ALDI officially opened its new mega distribution centre in Deventer on Friday. The new DC, an amalgamation of the distribution centres in Groenlo and Ommen, should ensure further optimisation of logistics in the east of the Netherlands.
The DC has been operational since 1 February, but was officially opened on Friday by Mayor Ron König, Alderman Thomas Walder and Gideon van Bussel, Managing Director of ALDI Deventer.
The facility stands on a plot of around 128,000 square metres and covers around 48,000 square metres. This is the largest logistics location to date for the discounter. "I am therefore proud of what we have achieved with all 270 employees and suppliers involved. This challenging operation has resulted in great added value for our customers. And thanks to the effort and flexibility of our people, the shops have noticed little of this move," said Managing Director Van Bussel.
Image: the new DC in figures
The building is laid out with rackless area for bulk items, the weekend offers and non-food and a racking area where the regular products are. There is also a refrigerated and freezer section. The latter is unique for the discounter. From 1 May, ALDI will deliver frozen products from Deventer only in its own region. It will then expand that to deliver frozen products throughout the Netherlands. This is expected to be realised by the end of October this year.
100 shops
The DC has 92 dock doors where 32 of its own trucks are loaded on average three times a day to supply shops with products. ALDI transports some 75,000 boxes daily from Deventer to stores in the region. The site also has its own car wash, petrol station and garage for the trucks.
For customers, the new location means better availability, freshness and quality of the assortment, ALDI said. A total of 100 shops will be supplied from Deventer.
