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Opening of Warehouse in Bratislava

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Rohlig SUUS Logistics, a logistics operator in Central and Eastern Europe, has opened its first warehouse in the Slovak Republic. The facility, located in Bratislava, serves as a multi-purpose logistics centre, encompassing both a logistics warehouse and a handling terminal. This dual functionality enhances the efficient handling of goods and their distribution on the local market and in other countries in the CEE region.

The new warehouse has a surface area of 2,300 square meters and can accommodate up to 1,500 euro pallets in modern racking. The branch of the Polish logistics operator also offers a range of Value-Added Services (e.g. order picking or co-packing), and there are plans to develop customs services. The location of the warehouse is also crucial for the transport services provided by Rohlig SUUS Logistics. The facility is located close to the D1 highway which connects the Slovak Republic, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Austria. Beyond warehousing services, the company also places significant emphasis on the development of groupage road, air and sea freight in the region.

Artur Malarski, Board Member at Rohlig SUUS Logistics responsible for the development of CEE, says: “Why are we focusing on the development of our services in the Slovak Republic? Because many investors see the CEE region as one business unit. Accordingly, Rohlig SUUS Logistics is dynamically developing its services in this area – now in Slovakia, and we want to continue in our other branches as well. Building an extensive network of connections and warehouses is one of the elements that brings us closer to our strategic business goal – Rohlig SUUS Logistics as a key player in logistics services in the CEE region”.

Rohlig SUUS Logistics’ new investment marks another significant step in the company’s international expansion efforts. Last year, the Polish operator opened its first foreign warehouse in in the Czech Republic and another one later this year, helping to increase the company’s operational capacity. In June, Rohlig SUUS Logistics acquired Joppa Logistics, a Czech company specializing in warehousing services and groupage road transport. In addition to the Czech and Slovak Republic, Rohlig SUUS Logistics also has branches in Hungary, Romania, Slovenia and Kazakhstan.

Michal Sisolak, Branch Director at Rohlig SUUS Logistics Slovakia, explains, “Slovak economy is based on the export of goods from the automotive and electrical industries, among others, so companies need the support of comprehensive logistics services to grow. That’s why we have opened our warehouse to provide essential support to our customers in their business development efforts. ” He adds, “The combination of a logistics warehouse and a handling terminal significantly speeds up logistics processes, including the handling of sea, road or air shipments and their onward distribution in the Slovak Republic, or Central, Eastern and Southern European countries.”

Steels Up at Logicor Flagship Development

Posted on by David Priestman

Logicor, a leading owner, manager and developer of European logistics real estate, has announced that the redevelopment of its flagship UK scheme, Logicor Park Daventry, has reached a construction milestone with groundwork complete and steel frames erected.

Acquired in 2021, Logicor Park Daventry is being redeveloped to create three highly sustainable warehouses in the UK’s ‘Golden Triangle’.

To date, construction steams ahead with 3,500 tonnes of steelwork from the original unit already demolished and recycled, and 45,000m3 of stone already processed for re-use, reducing the site’s environmental impact. Once complete, The 800,000 sq ft site will offer units of varying sizes; c.135,000 sq ft, c.280,000 sq ft and c.385,000 sq ft, with access to two onsite gyms and new amenity spaces.

The site will also include 2.2 acres of woodland with 4,500 new trees, and native species of plants, which will enhance the local biodiversity. Coupled with this, the introduction of solar panels electric vehicle charging points, LED lighting, Air Source Heat Pumps and rainwater harvesting, means the site will target BREEAM Excellent and EPC A.

Steels Up

Charlie Howard, Logicor UK Managing Director, said: “Logicor Park Daventry marks an exciting chapter for our development journey in the UK. With sustainability at the core of this flagship development, we are delighted to offer our existing and potential customers this modern, sustainable warehouse space. The Golden Triangle is within a 4.5-hour drive from almost 90% of the UK population, meaning the new site at Daventry will further enable us to support the flow of trade vital to everyday life. We look forward to welcoming customers next year, helping them to reach more people, more efficiently, while delivering greater sustainable value.”

The site is set to be completed by Q4 2024.

Planning Permission for Logistics Park

Posted on by David Priestman

Planning permission has been granted for a further phase of development at Prologis Park Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK, as a result of collaboration between leading owner, developer and investor of logistics property, Prologis UK and Dacorum Borough Council. The next wave of development will see five new units being built within Maylands Business Park, which is already home to a number of businesses, including Hermes and Vitabiotics.

