Coolpak Cold Chain Leaders
How Coolpak is Building a Cold Storage Hub in Selwyn District
How Coolpak is Building a Cold Storage Hub in Selwyn District
Every week, between 120 to 150 shipping containers flow through Coolpak's Rolleston facility – a sophisticated logistics operation handling everything from chilled and frozen, dairy, french fries destined for Asia, prawns for Emirates and premium beef bound for China and beyond.
What began as a strategic expansion from Timaru, the Rolleston facility has evolved into New Zealand's largest temperature controlled third-party logistics site, with 43,000 chilled and frozen pallet spaces, proving that smart investment and the right location can deliver remarkable growth.
Founded in the early seventies by Sid McAuley, Coolpak chose Selwyn for expansion a decade ago and hasn't looked back. The family business discovered that Selwyn offers the perfect combination of location, infrastructure, and growth potential for their specialised operations.
"The Selwyn area is a natural hub for an organisation like ours," says Mark Exton, Coolpak's Business Development Manager. "Most South Island exports go through Lyttelton, so consolidating in the Selwyn region made perfect sense.” The location delivers practical advantages: good earthquake resilience, proximity to the inland port, and easy container logistics – particularly important since empty containers are New Zealand's biggest import.
“It's a well-connected area that's only improved with recent infrastructure upgrades, including the Southern Motorway extension,” says Exton.
Coolpak's commitment to technology, in particular automation, is a point of difference in the industry. The company has transformed its Selwyn facilities, recently completing a 7,000-pallet automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) where computers and cranes handle everything once a pallet enters the system.
Rather than using off-the-shelf software, Coolpak is developing its own warehouse management system to handle its increasingly complex requirements. Automated storage and retrieval system track stock levels, monitor container loading and truck movements, and automates order processing, all while managing complex export certification tasks. With 120 to 150 containers moving through weekly, the system integrates operations across both the Timaru and Rolleston facilities, ensuring seamless coordination of one of New Zealand's largest cold storage operations.
Equally innovative, Coolpak's fire prevention system uses reduced oxygen atmosphere technology – the only facility in New Zealand to do so. The nitrogen-rich atmosphere prevents fires from starting, eliminating both the environmental impact and potential stock losses that come with traditional water-based sprinkler systems. "The easiest way to stop a fire is don't let it start in the first place," Mark notes.
Building on their technology investments, Coolpak's expansion mirrors Selwyn's own growth story. The company has purchased additional land at Midland Port for a new 30,000-pallet automated facility, while expanding operations from two shifts to three to meet increasing demand.
The new fully automated facility, planned for completion by the end of 2026, positions them for continued growth, with potential North Island expansion on the horizon. Coolpak's Selwyn location delivers significant cost advantages over other regions in an industry where development costs are challenging.
As a family-owned business, the company's values run deep. "We're a family-oriented company – our employees are not just numbers, and they're treated with respect," Exton emphasises. "There's investment in people here. Our goal is to have everybody going home safe at night and giving people future security, which is what we want."
That philosophy extends to their workforce, many drawn from Selwyn's growing population. While some staff commute from as far as Ashburton, most live locally in areas like Rolleston and Christchurch, reflecting the district's appeal as both a business location and a place to build family life.
Coolpak maintains strong community ties through sponsorships of Rolleston College, local rugby and hockey teams, and career guidance programmes. Beyond formal sponsorships, Coolpak regularly helps local businesses with short-term storage needs or specialised services when they're in a pinch, reflecting their commitment to being a good neighbour in the growing district.
Coolpak’s relationship with Selwyn District Council has strengthened significantly as both parties have developed expertise around Coolpak's specialised cold storage requirements. Early challenges around new technology like the oxygen reduction system required education and collaboration, but improvements in communication and understanding have made a tangible difference to business operations.
"The learning curve was steep – Coolpak represented the first major cold storage operation the Council had dealt with – but the partnership now reflects the kind of business-friendly environment that attracts further investment," Exton notes. A key part of this progress has been the involvement of the Council’s Strategic Relationship Manager, who works alongside businesses to navigate regulatory processes and build stronger partnerships.
For other companies considering Selwyn, Exton's endorsement is strong: "The location's great. It's ideal, you're close to the motorway, close to the airport, the land's good, and it's got good earthquake resilience. Do your homework, talk to the Council about what you're planning, but it's a good location." Coolpak's continued expansion demonstrates both the opportunities available in Selwyn and the rewards that come from backing local growth with industry leadership.