Altona facility will ultimately house more than 1,000 robots, create 155 high-skilled jobs and expand Australia’s sovereign logistics and technology capability
Melbourne, Thursday 1 October 2026
Australian technology and logistics company SKUTOPIA has officially opened its new $50 million National Distribution Centre in Altona, Victoria, marking a major expansion of its national robotic fulfilment network.
The facility was officially opened today by Victorian Minister for Jobs and Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing Melissa Horne.
The Altona National Distribution Centre will ultimately house more than 1,000 robots, orchestrated by SKUTOPIA’s Australian-developed software and artificial intelligence to store, pick, pack and dispatch orders for Australian businesses.
The investment will create 155 high-skilled jobs across software engineering, artificial intelligence, robotics, ICT, operations and advanced logistics.
SKUTOPIA is building the technology and physical infrastructure designed to give Australian businesses access to logistics capabilities that have historically only been available to the world’s largest retailers.
Its vertically integrated platform combines proprietary warehouse software, robotics, artificial intelligence, inventory forecasting, fulfilment and delivery technology, allowing businesses ranging from emerging Australian brands to major national retailers to scale without having to invest hundreds of millions of dollars building their own logistics infrastructure.
The Altona facility will significantly increase SKUTOPIA’s national capacity, supporting both direct-to-consumer fulfilment and large-scale business-to-business and retail store replenishment.
SKUTOPIA’s technology uses artificial intelligence to forecast where and when products will be required, optimise inventory placement and coordinate robotic fulfilment. Over time, this will enable inventory to be positioned closer to anticipated demand, allowing retailers to deliver products to customers faster while reducing unnecessary transport and inventory movements.
SKUTOPIA estimates its robotic fulfilment model can reduce the carbon footprint associated with fulfilment of an order by around 75 per cent compared with conventional fulfilment models, demonstrating how advanced automation can improve both productivity and supply-chain efficiency.
The Altona National Distribution Centre forms part of SKUTOPIA’s expanding Australian network, alongside its robotic fulfilment operations in Sydney and planned further expansion across the country.
SKUTOPIA is Australian-owned and develops its core software, AI and technology in Australia. The company employs hundreds of Australians and is building sovereign critical infrastructure designed to help Australian retailers remain competitive in a global economy increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, automation and rising consumer expectations.
The company’s longer-term vision is to build an autonomous commerce infrastructure layer connecting AI-powered product discovery and purchasing with the physical movement of goods - including inventory forecasting, fulfilment and delivery.
Unlike marketplaces that also compete directly with the businesses using their infrastructure, SKUTOPIA operates solely as an infrastructure partner. It does not retail products or compete with its merchants, allowing customers to retain ownership of their brands, customer relationships and future growth.
QUOTE ATTRIBUTABLE TO SKUTOPIA CO-FOUNDER AND CEO TALEA BADER
“Australian businesses should not need to become Amazon to have access to Amazon-level infrastructure.”
“We’re building sovereign critical infrastructure for Australian commerce – the technology and physical infrastructure that allows Australian retailers, from emerging brands through to some of the country’s largest businesses, to compete on speed, cost and customer experience while retaining control of their brands and their customers.”
“What makes this facility particularly important to us is that the intelligence behind it is being built here in Australia. Our software, AI and robotics technology has been developed by Australian teams, and this investment in Victoria allows us to continue building that capability at much greater scale.”
“We believe the next generation of retail will be increasingly autonomous. AI will help consumers discover and buy products, while intelligent infrastructure will determine where inventory should be, fulfil orders robotically and get them to customers. Altona is an important part of building that future in Australia.”
QUOTE ATTRIBUTABLE TO MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING MELISSA HORNE
“This investment reinforces Victoria’s position as an industry leader, creating 155 highly skilled jobs and bringing cutting-edge technology to Melbourne’s west.”
“Labor is helping local retailers access world-class logistics technology, so they can compete, grow and create jobs.”
The Altona investment is supported by the Victorian Government through the Victorian Industry Policy and the $150 million Victorian Investment Fund, which attract investment in priority industries and support businesses developing technologies with national and global potential.
ENDS
ABOUT SKUTOPIA
SKUTOPIA is an Australian-owned technology company building AI-powered robotic fulfilment infrastructure for modern commerce.
Founded in Sydney in 2018 by Talea Bader and Emily Townsend, SKUTOPIA combines physical fulfilment infrastructure with proprietary software, artificial intelligence, robotics and delivery technology.
Operating through Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) models, SKUTOPIA supports emerging, mid-market and enterprise retailers with fulfilment, inventory management, delivery and commerce infrastructure.
SKUTOPIA’s mission is to democratise and decarbonise logistics by giving businesses access to advanced infrastructure without requiring them to build it themselves.
For more information, visit skutopia.com
MEDIA CONTACT
Nidhi Toshan, Growth Marketing Manager, SKUTOPIA
Fariha Shuvakhana
Fariha Shuvakhana is the Chief Growth Officer at SKUTOPIA, a 3PL fulfilment and shipping platform for fast‑growing eCommerce businesses. Fariha focuses on sustainable, customer‑first growth - aligning go‑to‑market strategy with operational efficiency and partner‑led expansion.