Prologis UK and Dacorum Borough Council have worked closely over recent years to deliver large-scale and complex logistics property developments to the area. Prologis Park Hemel Hempstead has played an important role in supporting logistics and supply chain operations in South East England and, once complete, will see the Park grow by over 280,000 sq. ft., with the new units ranging between 19,000 and 75,000 sq. ft..

The granting of planning permission for this next phase of development forms part of a drive to deliver long-term, high-quality infrastructure, in line with the Think Hemel initiative; a vehicle to promote and drive investment for the town.

All of the new units have been designed with customer needs and sustainability in mind and will feature unique brise soleil cladding. In line with Prologis UK’s sustainability commitments, the units will all include a rooftop solar array, target an EPC A+ and BREEAM ‘’Outstanding” rating, as well as being net zero carbon in construction. Once complete, the new units will support the delivery of an additional £7 million of social value to the local area.

Construction is planned to commence in Q1 2024 and is due to be complete in Q1 2025.

Caroline Musker, Head of Planning, Prologis UK, said: “Gaining permission for our expansion to Prologis Park Hemel Hempstead is an example of what a truly effective partnership can look like. Over the years of working with Dacorum Borough Council, we have formed a deep understanding of what each other wants, resulting in the ability to deliver seamless packages of work. It is a privilege to be developing in such a great urban location and to be a part of a growing community. We look forward to seeing the units come out of the ground in 2024.”

Councillor Sheron Wilkie, Dacorum Borough Council, said: “Prologis UK continually proves itself to be a valuable and meaningful partner to the Borough, and we were pleased to collaborate in such a meaningful way on this development. The success of our partnership approach over the years has resulted in a number of swift planning applications, with the five new units at Prologis Park Hemel Hempstead the most recent. As our community continues to grow, we’re pleased to have Prologis UK grow with us, and in particular are looking forward to seeing how its developments help those in our community find work.”

AMR Commissioning at Dutch Logistics Centre

Posted on by David Priestman

Dematic has recently completed the implementation of an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) solution for Radial Europe, a leading BTC e-commerce fulfilment expert and subsidiary of bpostgroup. The 299 newly installed AMRs move pallets and totes to transfer stations and picking stations at its logistics centre in Groningen, Netherlands. With the Dematic solution, Radial has enhanced its warehouse processes and anticipates significantly higher efficiency in order fulfilment. For Dematic, this represents its largest AMR order globally to date.

“Our customised end-to-end solution supports Radial’s goals of improving efficiency, increasing flexibility, and ensuring future scalability, which, in turn, will lead to an improved experiences for employees and customers,” explains Kevin Heath, the global director of robotics at Dematic, a global leader in the design, installation and support of intelligent automated solutions.

Radial uses the AMR system primarily to process e-commerce orders for apparel products. The system has three key application areas utilising three types of AMRs respectively:

• Pallet-to-picker AMRs transport pallets from the entrance to a large storage bay. From there, they are transported to transfer stations and picking station racks at the packing stations. The same process then takes place in reverse.
• Bin-to-picker AMRs handle pallet storage in an automated high-bay warehouse and transport them to the picking stations for the execution of split-case orders, including orders that consist of many individual products or article variants. To support this, the racking system has a capacity of around 65,000 locations for customer goods.
• Order-shelf-transport AMRs handle the transport of orders on a shelf with several levels, which are delivered to the packing stations.

Dries De Love, executive vice president at Radial Europe, says, “It’s a double win for Radial. The solution increases efficiency, resulting in improved services and lower costs for our customers. On top of that, we see ergonomic improvements and safety benefits for our employees, resulting in a stronger overall performance.”

The project at Radial’s Groningen facility marks a milestone for Dematic. Together with KION partner Quicktron, it has provided an innovative and full-scale AMR solution as well as its implementation. “This significant contract has helped establish best safety practices for this innovative technology as well as the strategy for customer service and spare parts provision within the EMEA region not to mention the template for best-in-class service for AMRs globally,” sums up Heath.

The project has provided Dematic with valuable insight into the application, design, and implementation of AMR systems. “It has allowed us to significantly expand our expertise in how to apply, design, and implement AMR order fulfilment systems, and we intend to continue to grow this line of business globally,” says Heath.

