Dachser is building a new logistics facility in Unna, east of Dortmund. It is investing some EUR 44 million in building a warehouse with space for 22,000 pallets, a transit terminal with more than 9,000 m2of floor space, and an office building. The new site in Umma will go into operation in the fourth quarter of 2025 with around 120 employees. In the medium term, 290 people will work there.
The symbolic groundbreaking ceremony took place on October 28. Among those present were Dirk Wigant, mayor of the town of Unna, and Sascha Dorday from the Unna District Economic Development Agency. They were joined by other representatives from Dachser and the general contractor, the List Group.
“This new construction project strengthens our presence for customers in the eastern Ruhr region and helps position us for the future,” said Jürgen Sobkowiak, General Manager of Dachser Dortmund, at the groundbreaking ceremony. “Over the next few months, a state-of-the-art logistics facility with a special focus on sustainability and good working conditions will be built here.” Andreas Fritsch, Managing Director European Logistics Germany at Dachser, says: “This new hub doesn’t just benefit customers in the region; it’s also good for our employees and strengthens the entire Dachser network.”
“The new location in Unna is one of the biggest single investments in our overland transport network in recent years,” says Alexander Tonn, COO Road Logistics at Dachser. “It will create valuable capacity to meet the transport and logistics needs of tomorrow. The economic situation might be tense in Germany at the moment, but we’re convinced that it’s essential to invest in quality and service right now.”
Modern warehousing with direct access to markets
The new logistics facility will feature a multi-user warehouse with 10,800 m2of floor space. Its 22,000 pallet spaces will store goods from various industrial customers. In addition to warehousing, the employees on-site will offer a range of value-added services, including packing assortment boxes or promotional packs, labeling, special packaging, assembly, and display build.
Right next to the warehouse, a 9,400 m2 goods handling facility is being built with 94 gates for docking trucks. This will enable shipments to be either distributed quickly and efficiently via short-distance transport or fed into Dachser’s groupage network.
In addition, the transit terminal will be equipped with the award-winning @ILO technology for groupage handling. Winner of the 2023 German Logistics Award, this digital twin eliminates manual scanning processes in incoming goods, thereby speeding up individual handling procedures, and generally ensures greater transparency in the groupage terminal.
A modern administration building with 3,500 m2 of floor space is also being built at the site.
Previously used area to be redeveloped
“In Unna, we’re using the brownfield approach and building on a previously used site within the industrial park rather than on undeveloped land,” Sobkowiak says. “We have enough space here for a well-equipped logistics location, and we also benefit from the excellent transport connections.”
This facility’s development is focused on energy efficiency and sustainability. The roof of the warehouse will feature a photovoltaic system with 800 kilowatts peak power, while the roofs of the transit terminal and administration building will be greened. Construction will utilize environmentally friendly materials such as glulam beams in the roof structure. A heat pump will ensure an optimum temperature in the offices, and charge spots for battery-electric cars and trucks will also be installed.
