Belgian railway company NMBS is building a new logistics centre including high-rise warehouse and AutoStore system. NMBS will use the warehouse as a storage facility for a wide range of components and spare parts needed for the maintenance, repair and modernisation of its railway fleet. Main contractor is construction company Alheembouw, which engaged Dematic to automate the operation.
The new warehouse will have two integrated solutions. The first is a high-bay warehouse with six stacking cranes, a height of 45 metres and a length of 120 metres. The double-deep storage configuration offers over 48,000 pallet spaces, providing space-saving bulk storage and maximum capacity within a compact footprint. Three picking stations are connected to the high bay warehouse, enabling an efficient picking process for spare parts.
The second solution is an AutoStore installation on a mezzanine floor next to the high-rise building. This compact system with high storage density enables SNCB to store more stock in a smaller physical area, leading to less space occupation, fewer moves and greater efficiency. The system accommodates over 17,000 crates and is equipped with four SwingPort workstations for inbound and outbound goods, supported by six robots. Together, the two solutions form one integrated system through Dematic's warehouse management system.
Public tender
The project is the result of a public tender aimed at modernising operations and keeping the primary train depot operational. In early 2025, NMBS signed a contract with Alheembouw. From the beginning, Alheembouw involved Dematic because of their expertise in integrating AutoStore systems and their many installations of high-rise warehouses.
"Thanks to Dematic's creative and compact solution, we were able to transform the design of both the new office building and the manual warehouse, which was also part of the public tender. This clearly set us apart from all other bidders for the project," said Egon Braem, director of industry at Alheembouw. "Ultimately, this led to NMBS choosing the combination of Alheembouw and Dematic as its preferred supplier."
In full swing
Automation of the warehouse is already in full swing. The entire project, including the addition of a new office building, is expected to be completed in 2027. "This project sets a new standard for railway logistics. By integrating a high-rise warehouse with an AutoStore system, we offer NMBS an operation for spare parts that increases availability and reliability," states Farly Orie, responsible for Benelux within Dematic.
Designed for higher storage density and smarter material flow, the solution also supports more efficient use of space and resources throughout the system's lifecycle. Orie: "For Dematic, this underlines our role as an automation partner in mission-critical infrastructures."