Fully Automated e-commerce DC in KSA

Posted on by David Priestman

Savoye, a leading global warehouse automation integrator and software publisher in the Middle East, partnered with CJ Logistics, a 3PL services company operating for iHerb, the leading global eCommerce retailer for health and wellness, in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), to deliver world-class automation solutions for its e-commerce Global Distribution Centre (GDC). The strategic partnership is a significant development for Savoye in KSA, following its recent expansion into the region.

Under the terms of the partnership, Savoye will implement a fully automated fulfilment center, the first-of-its-kind in the region, which includes a X-PTS Goods-To-Persons (GTP) shuttle system, Warehouse Execution Software (WES), Zone to Zone fast picking system and automated orders packing to process 15K orders per day. Savoye’s flagship X-PTS shuttle technology will be central to the project, serving as the foundation for an effective and ergonomic Goods-To-Person solution.

Savoye’s high-end solution is seamlessly designed to reduce picking and packing time by utilizing Savoye’s highly ergonomic GTP stations for prompt high-speed picking operations. In addition, Savoye has designed fully automated packing lines that are in charge of closing and labeling the prepared orders before automatically sorting them into the various shipping lanes. The latest agreement marks a significant milestone for all parties as they actively work towards transforming the Middle Eastern supply chain industry by boosting productivity and encouraging innovation.

Alain Kaddoum, Managing Director of Savoye Middle East, stated: “We are proud to embark on this journey with CJ Logistics and iHerb to further explore the Saudi Arabian market with our tailored automated solutions. This partnership holds great significance as it demonstrates our dedication to advancing the supply chain and logistics industry. Our combined efforts are also focused on meeting the industry’s expanding needs while advancing Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the Health Sector Transformation Program. We thus look forward to making significant strides together and establishing new benchmarks for automated solutions in the region.”

The partnership is in line with the Health Sector Transformation Program, a part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to restructure the healthcare industry into a comprehensive, efficient, and integrated system based on the wellness of people and the community at large. Using Savoye’s automated solutions, logistics companies in the health and wellness sector can easily meet evolving client requirements, thereby supporting the program’s goals and driving the continued development of healthcare services in Saudi Arabia.

iHerb chose KSA as its base in the Middle East due to its increasing demand for health and wellness products, as well as the promising business environment. iHerb aims to enhance distribution of its products across the region to meet the local growing demands. Through the partnership, CJ Logistics will integrate Savoye’s cutting-edge automated solutions to optimize its operations and boost productivity to advance this goal.

European Portfolio gets Project in Croatia

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Accolade Group, a leading investor in modern industrial and manufacturing properties across Europe, has announced its expansion into Croatia, marking the seventh European country in its portfolio. This move is part of the group’s strategic goal to grow in regions with high demand and potential for future development.

The group has successfully acquired a building permit for its inaugural project, an industrial building situated north of Zagreb. This project, sprawling over approximately 50,000 m², serves as a stepping stone for further expansion in Southern Europe.

Key Highlights of the Croatian Project:

• Location: The industrial site is located in the Donja Bistra region, near Zagreb, offering easy access to important trade routes and neighboring countries.
• Strategic Importance: Croatia’s recent entry into the Eurozone and Schengen Area, coupled with its skilled workforce and infrastructural advantages, makes it an ideal investment location.
• Future Plans: Accolade is exploring several other locations in Croatia for developing additional industrial zones.

Sustainable and Modern Infrastructure:

• The Zagreb project will feature modern, sustainable buildings aiming for the highest BREEAM sustainability certification.
• Innovations include thermal insulation, utility monitoring, photovoltaic power systems, LED lighting, and environmentally friendly outdoor spaces.

Expansion Beyond Zagreb:

• Accolade is also considering significant locations like the port of Rijeka, Varaždin, Split, and Osijek for future developments.
• A Croatian team has been established, with plans to open a new office in Zagreb shortly.

Milan Kratina, CEO of Accolade, commented, “We are eager to tap into Croatia’s untapped potential and contribute to its growing industrial infrastructure. Our goal is to uncover exciting locations and maximize their potential, just as we have done in other regions.”

This expansion not only signifies Accolade’s growth but also highlights Croatia’s rising importance in the European industrial landscape.

