Nutrien Ag Solutions confirms $70million new Rockingham fertiliser centre after Kwinana fire
MEDIA RELEASE: 12 November 2024
The significant $70million investment decision comes just nine months after the company’s Kwinana Jetty facility was impacted by fire.
Nutrien Ag Solutions Managing Director, Mr Kelly Freeman, said Nutrien will continue to supply farmers with fertiliser from its existing Kwinana site throughout the 2025 season prior to the new East Rockingham facility becoming operational in 2026.
“Nutrien understands the importance of having safe, efficient, and reliable supply chains and that requires investment in essential infrastructure like the new 130,000 metric tonne facility we’ve announced today,” Mr Freeman said.
“WA is very important to Nutrien and our dealings here with the State Government, authorities and thousands of farmers have given us the confidence to make this significant investment into WA agriculture. We have also worked hard to make sure that we can continue to supply farmers while the new facility is being built.
“Nutrien’s investment is a continuation of our commitment to the Australian market and our desire to create a more robust supply chain to mitigate risks and support the economic stability of Western Australia’s $16billion agricultural industry.
“This bigger, more efficient facility not only strengthens Nutrien's capability to serve farmers but also reinforces Western Australia's role as a key agricultural hub for food production and exports.”
The new site, just two kilometres from its current facility, will feature three undercover outloads, more slots for storage, twin blending lines, pits and wheel washers on site for trucks. It will have new dedicated loading equipment with improved loading systems. These systems will allow improved loading speeds and operating conditions for both site personnel and the customers trucks being loaded. It will also have an office for 30 people.
Nutrien Ag Solutions West Region Director Andrew Duperouzel said the new facility, being developed by West Australian company Birchmead, will feature state of the art equipment and be purpose-built to maximise efficiency.
“Granular fertiliser is a key input for farmers who need to apply it at the right time to maximise their crops, so ready access at the right time is critical. Our investment will mean more fertiliser can be stored and more efficiently blended and loaded out to farmers,” Mr Duperouzel said.
“The new facility means we will have approximately 20 per cent more bulk fertiliser storage for WA which adds certainty of supply for farmers in an environment where global supply chain issues are one of their greatest risks.”
“We see ourselves as partners to WA farmers. This investment seeks to support our farmers and the many communities that rely on farming across the State.”
The new distribution centre will complement Nutrien’s other WA facilities which include a liquid fertiliser manufacturing plant, research facilities and more than 70 stores throughout metropolitan and regional WA, servicing thousands of farmers. Nutrien employs almost 600 West Australians and 120 contractors.
Concept drawing provided by Birchmead