TGH appoints general manager Ruakura

4 Minutes•By NZ Trucking magazine•October 18, 2016

Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) has announced the appointment, effective 5 December, of Blair Morris to the role of general manager Ruakura.

TGH chief executive Chris Joblin said Morris‘ deep experience and understanding of New Zealand‘s logistics sector will be invaluable as TGH progresses its plans for an inland port and logistics hub at Ruakura to link the ‘Golden Triangle‘ of Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

“Blair‘s appointment is a key step as the region‘s premier inland port and logistics hub at Ruakura comes to fruition,” said Joblin. “He brings decades of experience in understanding and meeting the needs of exporters and importers and the logistics sector.”

Prior to taking on this role Morris was general manager commercial at Kotahi Logistics LP, where he provided strategic direction and management of Kotahi‘s business growth in Australasia.

Morris also spent 22 years in the shipping industry, holding a wide variety of commercial and trade management roles in Australia and New Zealand. He was general manager of Hapag-Lloyd New Zealand before relocating to their Singapore corporate office as senior director region Asia.

Morris said he was looking forward to leading the development of Ruakura, which the government has deemed to be a project of national significance.

“This is an exciting opportunity as Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga move ever closer as an economic unit. With the region generating high and growing levels of freight, Ruakura offers a unique opportunity to develop an infrastructure designed for New Zealand‘s future needs,” he said.

“I am excited to be part of a strategic infrastructure build and by TGH‘s vision for a centrally located logistics hub to drive greater supply chain efficiency, whether for international imports, exports or domestic distribution needs. A real opportunity exists to design for scale as this multi-user development will cater for all parties across the logistics spectrum with best-in- class transport connections to offer stand-out efficiencies for users.”

Prospective port operators in New Zealand and overseas have submitted formal expressions of interest and a preferred inland port operator will be appointed by early 2017. Earthworks are on track to commence in the current construction season and formal marketing commences next year.

Ruakura is a 480-hectare TGH development on the eastern side of Hamilton, about three kilometres from the CBD. It will become New Zealand‘s largest integrated logistics, commercial and lifestyle development. The core of the development is the inland port, combined with an extensive logistics precinct to accommodate a range of substantial warehouse and distribution businesses. Beyond this are proposed precincts for light industry, innovation, residential and retail activities.