French Sustainable Warehouse Portfolio Acquired

Posted on by David Priestman

AXA IM Alts, a global leader in alternative investments with over €185 billion of assets under management, announces that it has signed a preliminary contract to acquire, on behalf of clients, six Grade-A logistics properties in France, from a Joint Venture owned by CBRE Investment Management and Virtuo Industrial Property.

The c. 190,000 sqm portfolio comprises five completed properties, ranging from c. 20,000 sqm to c. 43,000 sqm, all constructed since 2020. They are 100% occupied by a mix of domestic and international businesses across manufacturing, distribution and 4PL sectors*. Construction of a sixth, c. 37,000 sqm warehouse, in the North of France, will complete by the end of this year.

In line with AXA IM Alts’ global sustainability approach, the completed assets have been built by Virtuo Industrial Property with the aim of achieving a very high ESG standard, having utilised 100% LED lights. The three Southern assets feature solar PV rooftop panels, exclusively dedicated to tenants’ auto consumption. All the properties are located in strong macro locations in the major logistics markets of Lille, Lyon and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.

This transaction will further extend AXA IM Alts’ exposure to the French logistics market, where vacancy in many markets remains at or near historic lows[2]. Once completed, the acquisition will bring AXA IM Alts global direct equity logistics platform to over 7.5 million sqm across 14 countries, representing a total value of c. €11 billion in assets under management globally[3].

AXA IM Alts retains its long-term conviction for high-quality logistics assets in strategic locations, as supported by strong leasing dynamics and favourable supply/ demand metrics driven by shifts in worldwide consumption habits.

Louis Leveillé-Nizerolle, Head of Transactions France, at AXA IM Alts comments: “This is an excellent opportunity to further our exposure to one of our leading conviction sectors through the acquisition of a high-quality portfolio. Demand for modern warehouse and distribution space offering strong ESG credentials continues to strengthen, driven by the growth of e-commerce, multi-channel retail and ongoing supply chain reconfiguration. Furthermore, occupiers are increasingly seeking the most sustainable space to align with their own corporate obligations. This portfolio provides an attractive mix of secured income coupled with interesting leasing opportunities which will enable us to drive value for our clients over the longer term.”

Biggest Mass Timber Logistics Centre

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Global fashion company Bestseller and architecture studio Henning Larsen have unveiled the concept design for a new ground-breaking logistics centre to be built in the Netherlands. The centre will be the biggest of its kind in Europe made with mass timber, and the companies aim for the building to reach ambitious standards for design and sustainability.

Located in Lelystad, 60 km east of Amsterdam, the 155,000 m2 logistics centre will be built over the coming years. Logistics Centre West (LCW) as the building is known, is being built by the fashion company BESTSELLER, and it was designed by the architecture firm Henning Larsen. When completed in 2026, it is expected to be the largest logistics centre built using mass timber in Europe.

“We are happy to be able to unveil the design of our new logistics centre, for which we have very big ambitions. Not only because it strengthens our opportunities for future growth, but also because it was designed to excel in sustainable construction through, not least, the choice of mass timber in the construction. We wanted the building to demonstrate our desire for aesthetic design, and we are very proud of what we have succeeded in jointly with Henning Larsen,” said Allan Kyhe Kjærgaard, Logistics Director at BESTSELLER.

In addition to the striking mass timber construction, the building will also be equipped with 23,000 square meters of solar panels.

Aesthetics and excellence

An important part of the design process was creating a workplace that is both visually appealing and healthy for the almost 600 colleagues who are expected to be work at the centre. The team from Henning Larsen has, among other things, prioritised daylight and green areas as well as harmonising indoor and outdoor elements to promote employee well-being.

“The design of Logistics Centre West represents a fundamental change to the way we imagine how a logistics centre should look. It’s a result of a united client and consultancy team committed to creating a design that is visually stunning, carbon efficient and has a positive biodiverse impact,” says Eva Ravnborg, Country Market Director, Partner, Henning Larsen.

Promoting biodiversity

More than half of the total site is dedicated to its landscape. The majority of the area will thus be dedicated to wetlands and forest to protect biodiversity and help absorb CO2.

In order to preserve and protect the area’s animal and plant life, the construction will be surrounded by a constructed wetland, which will contribute to promoting microhabitats for native species. The centre will also have an optimised rainwater system that, among other things, protects against flooding and recycles rainwater from the roof.

