German-based Night Star Express (NSE) GmbH Logistik has opened a new €3.5 million hub in thestate of Hessen in central Germany, to triple its handling capacity and boost operations.
Located in Hünfeld-Michelsrombach, near Fulda, on an area of 20,000 sqm, the new 3,300 sqm hubis nearly three times bigger than the previous facility in Eichenzell, also near Fulda, allowingfor a considerable capacity increase.
The facility has 82 loading gates for vans and 14 gates for lorries employing 60 full-time andpart-time staff. NSE has installed a state-of-the-art solar power system at the hub expected tosave 77 tons of CO2 emissions annually. The electricity produced in an eco-friendly way from solarcells is fed into the city network of Hünfeld and will thus be available to the general public infuture.
“The new building was necessary because the existing sorting facility in Eichenzell has reachedits capacity limit,” explained Matthias Hohmann, Managing Director at Night Star Express. “Furthershipping volumes growth along with the connection of additional international routes could not beimplemented at the old site. Another important reason for the relocation from Eichenzell to Hünfeldwas the ideal position of the distribution facility with the connection to the A7 motorway.”
“With the new site, we expect to reduce our departure and arrival times that we will profit fromas a night express provider. We have created a central hub here providing enough capacity for thenext decade in terms of area and sorting technology, enough room for growth that Night Star Expressneeds for the future,” Hohmann added.
“Being able to make an investment of this size is clear proof for us that we are well positionedas a medium-sized cooperation even in times of financial and economic crisis. Moreover, we areconfident that we will continue increasing our shipping volumes in the coming years,” Hohmannadded.
Night Star Express initially announced the construction of the hub in August last year to keepup with increasing shipping volumes after achieving single-digit growth in the first half of2009.
