Westland Milk Products says a new warehouse complex in Canterbury will allow it to significantly reduce its reliance on road transport for getting its products to port.

The West Coast dairy co-operative produces milk powder and butter at its plant in Hokitika, which it then has to transport to Lyttelton for export.

Chief executive Rod Quin says it will move 500,000 tonnes of milk powder a year through its new 17,000 square metre dry storage warehouse at Rolleston.

He says the facility, to be officially opened on Friday, will allow the co-op to use a direct rail link from Hokitika to Rolleston, then through to Lyttelton.