L-R (Doug Swan, Hon Warren Entsch MP, Neville Reys, Trent Twomey, Sean Adams and Cairns Deputy Mayor Brett Olds)
A ceremonial groundbreaking marked the commencement of the construction of Wesfarmers Health’s new API Cairns Fulfilment Centre.
Hundreds of Cairns locals will be employed during the construction phase with new, permanent jobs also created once the API site opens in October 2025.
Local dignitaries attended the event including Federal Member for Leichhardt, the Hon Warren Entsch MP, Cairns Deputy Mayor Brett Olds and the National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Professor Trent Twomey, who owns several pharmacies in the Cairns region serviced by Wesfarmers Health’s current API Distribution Centre. A welcome to country and smoking ceremony was conducted by Neville Reys from Gimuy-Walubara.
The new Fulfilment Centre will supply more than 120 pharmacies from Cairns, south to Mackay, inland to Mount Isa and to the tip of Australia including Thursday Island.
Executive General Manager – API, Doug Swan said, “Wesfarmers Health has a clear mission: to make health, beauty and wellness experiences simpler, more affordable and easier to access. And this new facility will help us achieve this mission.”
“The new Fulfilment Centre will be nearly three times as large as our current site and will increase product ranging to 6,500, boast updated technology in the warehouse and feature solar panels to drive our Net Zero sustainability goals.
“Our API wholesale business plays an extremely important role in servicing Australia’s health system. This is the only part of our health system where people located in rural and remote locations – like Cairns and beyond – get the same level of service, at the same price as those in big cities,” he said.
Trent Twomey, President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia attended the event saying, “Pharmacies play a critical role in Australia’s healthcare system and rely on wholesalers like API to deliver medicines to our pharmacies. As the owner of pharmacies in Cairns, I’m excited by this larger, brand-new facility which will help me provide exceptional, timely service to customers in the Far North Queensland region.”