German express and logistics group trans-o-flex is investing €17 million in a new logistics centre in Driedorf, Hesse, in order to sort and transport pharmaceuticals and other sensitive and high-quality goods more quickly, ecologically and economically.
Last week, the local council gave its unanimous approval to the sale of property for the 39,000 sqm location, which lies just 10 minutes away from the north-south A45 motorway. Construction is due to start in the fourth quarter of 2019 and the new facility is expected to commence operations one year later.
"We chose this location because it is ideally located for our two networks, trans-o-flex Express and trans-o-flex ThermoMed,” explained Wolfgang P. Albeck, CEO of trans-o-flex. “In addition to this, we also plan further synergies between our various networks so that goods in the ambient range from 15 to 25 °C as well as in the refrigeration range between 2 and 8 °C will be handled at the new location.”
The sorting centre, which will be located directly next to an already existing solar park, will be equipped with its own solar power system on the roof. "We can use the solar power we generate ourselves to operate the fully automatic sorting plant, to control the temperature in the loading spaces of the vehicles before loading or to charge the batteries of electric vehicles”, explained Albeck. For more than ten years now, trans-o-flex Express has been meeting its power demand from renewable energy sources. “Our share of self-produced power from solar energy will increase continuously, especially by equipping the roofs of our properties with solar modules.”
For the construction and operation in line with the latest ecological and energetic aspects, the logistics centre will be equipped with a particularly strong insulation of its shell and state-of-the-art LED lighting technology. Heating and cooling of the transhipment hall and offices will be provided either by geothermal energy or air heat pumps.
