The level 2 business students visited Mainfreight, Mangere Branch (near the airport) recently. Esmond Lum, Branch Manager, (ex PHS student) took us for a tour of their distribution centre and airfreight division.

Safety first, the students needed to wear hi viz, closed in shoes, and listen to the health and safety briefing. After that we were able to enter the airfreight division where fresh produce, flowers and fish is either exported overseas or alternatively sent to supermarkets and stores from imported goods on airplanes. It was interesting to see MPI, (Ministry of Primary Industries) there to check a recent arrival of flowers for any unwanted pests (bio security). One of the chiller rooms was -28 degrees C.

Next we viewed the cool store and distribution centre of Mainfreight’s customers like Goodman Fielder, RJ’S and other high profile brands. This is where Mainfreight picks orders and sends them to the supermarkets and retailers for their customers.

Having a forklift license is obviously very important – they were rushing around collecting and moving stock with plenty of quiet speed (electric forklifts).

The students learned some of Mainfreight’s policies and procedures, quality measures, leadership style, and sustainability (corporate social responsibility) – to help them understand how to improve their writing in the upcoming external examination. The students need to have studied a NZ global company to use in the exam.

Thank you for hosting us Mainfreight – it was a great experience for our students.