Business continuity in action
On the 19th of May a fire broke out at our Wellington distribution centre, causing damage to both our warehouse and office facilities.
Caused by a malfunctioning multi-plug box, the incident was unexpected, but it was exactly the kind of disruption we’ve carefully prepared for.
Most importantly, all staff and personnel are safe. The rapid activation of our business continuity plan along with amazing support and hard work from of our people ensured no disruption to our normal commercial and engineering operations.
This quick and confident response has paid off for us and our customers with UPSPS quickly switching full operations to a new temporary facility, directly across the motorway from our original site.
UPSPS temporary office - Wellington
Uninterrupted Service, Unshaken Confidence
True to our reputation, our service remained uninterrupted throughout the event. Orders have continued to be fulfilled and customers have remained supported, in some cases, completely unaware anything had occurred.
Our Auckland and Christchurch distribution centres continued operating as usual, allowing us to seamlessly reroute logistics while our Wellington engineering team continued their work without interruption.
The Power of Planning and People
While the physical loss was significant, the operational impact was minimal due to the foresight and resilience built into our systems and culture along with the support of our key suppliers.
We have always operated with a people first approach to business and from the first moments after the fire, the response from our team and our extended network of partners was nothing short of outstanding.
Lucas enjoying the new warehouse
Twenty individuals, including staff, family, and friends, volunteered over the weekend to help relocate and set up our temporary facility. Their spirit reflects the strong relationships and values that form the foundation of our business and we can’t thank them enough for their efforts.
UPSPS Managing Director, Nicky Blackmore, says that resilience and assurance is what the company has delivered to customers for nearly 25 years.
“Our business was safe in our own hands and now it’s stronger because of it. We hosted our first client meeting in our new facility just three days after the fire. It was a powerful reminder that what makes a business strong isn’t bricks and mortar, but people and purpose,” she says.
Fish & Chips and Fresh Starts
On our first day in the new space the Wellington team shared fish and chips for lunch, a simple tradition rooted in family for Nicky Blackmore.
“Moving houses regularly was a part of my childhood and we always had fish and chips on the first night in a new home. This was usually because the kitchen wasn’t unpacked yet, but that small ritual became a symbol of a new chapter and it felt right to carry that forward with our team.”
Fish & Chip traditions
We’re working closely with insurers and contractors to facilitate the repair of our original distribution centre. In the meantime, our Wellington operations will continue from our new address at 5B Lower Tyers Road, Ngauranga, now fully functional and already updated on our website.
Our commitment remains unchanged: to protect your business continuity as competently as we’ve protect our own. That promise held true last week, and it will hold true as we continue to deliver best-in-class business continuity and operational assurance to customers.