PRESS RELEASE: SCT’s New Perth Refrigeration Facility – Growth, Innovation, Resilience.
Perth, Western Australia, 30 April 2024
The SCT Group is celebrating its 50th year in business having been established in 1974 by Peter Smith. Although this is a time to reflect on the many milestones the business has achieved over the journey, it’s not a time to stop innovation or growth. SCT is the largest Rail freight forwarder of food and beverage into Western Australia, employing more than 400 people in the State.
This week SCT ‘s property arm is commencing the construction of a new Refrigeration Facility at Forrestfield in WA.
“This Investment is part of our growth strategy and commitment to assist the WA market with supply chain resilience to compensate for the deteriorating rail network and more extreme weather events.” Geoff Smith, SCT’s Managing Director highlighted.
The new facility boasts a total building area of 9,000m2 with the latest temperature control technology supporting freezer, chiller, and ambient facilities to support product coming into the State, and drive opportunities for WA companies to send a broader product range to the eastern seaboard. It will facilitate 50,000 additional pallets of freight to and from WA, utilising the lowest-emission freight option for the journey.
SCT is taking a proactive approach on behalf of its WA customer base to address recent weather
disruptions across the rail network that have cut off supply lines between east and west, and emptied supermarket shelves. “It’s a devastating occurrence for our customers, our company and our employees who live and breathe these challenges on a daily basis” Matthew Carruthers, SCT’s WA State Manager commented.
This investment at Forrestfield is a small but significant step to managing these disruptions, but more needs to be done.
Geoff Smith continues: “We are conscious of the impacts of recent rail network outages on the WA public, particularly regarding supermarket and grocery items. We continue to seek a dialogue with the WA Government on the steps that can be taken to address these issues, which will require a larger commitment to the WA freight and logistics sector by both the private sector and government stakeholders.”
As evidenced by this current investment, SCT stands ready to play its part in making the flow of freight to and from Western Australia more cost effective and secure.
