Colruyt Group's growing e-commerce will be accommodated in a brand new Belgian distribution centre
Four times the size of the current distribution centre (e-DC) in Zaventem
The new distribution centre will replace the current e-DC in Zaventem, where the groceries are processed and collected for Collect&Go customers. This concerns orders that are not processed in the shops itself. Tom Deprater, Division Manager of Collect&Go, indicates: "Today, we are struggling with the limits of the Zaventem distribution centre. Because we continue to grow with Collect&Go and we can no longer expand in Zaventem, we have started looking for a larger location".
This new workplace has now been found. External partner WDP (Warehouses De Pauw) will be building a brand new distribution centre at Weversstraat 27-29 in Londerzeel, and Colruyt Group will rent the building. The site is close to the exit of the A12, making it easily accessible. In addition, the new centre will be no less than four times larger than the current one, with a surface area of 18,000 m². This new site will therefore offer more comfort to the employees and will have everything to help accommodate the further growth of e-commerce activities.
Logistical growth in Belgium
The actual move to Londerzeel is planned in the autumn of 2021 at the earliest. In the meantime, the activities will continue unaltered in Zaventem. Collect&Go also has a second distribution centre in Erpe-Mere, where capacity can still be expanded. The online shopping service will also keep on focussing on increasing the capacity of order picking in the stores.
"Londerzeel is a very interesting location: the space we needed was available, and it is located between Brussels and Antwerp, which will enable us to support these two (growth) regions well. And in this way we will also remain in Belgium with our e-commerce activity", says Deprater.
Employees will be closely followed up
The 155 employees of the Collect&Go distribution centre in Zaventem have already been informed about the move at the end of 2021, and will be well supported in the run-up to it. Tom Deprater adds: "We want to start up the new distribution centre with all our current employees at Zaventem, and further expand employment at the new location".
