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Maersk officially launched its Cainta 2 distribution center on April 23
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Spanning a total land area of 36,000 square meters, the hub comes with an 18,255 sqm warehouse offering 23,581 pallet positions
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The facility features 46 loading bays and 13 dock levelers
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The structure supports heavy-duty operations with a 6,000 psi floor load capacity
Maersk officially opened its Cainta 2 distribution center on April 23 even as it eyes expanding its warehouse footprint beyond Luzon.
Covering a total land area of 36,000 square meters, the hub located along Ortigas Avenue Extension in Cainta, Rizal, comes with an 18,255-square meter warehouse offering 23,581 pallet positions.
Cainta 2 features 46 loading bays and 13 dock levelers, enabling seamless handling for both international and domestic distribution requirements.
With a 6,000 psi compressive load capacity, the center can handle high-volume, heavy-duty cargo. It is engineered for maximum efficiency and scalability, critical to supporting the rapid expansion of the e-commerce, retail, and manufacturing sectors, according to Maersk.
The facility is outfitted with modern safety and operational enhancements, including:
• 24/7 security, pest management, and on-site data center
• Fire-fighting system and fire detection alarm
• CCTV surveillance, in-rack seismic cabling and sprinklers
• Calibrated equipment and stand-by generator set
• Pallet cleaning area and temperature monitoring system
“It’s a new chapter of our story. It’s a new year for growth for all of us. And with the opening of this facility, it provides opportunities to provide employment for the local community,” Carlo Magno, Maersk Contract Logistics vice president for the Philippines, said during the launch.
“So, beyond economic growth, we also want to build on purpose… That’s why sustainability is at the core of the design that we built this site. From the smart lighting that you see, which automatically dims when no one is working, to the forklifts and heat straps that use lithium-ion batteries to reduce carbon emissions. So those are examples of how we support the environment,” Magno added.
Further expansion in warehouse footprint
Maersk is also planning to expand its warehouse footprint beyond Luzon. “We’re planning to expand our footprint not just for Luzon but for Visayas and Mindanao as well. Because we want to create distribution centers for the various multinationals and local companies we serve. Because the demand is high. Besides, Mindanao and Visayas are also developing,” Magno told PortCalls on the sidelines of the event.
“We want to make sure there are enough distribution hubs to serve them especially with the current demand for trade. There’s a lot of demand for next-day deliveries, smaller, more frequent deliveries. So you need hubs, distribution hubs… especially with the tight lead times. Consumers now demand very short delivery lead times; you need to have a good distribution network. That’s why we’re expanding,” said Magno.
The launch was attended by Maersk Contract Logistics country head for the Philippines Siow Phing Timothy Tan, Reckitt Global Planning Logistics and Planning director Fabio Noronha Garcia, and Reckitt Philippines general manager Kinshuk Kunwar. Reckitt, a multinational consumer goods company, is a client of Maersk.
In October last year, Maersk also officially opened its P4.8-billion distribution center in Calamba, Laguna.
The 100,000-square meter Maersk Optimus Distribution Center features a more than 70,000-pallet storage capacity with state-of-the-art distribution center technologies such as pallet shuttles, automated sortation, put-to-light, yard management systems, and track-and-trace capabilities.
In January, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque met with A.P. Moller-Maersk Chair Robert Maersk Uggla to explore investment opportunities and strengthen collaboration in logistics and sustainability.
In the meeting at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Maersk reaffirmed its “deep commitment to the Philippines, citing it as a key market for import and export and a vital source of global talent,” DTI said in a statement. – Michael Barcas