“We are very aware that constructing new buildings affects the environment, the climate and the local community. Therefore, a very thorough process has taken place before we can now present the plans for our new logistics centre. There have been many ambitions which had to be united in one building, but we believe that we have succeeded – not least thanks to a good and close collaboration with Henning Larsen. We look forward to putting the logistics centre into use in 2026, says Allan Kyhe Kjærgaard.

 

Demand for Warehouse Space at Logicor Estate

Posted on by Keith McKinley

As demand for high-quality sustainable warehouse space strengthens, Logicor, one of Europe’s leading owner, manager and developer of logistics real estate, has leased an additional c. 26,500 sq ft to existing customer Redhill Manufacturing, at Logicor’s Lakeside Industrial Estate, Redditch, Worcestershire, UK.

A customer in Unit 3 since 2021, Redhill Manufacturing were looking for new facilities to support the business’ expansion and growth. With a prime location just 15 miles south of Birmingham, the business signed for an additional three units, taking their total space occupied to 52,000 sq ft.

Over the next three months, the new units will be upgraded, from EPC rating ‘E’ to ‘B’, with increased energy efficiency from LED lighting and PVC windows, as well as new heating and cooling systems. The site will also benefit from a mezzanine, bike racks to encourage sustainable travel for Redhill’s locally based workforce, and fast-action roller shutter doors for easy access.

Bill Martyn-Smith, Asset Manager at Logicor, UK comments:

“We’re thrilled to have worked closely with Redhill Manufacturing to identify the right space for their expansion needs. At Logicor, supporting our customer’s growth ambitions is core to what we do and why we work in partnership with them to truly understand what they need now and might need from their space years in the future.”

“Assets in prime locations that improve business connectivity remain in high demand, as demonstrated by this expanded partnership with Redhill Manufacturing. This deal builds on what has already been a record-breaking year for our leasing activity – and we’re proud that our customers continue to trust us to deliver best-in-class warehouse space, that caters to their evolving business needs.”

Andy Colley of Redhill Manufacturing, comments:

“We’re immensely excited about our new facility and the future opportunities we face as we move into an important new phase of expansion and growth. The refurbished, purpose-built facilities will provide us with much greater capacity for incoming materials and extensive storage for assembled products, enabling us to significantly increase output while reducing lead times.”

LSH and Harris Lamb will be marketing Unit 3 when Redhill vacate at the end of the year.

UPS Opens 3 new DCs in Puglia

Posted on by Keith McKinley

UPS has announced the opening of three new Italian logistics centres in the provinces of Bari, Taranto and Lecce, representing 10,000 m2 to support SMEs and Made in Italy exports in the south of the country.

UPS’s announcement is part of its strategy to strengthen its network to give local businesses greater access to the most profitable export markets, not only in Europe and the United States, but also in emerging economies in Asia. Exports from Puglia region saw an increase of 14.8% in 2022 compared to the previous year, in particular 21.9% towards non-EU countries, exceeding the value of 10 billion euros for the first time since 2000.

One year after the inauguration of the new gateway in Bergamo, with the opening of three new facilities in Puglia, UPS continues to strengthen its widespread presence throughout the peninsula to support the exports of SMEs, the backbone of the country’s economy. In particular it intends to facilitate the exports of local high-quality products so that they can take full advantage of business opportunities across the border – estimated by ICE at 4.8 billion Euros.

The centres of Bari, Taranto and Lecce are located in a strategic position and will allow UPS to offer reliable and timely service to these areas. Now fully operational, they are ready to manage the increase in shipments linked to the 2023 holiday period, also supporting e-commerce and digital exports, a growth lever for business internationalisation.

In parallel with the expansion of the network of operational structures, UPS continues to extend the UPS Access Point network with more than 34,000 collection locations in Europe, of which 4,700 in Italy and approximately 250 in Puglia alone. Deliveries to these points allow saving up to 33% of carbon emissions compared to traditional ones to satisfy the growing demand for greener deliveries from responsible online consumers.

Francisco Conejo, country manager, UPS Italy, said: “UPS has been working alongside Italian companies for over thirty years with logistics services capable of satisfying companies’ aspiration to be global. Strengthening our network and optimizing operations so that SMEs in the South can focus on their core business confirms our confidence in the prospects of the local economy.’’

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