Furniture retailer Made.com is to run its European logistics in Belgium. The company considered the Netherlands as a logistics location, but ultimately preferred the port of Antwerp.
writes Belgian newspaper De Tijd. The choice of Belgium is notable because the country does not have an excellent reputation for logistics and e-commerce. Many international players place their distribution centres just outside Belgium to avoid unfavourable regulations around fulfilment.
Made.com does not seem worried about that. "We also looked at locations in France, Germany and the Netherlands. But it became Belgium," says logistics director Frédéric Beltoise. "Our new warehouse is central in Europe and close to the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp, through which 70 per cent of our products arrive."
Katoen Natie
In Antwerp, Made.com is partnering with Katoen Natie. The logistics provider has a 190 football field site there. This offers Made.com opportunities for expansion in the coming years. Initially, it will occupy premises of 36,000 square metres. In time, that area will be doubled. "We mainly opt for the flexibility we have at Katoen Natie. We are growing substantially and don't want to move to a new warehouse every two years."
Brexitproof
The British furniture retailer will serve 10 European countries from Antwerp. "At the end of last year, we decided to separate our logistics for the UK and continental Europe," Beltoise says. "Now that we have moved to Antwerp, our business is fully Brexit-proof."
Image: Katoen Natie
