Stihl Cuts Empire Deal
Outdoor power tool giant cuts a deal in Yatala estate
International outdoor power tool company Stihl will next year move into a new and larger Queensland distribution centre in an emerging industrial estate in the Brisbane-Gold Coast corridor.
Being built by MacNab Construction, the $8 million plus office/warehouse at Lot 1, Stephens Way, Yatala, in the Empire Industrial Estate, will replace Stihl’s long-term distribution centre at Heathwood which is being sold through Scan Property Consultant’s Matthew Richards.
Through a site selection process by Scan, the company looked at options across Brisbane, Logan and the Gold Coast before buying the site at the Empire Industrial Estate.
STIHL’s head of supply chain Scott Braddy said they chose Yatala because of their relationship with the Empire team, the logistical advantages for both their product distribution and staffs commute and the investment opportunity.
He said in the end the location of the new distribution centre made the decision to relocate “an easy one”. “We have one of the prime sites on the estate, but more so, Empire Estate offered all the boxes we were required to tick,” he said.
The building will feature 400sq m of office and 4000sq m of warehouse with 3000sq m of future warehouse expansion space and Stihl will move in during the second quarter of next year.
Stihl bought the 2.4ha site, which has a developable land area of l.38ha, in October last year and settled on the purchase in the middle of this year.
The land rate for the 127ha estate is between $300/sq m and $350/sq m.
Some of the companies already there include transportable building giant ATCO, Cope Sensitive Freight and Queensland Forklifts.
Empire Industrial Estate managing director Tony Stephens said: “We fought hard to secure them as we pride ourselves on quality household names locating within our project.”
Mr Richards said he has received strong interest for the Heathwood asset and some off market approaches would suggest offers will be in the $5 million to $6 million range.
CHRIS HERDE – COURIERMAIL – FRIDAY NOVEMBER 2019