BLG Logistics is to open a distribution facility for Daimler at the port of Düsseldorf, Germany, in the spring of 2016. BLG will primarily carry out logistics services for the nearby Mercedes-Benz van plant in Düsseldorf from the facility, including the containerisation of complete knockdown (CKD) kits of the Sprinter van for export and assembly in the carmaker’s overseas facilities, including its plant in Argentina.
The Mercedes-Benz Düsseldorf plant is the Daimler’s biggest van plant and makes the Sprinter, with a daily output of 600 units.
“Parts [will be] combined, packed as a complete vehicle kit, and transported by container to the overseas assembly lines,” said a spokesperson for BLG Logistics. “The CKD business in Argentina, which is part of the contract in Düsseldorf, was the very first CKD business in the collaboration between BLG and Daimler, which started 15 years ago in Bremen. Therefore, Düsseldorf is a new milestone in the very good cooperation and strengthens it even more.”
The Mercedes-Benz plant in Argentina is located at Puerto Madero near Buenos Aires.
Work began on BLG’s 33,000 sq.m logistics facility this week with a ground breaking ceremony attended by both BLG and Daimler, along with property developer Panattoni Europe and logistics provider RheinCargo. Representatives from the landowner Stadtwerke Düsseldorf, real estate manager AEW Europe and the City of Düsseldorf also attended the ceremony.
Investment in the facility stands at between €40m-€50m ($45m-$56m) according to Fred-Markus Bohne, managing partner, Panattoni Europe.
Altogether, 60,000 sq.m of logistics space will be created in two phases of construction, according to BLG. This includes a logistics facility with three indoor sections and a total of 32,000 sq.m of usable floor space, as well as an additional 1,000 sq.m of office, staff and technical space.
“The property and outside area precisely meet our expectations for a modern logistics facility,” said Andreas Wellbrock, member of the board of management of BLG Logistics. “In addition, the infrastructure provided is right on the mark thanks to the good trimodal connection of the site. For us this project is a further new milestone in the excellent cooperation with our client.”
The facility will be able to handle longer trucks and provide side unloading under ‘catslide’ roofing, and will provide a double barrier system with access control and guidance of vehicles to specified gates.
“In our planning we took into consideration the highest safety and security standards and optimum conditions for an effective workflow,” said Fred-Markus Bohne, managing partner, Panattoni Europe. “Now we are focusing on equally smooth performance of the construction work.”
The latest move follows the announcement in August this year that BLG has added a further 28,000 sq.m to the automotive parts facilities it runs in Bremen for Daimler.
Pictured (from left) Rainer Schäfer, Martin Kelterer, Stephan Bönning, Monika Lehmhaus, Andreas Wellbrock, Rainer Pennekamp and Fred-Markus Bohne.
