Latest news with #000m
Scoop
15-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
New Property Fund Targets $1bn, Acquires High-Tech Agri Asset
The first asset in the Erskine Owen Veritas Property Fund is set to be a $24 million smart logistics facility operated by Mr Apple, one of the countrys largest vertically integrated apple exporters and a subsidiary of NZX-listed Scales Corporation. A new wholesale property investment fund aiming to build a $1 billion portfolio of commercial assets by 2030 is acquiring a flagship coolstore in Hawke's Bay that is transforming the way New Zealand apples are prepared for export. The first asset in the Erskine Owen Veritas Property Fund is set to be a $24 million smart logistics facility operated by Mr Apple, one of the country's largest vertically integrated apple exporters and a subsidiary of NZX-listed Scales Corporation. The 7,000m² coolstore will serve as the Fund's cornerstone investment, under a 20-year triple net lease. Alan Henderson, director at Erskine Owen, says the facility is a strong example of the export-aligned infrastructure the Fund will focus on. 'We chose this site as the fund's foundation because it ticks all the boxes. It is a core industrial logistics facility, under a long-term lease to a globally competitive exporter, located in a region that is vital to New Zealand's agri-economy. 'We're focused on assets that help drive New Zealand's global competitiveness and that perform well in both stable and volatile markets. These are the kinds of buildings that don't go out of fashion, that provide reliable income and that help sectors like horticulture and agribusiness perform at the highest level,' he says The PIE Fund aims to diversify across infrastructure, healthcare, manufacturing, office and retail sectors, with a goal of reaching $1 billion in holdings within five years. Henderson says the capital raise for the Groome Place coolstore is already underway. 'This is a Fund with a long-term growth and diversification strategy, which is intended to spread investment risk across sectors and locations. We are aiming to have $200 million in assets within 12 to 18 months and increase that to a billion dollars within four years after that. 'The asset quality here speaks for itself. There's clear investor appetite for export-aligned infrastructure backed by strong tenant covenants,' he says. The Groome Place site itself is a leap forward for post-harvest logistics. It incorporates advanced design, automation and environmental controls to optimise throughput and quality, allowing Mr Apple to process around 3,000 bins of apples daily. Michael Caccioppoli, head of coolstores, logistics and engineering at Mr Apple, says the new system has cut the time between orchard and packhouse by 25 percent. 'This turnaround speed directly supports export quality, and by shortening the time from picking to cooling, we're able to preserve internal fruit integrity. 'That means apples are fresher when they hit the ships. It improves shelf life, reduces quality complaints and lifts the eating experience for millions of consumers around the world, which is critical as we establish markets for new varieties,' he says. In 2024, 72 percent of Mr Apple's exports were premium varieties like Dazzle, Posy and NZ Queen. The company aims to grow that figure to 75–80 percent by 2027. The new facility supports that ambition with optimised workflows, precision-controlled storage and lower environmental impact, using 15 to 20 percent less CO2 than older sites to slow fruit respiration and delay ripening. Despite its scale, the coolstore is operated by just eight staff thanks to automation and system integration, enabling tight control over environmental variables. The layout has been designed to reduce handling and labour costs while accelerating the flow of fruit through to export. Caccioppoli says the benefits go beyond product quality. 'The system helps protect margin and reduce risk in a volatile global freight market,' he says. Henderson says investors are increasingly seeking assets with reliable returns, and with features that align with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations and export relevance. 'It reinforces our view that there is real demand for high-quality, income-generating assets in this sector. 'The coolstore reflects the kind of high-performance infrastructure we're targeting – efficient, export-driven and future-ready,' he says. The Erskine Owen Veritas Property Fund is now open to wholesale investors, offering access to income-producing infrastructure assets.1 Notes: 1 Important: The Erskine Owen Veritas Property Fund is open only to wholesale investors under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013. The Fund is not suitable for retail investors, and there is no product disclosure statement. This above is not an offer or invitation to invest in the Fund. It does not consider any investor's personal circumstances and is general in nature. No guarantees are made as to the performance of the Fund or any repayment of capital or income. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. Investors should obtain independent advice before investing.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'I won a gold medal for Great Britain, now I'm facing life on the streets'
