LS Germany has started operating its new eco-depot in Neumünster, the northernmost location ofthe parcel operator in the country, enhancing the sorting capacity of the previous facility.
Following the nine-month construction, the €5 million hub, which has been optimised intechnological and ecological terms, now sorts up to 30,000 parcels a day in a handling area thatcovers 4,000 sqm. The total depot area covers 31,600 sqm. 90 gates for vans and nine long-distancetraffic gates ensure timely delivery and pick-up while continuous video monitoring of conveyorbelts ensures their safety.
A heat pump system as the primary source of heating, a rainwater utilisation plant and abuilding of recyclable steel and sandwich panels reduce CO2 emissions and also save approximately40% of operating costs as part of the GLS environmental commitment.
The parcel operator said it decided to construct the new site only 1 km away from the oldlocation due to its direct connections to the highway and several main roads as well. “Neumünsteris well connected in traffic terms and represents a central point for the product flow in the wholeregion of Schleswig-Holstein,” said Klaus Conrad, Managing Director GLS Germany.
“The infrastructure, the business-friendly climate and the local connections have encouraged usto keep our most northern location where it has already proved itself,” he added. Despite theremote location, the parcels from Neumünster reach their destination within the standard deliverytime of 24 hours like the shipments from the other GLS depots.
Through the growing importance of Schleswig-Holstein as a transshipment centre for NorthernEurope, GLS expects future growth. “The depot is designed in a way that further expansion ispossible to adapt to increasing volumes,” Conrad added.
The depot responds both to industrial and environmental demands. The standard for new ‘green’constructions was set by the first GLS ecological depot that was established in Vaihingen-Enz,southeast Germany, in 2008.
