Infrastructure: State-of-the-art Hermes logistics centre opens in Hamburg

Hermes Germany opened its new logistics centre (LC) in Hamburg today in a ceremony attended by over 300 guests. The approximately 9,000 square metre state-of-the-art distribution centre was developed, planned and realised by Hamburg company ECE, and processes up to 100,000 shipments per day. It represents an investment of around 55 million euros. The Hamburg LC is part of a 300-million-euro investment programme with which Hermes is comprehensively extending its logistics network throughout Germany. In doing so, the company is significantly expanding its capacity and preparing for continued growth across the entire B2C and C2C parcel market. Once operations start on 1 April, the centre will have about 200 employees to handle shipments. Four more new LCs in Mainz, Bad Rappenau near Heilbronn, Graben near Augsburg and Ketzin near Berlin are already in standard operation.

“With the opening of this distribution centre in our home town of Hamburg, we are setting both economical and ecological standards. With its high-performance efficiency, this LC is an important element in parcel delivery in northern Germany. I am particularly pleased about the fact that as of this coming spring, we will be able to send out deliveries from here using zero-emission electric vans,” explains Olaf Schabirosky, CEO of Hermes Germany.

Kay Schiebur, Executive Board Member for Services at the Otto Group, emphasises: “This new distribution centre is ideally suited to meet the high demands placed on logistics today in terms of flexibility, speed and reliability. This makes it a key investment in future competitiveness. After all, we want to remain one of the leading parcel delivery service providers in Germany and want to grow with the requirements of our customers.”

Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher says: “E-mobility has great significance for future passenger and commercial transport. This also includes delivery, courier, express and parcel services within the city. Hermes is taking a big step in the right direction with its new logistics centre. It offers modern workspaces and provides important stimuli for innovative, environmentally friendly logistics solutions. Hamburg serves as a model city in which Hermes will be increasingly emission-free in its transportation in the future.”

Zero-emission parcel delivery planned in Hamburg

It is not only the conveying and sorting technology of the LC that is state of the art. Hermes is also continuing with its consistent pursuit of converting its vehicle fleet to e-mobility for future deliveries in Hamburg: deliveries in the inner-city area will be performed emission-free with electric vans as of this coming spring.

The eVito and eSprinter from Mercedes-Benz Vans are the first series-production vehicles to come from the large-scale cooperation between Hermes and the automotive manufacturer.

“Vehicles that are ideally adapted to their intended use are the prerequisite for efficient operation – especially in the challenging field of urban logistics. In light of the changing requirements of customers and cities, mere load space on wheels no longer suffices these days. Instead, what is needed now are engines with low or zero emissions, as well as intelligent solutions that go beyond a mere vehicle – such as in the field of efficient charging infrastructure, for example. The collaboration with Hermes Germany is not only another step toward converting our overall product range to e-mobility, but also a good example of how we and our clients work together to develop new, innovative and industry-specific solutions in the spirit of customer co-creation,” explains Klaus Maier, Head of Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz Vans.

Hermes plans to deploy 1,500 electric vans nationwide over the next few years. “We are directing our clear focus on the nationwide expansion of e-mobility. In Mercedes-Benz Vans, we have a strong partner at our side for this project. For us it is a question of social responsibility – and we set ourselves ambitious goals in the area of sustainability. As part of our comprehensive mobility concepts, for example, we are testing other alternative delivery methods such as electric cargo bikes,” adds Olaf Schabirosky.

Gold certificate for sustainability

Like all new Hermes Germany logistics centres, the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) has awarded the new location in Hamburg gold status. This certificate acknowledges exemplary treatment of resources and the environment. In addition to ergonomic and barrier-free workstations, for instance with height-adjustable tables, the new Hamburg LC is also surrounded by extensive green spaces, which were created together with the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU). In addition, e-mobility has been made the centre of attention with the 40 charging stations.

Just like the other LCs that are already in operation, the logistics centre in Hamburg was supervised by the Hamburg project management company ECE, from initial planning to turnkey handover. The basis for the nine logistics properties planned as part of a joint large-scale project is a sophisticated prototype created by ECE in two different sizes, which can be developed at the respective locations in a way that is time-saving and cost-effective. “We are pleased to hand over what is now already the fifth logistics centre in this series to our home base in Hamburg. This is a further step along the way toward fast and efficient implementation of the joint large-scale project of nine logistics centres throughout Germany which we have planned economically, flexibly and sustainably and will implement in quick succession for Hermes Germany”, says Alexander Otto, CEO of ECE. ECE is responsible for the entire execution of the logistics projects – from searching for and purchasing land, through planning and turnkey construction to placement of properties on the investor market.