotton On Group chief executive Peter Johnson said the business, which has moved its national distribution centre from Lara to the new $40 million state-of-the-art site, was proud to be the anchor tenant.
He forecasts the new facility will have the capacity to process 300,000 products a day, as opposed to the 130,000 capability of its former headquarters.
“This incredible 35,000-square-metre facility at Avalon will satisfy our customers’ demand for speed, delivering product to our customer faster than ever before,” he said.
Avalon Airport chief executive Justin Giddings said the opening of the industrial precinct was a proud moment.
“We began the process of business diversification several years ago via our hangars and we’re thrilled to have now completed our first bespoke build in our new industrial hub,” Mr Giddings said.
“The site provides great scope for industrial development with plenty of space for expansion.”
The state government provided $1.5 million funding for essential on-site infrastructure and helped to broker the deal between Avalon and the Cotton On Group.
Lara MP John Eren said the precinct would help the airport diversify its operations and secure its future as a freight and logistics hub.
“With new carriers, international flights and now Cotton On’s re-location, the sky is the limit for the ever-expanding Avalon Airport,” he said.
