Panattoni Europe, market leader in industrial real estate in Europe, has completed the construction of a parcel distribution centre for the courier company GLS Poland. The 7,000-square-metre facility was built in Janki near Warsaw and is the company’s largest parcel distribution centre. The new depot will handle on average 80,000 parcels a day, and will give jobs to approx. 150 people. The official opening of the facility took place on 26 March, and the ceremony was attended by representatives of both companies and municipal authorities.
The advanced parcel distribution centre of GLS Poland in Janki near Warsaw, at ul. Zdrojowa, is the 33rd and largest Polish site of the quality leader in European parcel logistics.
'We handle more and more parcels and so the new depot is a strategic addition to our network' – explains Tomasz Kroll, Managing Director GLS Poland. – Its opening takes place at a symbolic time. This May, we will be celebrating 20 years of doing business in Poland. I am convinced that thanks to this new investment we will write many new stories which will connect us with clients and customers around the country, as well as worldwide' – he adds.
The facility totals 7,600 sqm. For the most part, the space is taken up by the loading hall. It features 6,600 sqm and has 160 courier gates (including 40 dual-functions gates for the purposes of the sorting plant) and 16 unloading gates, equipped with fast-sorting infrastructure. The remainder of the facility is dedicated to office space. The grounds of the site also provide for 20,000 sqm of service yards, roads and parking facilities.
"A facility of such high capacity and technological advancement is the answer to the needs of our clients" – emphasises Tomasz Kroll. – 'The location near Warsaw, in Janki, is very advantageous. In the immediate vicinity, we have the Puchały junction on the S8 expressway, and 3 km away the A2 motorway bypass. As a result, it is convenient for accessing the city centre, as well as leaving the city northwards or eastwards, from where you can go anywhere in the country' – he adds.
The investor used 1267 cubic metres of concrete on the flooring and outdoor surfaces, as well as 346 cbm on the foundations. The steel structure of the hall weighs as much as 270 thousand kilograms. For the substructures, 18,700 cbm of sand and aggregate were needed, and to insulate the roof – 834 cbm of wool. Moreover, some 4,500 sqm of wall sandwich panels were used and 18,000 cbm of concrete blocks. The construction works were preceded by removing 24,500 cbm of soil.
The advanced courier delivery distribution centre in Janki was developed by Panattoni Europe, industrial real estate leader in Poland. It is a BTO (build-to-own) and BTS (build-to-suit) facility – it was made to be owned by GLS Poland and according to their requirements. As a result, the courier company got exactly the amount of space it needs and arranged in such a way that it can be used as efficiently as possible.
The parcel distribution centre is the developer’s first project for GLS Poland.
'It is a great honour for us to be able to develop the biggest courier delivery distribution centre for GLS Poland – from finding the right site for development, through following all the legal and administrative procedures, to supervising construction, acceptance of the finished facility and delivery to the client. We are happy with the results of our cooperation, and proud to be able to contribute to the development of the logistics market not only on the national scale, but also European' – says Marek Dobrzycki, Managing Director at Panattoni Europe.
In line with the assumptions of the corporate initiative of GLS Poland – ThinkGreen, the depot has been furnished with state-of-the-art environment-friendly solutions. Solar panels were installed on the roof and will heat water for staff facilities. The office space features non-standard solutions, where GLS Poland decided to leave bare reinforced concrete columns and ordered prefabricated concrete panels as wall finishing in several rooms. The developer also put into exterior blinds which are integrated with a weather station and respond to unfavourable weather conditions.
The centre is the permanent home of Tomasz Gollob’s motorcycle. The sports icon rode it in his supreme season of 2010. It was in that year that the Pole – as one of very few speedway riders – won four Grand Prix titles in a single year, in Prague, Terenzano, Toruń and Vojens. By buying the machine, the courier company contributed to the rehabilitation of the decorated rider. It is worth noting here that GLS Poland is the General Sponsor of Poland Speedway National Team for the second year now.
The facility took 9 months to build.
