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Australia’s largest global retailer, Cotton On Group has announced it will spend R300m on a new office and distribution centre in Waterfall, Midrand.

The group which also owns Typo and Factorie wants to expand its presence in the growth node. It said that the new premises would demonstrate the group’s commitment to sustainability and would enhance the customer experience across Gauteng.

Situated in the Waterfall logistics hub, which is owned by listed group Attacq, construction of the 22 000 m2 purpose-built campus began in January 2021, and since June 2022, 2.2-million units, more than 100 truckloads of stock have been moved from Cotton On’s former premises in Pomona to its new state of the art premises.

“Waterfall connects sector players to a like‐minded community of shared interests and goals. Welcoming a strong brand such as Cotton On to the Logistics Hub solidifies the precinct’s ability to attract blue-chip businesses due to its combination of visibility and accessibility along national logistics routes, as well as its proximity to Waterfall’s retail and lifestyle offering. These factors not only promote a quality work-life balance for employees but also enhances commercial optimisation and operational success,” said Attacq’s development executive, David Oosthuizen. 

The new campus is geared to processing 6 000 e-commerce orders per day, 200 000 units to its retail network daily and over 20 000 000 units per year. The centre features Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) storage and a pick mezzanine for unitised picking for store, wholesale and e-commerce orders. Built for growth and scale, an additional 50% of space will cater for future e-commerce processing.

The headquarters and distribution centre will also combine grey water harvesting, a 200 kWp solar power plant, LED lighting, proximity sensors to reduce energy usage and an indigenous landscape. Cotton On is currently transitioning all plastic poly bags to be made with recycled plastic.

“Another common passion and focus between Waterfall and Cotton On are its people and ensuring a harmonious environment for all. As such, the Southern African headquarters and distribution centre puts its employees and their wellness at the heart of its operations. Both the head office and warehouse staff enjoy the same facilities and services with welcoming entrances and chill areas replicated at both entry points. There is a state-of-the-art gym with personal trainers available, meal delivery services, coffee machines, WI-FI, and plants to increase productivity and replenish focus,” said Oosthuizen.

“Our products are pretty magical and so is our team. The new bespoke site has been designed to deliver the best possible experience for our customers and to provide our team with a great place to work,” said Natalie Wills, Country Manager for the Cotton On group. 

The Waterfall precinct includes a vast array of tenants, such as PwC, BMW Group SA, Cummins, Massbuild, Dis-Chem, Pirtek, Vantage, Zimmer Biomet, Superga, GloTool and Dimension Data.

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