DHL EXPRESS INVESTS IN BRAND NEW AND SUSTAINABLE SERVICE CENTRE IN COURCELLES

Courcelles, 30 September 2022 - DHL Express, the international express service of Deutsche Post DHL Group today officially inaugurated the construction of the new DHL Express Service Centre. In the presence of Mayor Caroline Taquin (MR) and Alderman for Economic Development Joël Hasselin (MR), the first steps towards a sustainable Service Centre on Rue de Liège were taken. The new building will become the central hub of the province of Hainaut and will take over the activities of the Service Centre in Charleroi from summer 2023. With a fully automated sorting process that processes 3,000 parcels per hour, the new location is anticipated to accommodate strong growth in DHL Express' operations in the region. In addition, the building is also fully planned for a CO2-neutral future.

The start for the construction of the new DHL Express Service Centre in Courcelles was given today by mayor Caroline Taquin, alderman for economic development Joël Hasselin, delegates from DHL Express, logistics real estate company WDP, construction firm Verelst and architects Architeam. The building will be commissioned in the summer of 2023. The brand new and modern Service Centre will then take over all activities and employees of the current complex on Avenue Georges Lemaître in Charleroi, some 13 kilometres from the new site. Tat complex was bursting at the seams and was no longer adapted to modern and sustainable logistics.

Adjusted for expected growth

The new building, which will be 3,800 m² in size and located on a 15,000 m² site, will become the central hub of the province of Hainaut and will be responsible for handling parcels in the wider area. The building is equipped with all the technological feats to accommodate the expected growth of activities in the region over the next 15 years. For example, the site is equipped with 350 m of conveyor belt, 130 cameras to guarantee the safety of shipments and a five-sided scanner, allowing barcodes on parcels to be scanned quickly and efficiently. The fully automated sorting process can process up to 3,000 parcels per hour.

The 35 employees at the Charleroi site will all move to the new site, where DHL Express plans to expand to 70 employees over the next 3-5 years to accommodate growth.

CO2 neutral and futureproof

DHL Express always strives for CO2-neutral buildings. This is no different in the new Service Centre. The building will be built according to BREEAM standards (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, a method for measuring and certifying the sustainability of buildings) as well as DHL Go Green guidelines. Solar panels on the roof will provide the building with green energy. The Courcelles site will also be the first DHL Express building in Belgium to be completely gas-free heated. Heat pumps will maintain the temperature in the offices and warehouse.

The Service Centre is also fully 'future-proof'. Courcelles will be home to 60 fully electric vans by 2030. To this end, two 'fingers' are already being installed, electrical installations that together can supply 60 electric vehicles with the necessary energy. There will also be adequate charging points for employees' vehicles and all facilities will be installed to enable the installation of a battery in the long term, so that the overcapacity of self-produced green electricity can be stored.

Danny Van Himste, CEO DHL Express Belux, responds happily to the new milestone: “We are very pleased to celebrate today the start of construction of the new DHL Express Service Centre in Courcelles. The new building witnesses the strong growth that the e-commerce sector has experienced in recent years. In addition, it is 'futureproof' in more ways than one: not only are we in the Hainaut region now equipped for another 15 years of growth, we are also fully prepared for a CO2-neutral future. The fact that the Courcelles site will be completely gas-free heated is a first for DHL Express, and will prove its worth in the current economic context.”

Kristof De Witte, Country Manager WDP Belux & France: “The Service Centre we are building for DHL Express in Courcelles will be another logistical tour de force. All the facilities for a modern and efficient e-commerce hub are in place, from 350 metres of conveyor belt and a five-sided scanner to solar panels, heat pumps and charging points for electric delivery vehicles. We are delighted to be DHL Express' real estate partner in optimizing their services in the Hainaut region.”

EINDE

Press contact:
​Nathalie Verbeeck, Managing Director Grayling CDR Belgium
​+32 477 45 75 41
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