Woolworths: Hundreds of job losses at Minchinbury warehouse due to new, automated site
More than 500 jobs could be lost at Woolworths’ Minchinbury distribution warehouse, with the site set to close by 2025 to make way for a new automated centre in Moorebank.
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More than 500 jobs could be lost at Woolworths’ distribution centre in Minchinbury after the company announced its decision to transition to automated sites within five years.
Woolworths said its Minchinbury, Yennora and Mulgrave sites would close by 2025 as it invests in two high-tech facilities, set to open in Moorebank Logistics Park.
However, the Transport Workers’ Union has described the decision as a “blow” for workers unable to be redeployed.
“It is not an easy thing for workers to hear that in five years time their place of work will no longer exist,” NSW Branch Secretary Richard Olsen said.
“But the TWU stands ready to help workers move on and use their skills and experience in other roles.”
Woolworths’ Sydney Regional Distribution Centre in Minchinbury which opened in 1998 and employs 515 permanent team members.
Current operations at Yennora and Mulgrave employ 835 permanent staff in total.
Fresh food distribution is expected to continue out of the Minchinbury site.
The future Moorebank centres are on track to open in 2023 and 2024, and will employ about 650 staff.
In a statement, Woolworths said its investment in automated centres would allow for “faster, safer and more efficient deliveries” to supermarkets.
“Cutting-edge automation will build tailored pallets for specific aisles in individual stores – helping us improve on-shelf product availability with faster restocking, reducing congestion in stores, and enabling a safer work environment for our teams with less manual handling,” Woolworths Chief Supply Chain Officer Paul Graham said.
“The new facilities will also help progress our localised ranging efforts, with the ability to hold many thousands more products centrally than we can in our existing facilities.”
Mr Graham said the company would support affected staff through the “challenging transition”.
“We’ll look to offer redeployment opportunities wherever possible with 650 roles available at the new Moorebank sites, as well as providing a wide range of support and career transition services to our team well before site closures,” he said.
Woolworths will partner with developer Qube in the Moorebank development, investing up to $780 million in the technology and fit out of the two sites.
The Transport Workers’ Union said it would assist workers transition to other roles.
“There will be redeployment for some workers to Moorebank and, through the supply chain charter we have with Woolworths, we will be working with them to ensure safety and fairness in the new facilities for all transport workers,” Mr Olsen said.