Rochdale facility in north of England and facility in Freiburg now operational.
After announcing the development of a new logistics centre in the northwest of England at the beginning of the year, logistics service provider Dachser UK, part of the international Dachser group, has moved rapidly to complete the newly built 5,175 sqm hub in Rochdale.
Rochdale has been Dachser’s home in the region since 2010, and the new unit replaces its existing distribution facility there.
The development of the 3.7-hectare (9.2-acre) site represents a €16 million (US$14m) investment by the company and “is evidence of Dachser’s commitment to the UK market. In particular, it strengthens the company’s presence in the northern UK region and will further improve its transport and distribution services in one of British industry’s heartlands,” the company said.
“We have an optimistic view on the future of both import and export trade with the rest of Europe and beyond,” commented Mark Rollinson, Managing Director, Dachser UK. “Since the company’s initial expansion into the area in 2010, our business has grown fivefold, necessitating the warehouse expansion to satisfy the demands of our customers’ global integrated supply chains. We have also experienced a sustained increase in UK exports delivered through Dachser’s extensive European distribution network.”
Dachser said the location was “optimally situated from a logistics viewpoint”, adjacent to the Trans-Pennine motorway, which is an important artery of the UK’s ‘Northern Powerhouse’. The new facility has 49 dock loading doors and an additional four level access doors, and the build is nearly 7,000 square metres, including office space.
“The Rochdale Logistics Centre is connected to the global Dachser network with daily direct freight services,” explained Gary Atkinson, Branch Manager at Rochdale. “With this new construction, our location in the North of England is evolving into an important hub within Dachser’s European network. Ensuring that the new facility remained within Rochdale was an important consideration in the interests of the company’s workforce,” he emphasised.
Meanwhile, last weekend, logistics provider Dachser held a ceremony to mark the opening of its new logistics centre on the Breisgau industrial park in Freiburg, Germany. Covering a total area of 6,117 square meters, the new facility houses a transit terminal with 82 docking bays as well as a two-story office building.
The company invested around €22 million in the location, where it is also creating 30 new jobs.
Construction work on the approximately 65,000-sqm plot of land on the Breisgau industrial park began in summer 2018. Dachser opened its first Freiburg branch in 1984, the company pointed out, adding: “It was clear from the outset that, due to its proximity to several national borders, the city was the ideal location for a logistics hub to handle groupage transports to Switzerland, France, and southwestern Germany.
“The existing branch in Freiburg-Hochdorf grew steadily and has now reached the limit of its capacity. Sited to the southwest of Freiburg, the new logistics center offers ideal operating conditions as well as opportunities for expansion in the future.”
The 160 Dachser employees in Freiburg currently handle 260,000 metric tonnes of industrial goods a year—and the volume is increasing.
“When it comes to our continued growth in Freiburg, one thing is clear: good logistics needs good employees. That’s why, in addition to the 30 newly created roles, I’m delighted that nine new apprentices will be joining us as our new logistics center begins operations,” says Michael Gaudlitz, General Manager Dachser Logistics Centre Freiburg.
The apprentices will be embarking on their training to become warehouse specialists, professional drivers, and forwarding and logistics specialists, while some will be completing the practical element of a dual-study program at Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) in Lörrach.
“By deciding to pursue an apprenticeship in logistics, they’ve chosen an occupation with future prospects,” Gaudlitz said. “Dachser is strongly committed to nurturing young talent and usually hires those who successfully complete their training at the company.”
Source: Lloyd’s
