‘This new building at Schiphol Trade Park fits us perfectly’

  9 June 2020  |    News

Hielke Hager, Country Director Benelux at GEFCO Forwarding, was recently interviewed by Logistiek Vastgoed Nederland 2020 (Logistics Real Estate Netherlands) about their activities at Schiphol Trade Park. Read their story here.

Due to the expansion of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the logistics service provider GEFCO Forwarding had to leave its old location and move into a suitable new space in just 18 months. The available options on the market at the time were inadequate, so they opted for a new build option at Schiphol Trade Park, a development by SADC.

Hielke Hager: “The new location had to be near Schiphol Airport. Schiphol Trade Park is an ideal location that offers a lot of exposure and has an excellent overarching plan focusing on sustainability and well-being. It’s important for us to keep our company footprint as small as possible and provide the best-possible well-being for our employees.”

Minimal footprint
A determining factor was partly our contract with developer and construction partner Aan de Stegge, explains Hager. “They were working with us in terms of space and possibilities, and were very flexible with regard to the construction and layout.” GEFCO’s ideal was a building with more natural light and space for the offices, as well as extra space in the warehouse area. “We were fans of the initial design, especially in terms of the amount of glass and the clean lines. We also wanted a building that would have a minimal environmental footprint. Our new location is certified BREEAM Excellent, guaranteeing that the working environment is of a high standard for our employees. Looking out, you can see a lot of greenery and there is even outdoor space that can be used during breaks.”

Sustainability vision
The location and building are clearly a perfect fit with GEFCO’s overall vision for sustainability, aimed at minimising the environmental impact of its activities and increasing accountability. GEFCO takes part in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), measuring the CO2 impact of its services while helping customers monitor and achieve their targets. GEFCO’s quality and environmental policy means employees have daily practical guidelines relating to key performance indicators. “We have 60 managers around the world who oversee the coordination and implementation of our environmental management system, supported by local liaison agents.”

A saving of 70% on average
To save energy, GEFCO’s has included measures such as installing LED lighting with motion and light sensors, maximising natural light, and automating temperature control. Other priorities have been minimising water use and reducing waste. “Following a global waste management protocol, each site is responsible for its own waste and disposal. Across the entire organisation, on average, 70% of waste is now recovered or recycled.”

“The new warehouse fits well with our aim to choose the most accessible locations for GEFCO. The building also has to provide the facilities our customers rely on for their supply chain. As well as general cargo, the warehouse can store Life Sciences and Healthcare products at a variety of climate conditions, including +2°C to +8°C and +15°C to +25°C. So this development gives us exactly what we need to provide the best possible service to our clients. In short, this new building at this new location fits us perfectly.”

GEFCO Forwarding
GEFCO Forwarding is primarily involved in the distribution of Life Sciences and Healthcare products. This service provider is IATA CEIV certified for its expertise in supply chain management for sectors such as Life Sciences & Health. GEFCO complies with all requirements of the Goods Distribution Practice (GDP), a quality system used by warehouses and medicine distribution centres.