GLS has opened new depots in the northern Danish city of Aalborg and the Spanish port city of Vigo to expand its European network.
In Denmark, the new depot in Aalborg, an industrial and university city in the North of Jutland and the third most populous in the country after Copenhagen and Aarhus, has doubled the sorting capacity of the previous depot in the region, with an investment of DKK 45 million (€6 million).
The new 2,600 sqm depot has been built in response to continuously increasing parcel and express shipment volumes at the Aalborg site, with around 150% growth over the last ten years. Up to 5,000 parcels can now be handled per hour, with 63 gates for loading and unloading, which is 17 more than at the previous depot. The shunting area increased by a third to 12,000 sqm.
Thanks to the new features, the delivery drivers can load the shipments faster and start their tours earlier. Security is ensured through modern scanning systems and video surveillance systems.
“The new depot increases our capacities massively and can be further expanded, if needed,” Karsten Klitmøller, General Manager GLS Denmark, said. “This way, we can continue offering our customers high-quality services.”
The new depot is only 100 metres away from the previous facility. The northernmost GLS site in Denmark is connected to the E 39 und E 45 highways. “The infrastructure, the proximity to customers and the employees living in the area have encouraged GLS to stay in the region,” the company explained.
In Spain, GLS has opened a new sorting centre at Vigo which will also act as the company’s administration office in the Galicia region, local media have reported. It is the 24th GLS depot in the country.
With an area of 1,200 sqm, the facility is located in the industrial hub of the Pontevedra province where major companies in the automotive, logistics and textiles sectors are based. Moreover, the area is connected to the highway of Madrid and the Atlantic pivotal point Coruña-Oporto, which guarantees improved operations in transportation and distribution in the region.
The daily departures and arrivals are conducted to and from Vigo with regular transit times of up to 24 hours within Spain, 48 hours to neighbouring countries and 72-96 hours for more distant countries. The services include B2B or B2C deliveries to anywhere in Europe.
According to the Alimarket news portal, GLS Spain increased revenues by nearly 43% to €21.1 million in the year ending March 2014. The company, with 124 staff, has a fleet of 135 delivery vehicles and 15 long-distance vehicles. In addition, it works together with partners to offer complete nationwide coverage.