A woman who won gold for Great Britain at the Paralympics has described how was on the brink of homelessness after being evicted in March. Megan Giglia MBE had to leave her rented Stockport home last month after being given a no fault eviction by her former landlord last year. It left her facing life on the streets and having to seek help from the borough's homelessness prevention services. READ MORE: Salford incident LIVE: Huge cordon with seven arrests after gun pointed at crowd and crossbow found - updates READ MORE: Moment gun is pointed at crowd on Salford street before armed police storm scene The 40-year-old won Great Britain's first medal of the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio when she won gold in the 3,000m individual pursuit, and also won titles in the UCI Para-cycling World Championships the same year. Megan and her nine-year-old child are currently staying in a hotel in Altrincham, which is funded by Stockport Homes, while applying for properties on the borough's social housing register. Stockport Homes said it 'completely understands how distressing and frustrating' the situation is, and has done everything it can to support Megan and others in similar situations. From Kent, she moved to Greater Manchester for access to sports and training facilities, but has found herself in a desperate position. "I just don't know how I've ended up in this,' Megan said. 'I have good days and bad days, I try to keep it away from the kids. 'I get severe headaches from the stress of it all, it's not great, but I manage because I have to. If I didn't have my kids, I'd be suicidal." In 2013, Megan had a stroke and brain haemorrhage which left her with weakness on her right side and difficulties with balance. But she has found herself at odds with Stockport Homes over the type of social housing property she could live in. She says she would be happy with a house with stairs, but Stockport Homes say she requires a level access flat or bungalow, with a level access shower, after an assessment of her medical needs. The gold-medal winner says she is able to manage stairs and walk most days. She also worries that not having an outdoor space such as a garden could be detrimental for her child, as well as her two pet dogs who are currently with kept with her partner. "They're not allowing me a choice [of properties],' Megan said. 'The system is set up to keep people out and push you to go private, but I can't go private, so I'm in limbo." She said she has tried looking for bungalows to rent privately, but some can cost as much as £2,500 a month. She added: "I can't survive that, it's impossible." She also claimed Stockport Homes has ignored some of her messages, and believes they are 'waiting until [I'm] in the worst case situation before doing anything.' While Megan and her son are currently staying in a hotel, she worries that they might be moved to a hostel eventually. The situation has also impacted her sporting career, Megan says, claiming she had to leave a talent academy for the British shooting team where she was aiming to compete at the 'highest level." The social housing provider said it has contacted Megan to advise which additional information she needs to provide if she wants to be considered for an adapted house. It also said its registration team made numerous attempts to contact Megan to discuss her application for social housing in October. A Stockport Homes spokesperson added: 'Decisions around housing offers are never taken lightly. 'They're based on information from medical and occupational therapist assessments, often with an independent doctor reviewing this information, to ensure needs are fully understood, and to make sure people are offered/placed somewhere that meets these assessed housing needs.' The company is responsible for managing Stockport's social housing on behalf of the council. It added: 'Sadly, this challenge isn't unique to Stockport, and unfortunately there simply isn't the accommodation available in the numbers needed to meet the demand. 'Across the country, millions of people are waiting for social housing while the number of suitable homes continues to fall — particularly those that meet more complex needs. 'In England, only 7 per cent of homes meet basic accessibility criteria, and it's even more difficult to find homes that also accommodate pets or outdoor space. 'Even with the pressures we're facing, we're doing everything we can to help - reviewing all social properties that become available for letting, offering ongoing advice and support, and doing our best to increase the supply of genuinely affordable, accessible homes in Stockport.'
CBC
13-03-2025
- Sport
- CBC
World speed skating single distances championships
Click on the video above to watch live coverage of the world speed skating distance championships today at 12:50 a.m. ET in Hamar, Norway. CBC Sports hosts Anastasia Bucsis and Signa Butler have all the action covered as Canada is led by Ivanie Blondin. The Ottawa native is a five-time world champion and double Olympic medallist who led all Canadians with eight World Cup podiums this season. On the men's side, Canada will be counting on Laurent Dubreuil. The 32-year-old sprinter won the men's 500m (the shortest race in long track) at the 2021 world championships before taking silver each of the last two years while grabbing an Olympic silver in the 1,000m in 2022. How to watch: Every race will be streamed live on and CBC Gem, starting today. The CBC TV network will have additional coverage on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. Here's the full schedule of events. ISU World Speed Skating Single Distances Championships: Day 1 - Hamar Live in 2 minutes Watch the opening day of the ISU World Speed Skating Single Distances Championships from Vikingskipet in Hamar, Norway. The full list of Canadians competing: Men Ted-Jan Bloemen: 5,000m, 10,000, Laurent Dubreuil: 500m, 1,000m, team sprint Christopher Fiola: 500m Graeme Fish: 5,000m, 10,000m Connor Howe: 1,000m, 1,500m, team sprint Anders Johnson: 500m, team sprint David La Rue: 1,000m, 1,500m, mass start Women Ivanie Blondin: 1,500m, 3,000m, mass start, team sprint, team pursuit Laura Hall: 5,000m Rose Laliberté-Roy: 500m Béatrice Lamarche: 1,000m, team sprint Valerie Maltais: 1,500m, 3,000m, mass start, team pursuit Brooklyn McDougall: 500m, team sprint Isabelle Weidemann: 3,000m, 5,000m, team pursuit
