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Hawke’s Bay Airport has launched a multi-million dollar business park development announcing global power and automation technology corporation ABB as its anchor tenant.

ABB plans to build a world-class research and development facility and assembly unit at the business park to meet future requirements of their expanding business.  The new 6,500 square metre facility, which aims to be completed by early next year, will create a centre of excellence for ABB’s global operation.

ABB purchased Napier-based power electronics company Vectek Electronics four years ago and had experienced rapid growth with a staff of around 130 now based in Hawke’s Bay.

Airport Chairman, John Palairet, said securing an internationally recognised anchor tenant was a major achievement and strongly positioned the Hawke’s Bay Airport as an ideal location for commercial and industrial business.

“The Airport Business Park is one of the most exciting opportunities for helping grow the Bay and we are firmly committed to helping drive long-term economic benefit and greater employment for Hawke’s Bay,” he said.

For the Airport, the business park was a significant part of the company’s long term strategic vision for revenue growth from both landside and airside assets, said Mr Palairet.

Minister of Commerce, Craig Foss, said the investment by Hawke’s Bay Airport demonstrated in securing ABB, firmly placed the region on the map as a major area in the country for business development.

“The development shows great confidence in Hawke’s Bay for growing the economy, exports and jobs,” said Mr Foss.

At full scale, the 20ha business park has the capacity for around 80,000 to 100,000 square metres of floor space with the potential to accommodate over 1,000 people depending on the type of industry.

The business park is the first project in the airport’s long-term assets growth strategy. Also included is the staged expansion of the terminal, upgraded infrastructure and security and the development of airfreight services.

The Airport’s Business Development Manager, Wayne Wootton, said the Airport aims to attract commercial and light industrial businesses and expects strong enquiry from both local and New Zealand businesses.

He confirmed that the Airport was progressing negotiations with further potential tenants who had local, national and international interests.

“The business park is being developed to attract a variety of tenants ranging from research and development, education, high-tech industry and tourism to airside related business such as flight training, aircraft maintenance, freight facilities and other airline carriers.

A huge amount of work had been undertaken to launch the business park to market. It’s a credit to all the parties and local people involved including Paris Magdalinos Architects, engineering consultants MWH and Unison Networks,” said Mr Wootton

In the first stage of the park’s development, the airport would invest over $4 million in infrastructure expansion covering over five hectares, including roading, stormwater management, landscaping, a new dedicated power supply and ultra fast fibre broadband.

 Unison Group Chief Executive, Ken Sutherland, said Unison would be working with the Airport to deliver a robust solution that met current requirements as well as providing scope to cater for expected growth.

 “Our approach provides a highly resilient electrical infrastructure and high speed fibre broadband solution for the business park.  This ensures tenants of the business park have secure and scalable electrical infrastructure and high speed broadband communications.

 Unison will construct two dedicated 11,000 volt underground electrical cables, running out of Unison’s Tamatea substation, along the expressway, feeding directly into the park.  UnisonFibre’s high speed fibre network will utilise the same route as the electrical cables.

 The park was an exciting opportunity for the region and one of the larger customer projects Unison will undertake this year, with a wide a range of skilled people from across Unison working on the project,” Mr Sutherland said.