DB Schenker opens 50th eco warehouse

DB Schenker, one of the world’s leading global logistics providers, has reopened a sustainable logistics terminal in Tilburg in the Netherlands. After undergoing a modernisation in 2021, the terminal has now been awarded by Deutsche Bahn as the 50th eco warehouse for DB Schenker. Eco warehouses are part of an integrated concept developed by DB Schenker that enables warehouses to be operated in an energy-efficient manner, thereby improving the wellbeing of employees and greatly reducing CO2 emissions.

The international hub got a complete makeover, allowing for eco-efficient and more spacious cross-docking operations with modern technology in order to ensure a greater degree of environmental protection. Global standards for sustainable construction were used when the new terminal was constructed – i.e. standards relating to heat insulation, the use of renewable resources obtainable from the region surrounding the building, the installation of modern natural lighting systems for the well-being of employees, and the use of efficient HVAC system for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.

Five beehives were also placed on the site in order to increase biodiversity in the vicinity. In addition, reduced use of terminal MHE (material handling equipment) via the semi-automation of goods handling has been achieved, waste management has been improved at offices, and charging stations have been installed for electric bikes and vehicles.

“Eco warehouses are the future of our terminals,” says Cyrille Bonjean, Head of Land Transport at DB Schenker Europe. “The facility in Tilburg is the latest example of how quickly we’re moving toward highly automated, eco-efficient freight hubs. This serves our strategic goal to become CO2-neutral by 2040 and it’s already having a positive effect on our employees, who are now able to work in a future-proof, professional, and safe environment.”

“DB Schenker in the BeNeLux continues to invest in a sustainable future,” says Pierre van Diesen, Head of Land Transport at DB Schenker BeNeLux. “The land transport branch office in Tilburg, one of the logistics hotspots in the Netherlands, is a strategic location within our European network. The short distance to the A58 highway is ideal and helps us reduce our CO2 emissions.”

The modernised terminal site has an area of 59,210 sq m. With 90 loading docks, the warehouse is fully adapted to cross-dock activities for pallet distribution and can handle over 20,000 shipments per week. The use of an embedded towline will automate the internal transport of pallets, thereby ensuring efficiency and safety. The new site infrastructure will be adapted in line with the growth of transport operations, thus ensuring that safety, security, and efficiency can be maintained in the future as well. The site employs a total of 350 people.