Cotton On unveils new environment-, staff-friendly head office, distribution centre

Australian fashion retailer the Cotton On Group (COG) has invested R300-million in new custom-built headquarters and a distribution centre in Waterfall City, Midrand, which it officially launched on July 20.

Construction started in January 2021, and since June this year, 2.2-million units of COG’s eight brands have been moved from the group’s former premises in Pomona, Kempton Park, to the new site – more than 100 truckloads of stock.

COG globally comprises 1 400 stores operating in 22 countries and employs 18 000 staff.

Locally, COG operates 167 retail outlets nationally, including Cotton On, Cotton On Body, Cotton On Kids, Factorie and Typo stores.

Combining grey water harvesting, a 200 kW solar power plant, energy efficient light emitting diode lighting, proximity sensors to reduce energy use and landscaping that uses indigenous vegetation, the new site was designed to operate with a low impact on the environment.

In addition to these environment-friendly aspects, COG is also transitioning to using plastic polybags that make use of recycled plastic.

The 22 000 m² warehouse is geared to processing 6 000 e-commerce orders a day, 200 000 units to its retail network daily and over 20-million units a year.

The centre features very narrow aisle storage, which is picked using semi-autonomous high-level electric picking machines.

In addition, a mezzanine-level picking centre facilitates unitised picking of products for orders from COG’s brick and mortar stores, wholesale and e-commerce channels.

Further, the headquarters and distribution centre have been designed to accommodate future growth, offering as much as 50% more space to move into, should demand justify such a move.

To better accommodate its staff, COG’s new premises have been designed to be highly efficient logistically, with employee wellness, safety and a harmonious work environment in mind.

As such, staff from the head office and warehouse share the same facilities and services with welcoming entrances and “chill areas” replicated at the two entry points. There is also a gym on site, with a personal trainer available, as well as meal delivery services, coffee machines, open access Wi-Fi and plants to increase productivity and replenish focus.

Staff entry is facilitated using a facial recognition system.

COG states that the open plan workspaces at the facility encourage conversation and collaboration, while each of its divisions has its own brand-centric meeting room that represents the core themes of the brand.

Break-out pods and sitting areas are available for meetings, to take calls or just catch a breather.

COG South Africa manager Natalie Wills says the new “bespoke site has been designed to deliver the best possible experience for our customers and to provide our team with a great place to work”.

“The campus was designed with a ‘people first’ culture approach, which underpins what our brand stands for, puts us in good stead to continue our excellent customer service processes, and is an extension of our commitment to making a positive impact in all areas of our business,” she adds.

Earlier this year, COG published ‘The Good Report’, detailing sustainability as central to its purpose, making public its commitment to water, plastic and waste reduction, carbon neutrality, ethical sourcing, the use of recycled materials, sustainable packaging, uplifting women and a shift to using natural materials.

This ethos was central to the design and construction of the new premises.

Waterfall City property developer Attacq development executive David Oosthuizen says Waterfall City connects sector players to a like‐minded community of shared interests and goals.

“Welcoming a strong brand such as Cotton On to the logistics hub solidifies the precinct’s ability to attract blue-chip businesses due to its combination of visibility and accessibility along national logistics routes, as well as its proximity to Waterfall’s retail and lifestyle offering,” he says.

As with all of Attacq’s developments, the Waterfall logistics hub prioritises environmental sustainability, states Oosthuizen. “All buildings are custom-built with a strong focus on integration, flexibility and efficiency across the warehouse component and offices.”

Among the other prominent companies that have a facility at Waterfall City are BMW Group South Africa, Cummins, Massbuild, Vantage, Dis-Chem, Pirtek, Zimmer Biomet, Superga, GloTool and Dimension Data.