Hamilton Airport has marked a major milestone in the expansion of its business park, with the first building in Precinct North completed ahead of schedule.
The 5,000sqm purpose-built facility has been developed for New Zealand-owned company, Asmuss, which becomes the inaugural tenant in the newest stage of the 170-hectare Titanium Park.
Asmuss’ lease begins in May, with operations at its new pipe extrusion plant likely to be fully underway by August. Around 40 staff will relocate from the company’s existing Te Rapa site.
Hamilton Airport Chief Executive, Mark Morgan said securing Asmuss as the first tenant set a strong tone for the precinct.
“Being first off the block in Precinct North means Asmuss has helped establish a high benchmark for design — and we intend to maintain that standard,” he said.
“This was very much a joint project between the airport company and Asmuss. Having the design and build project delivered ahead of schedule has set the partnership up well.”
The Asmuss building incorporates sustainability features including solar generation and stormwater harvesting. Mr Morgan said the long-term goal is for all airport-owned buildings in Precinct North to include solar.
“Over time, we expect to generate enough solar energy across the precinct to power the equivalent of 365 homes each day. That’s in addition to our existing solar farm commissioned in 2023 which already powers the airport terminal and some ancillary buildings during the day.”
Precinct North is being marketed internationally by Colliers, with steady interest reported. Discussions are reportedly underway with four prospective tenants, including Auckland-based businesses drawn to the site’s strategic access to road and rail networks and its future air freight potential.
Civil works across the initial 20-hectare stage are nearing completion, with Cambridge’s Camex Civil finalising internal roads and infrastructure this month. Within three months, 13 individual lot titles – ranging from 2,000sqm to seven hectares – are expected to be issued.
Hamilton Airport’s property arm, Titanium Park Ltd, is developing Precinct North in stages over the next six to seven years. While some lots will be sold, others will be retained and developed, likely using a design-and-build model similar to the Asmuss project.
Investment in Precinct North is expected to approach $2 billion over the next 15 to 20 years.
Mr Morgan said that while aeronautical operations remain the airport’s priority, land development plays a critical role in supporting the airport’s growth.
“This is about strategically using our landholdings to grow non-aeronautical revenue, which we can reinvest back into the airport,” he said.
“We’re taking a disciplined approach to development to ensure we achieve the best returns and deliver the greatest benefit for the Waikato region.”
Titanium Park already hosts more than 30 tenants and owner-occupiers and when complete, will be one of New Zealand’s largest business parks.
