After two years of construction work, a new logistics building for the handling of goods was officially opened in the logistics area at Brussels Airport.
This building which provides large refrigerated storage spaces and offers direct airside access, henceforth accommodates three first-class logistics companies: Kuehne+Nagel, Worldwide Flight Services and Expeditors.
Brussels Airport boasts an essential logistics platform for the import and export to and from Belgium. Over one hundred logistics companies have set up office here, making it the second most important logistics hub in Belgium, after the Port of Antwerp, for international trade and air transport in Europe.
Thanks to its particularly central location amid all the major industrial centres, the logistics area of Brussels Airport is a crucial powerhouse for the economic growth of the country and its regions, with almost 650,000 tonnes transported in 2020. Brucargo has specialised in the shipment of perishables, pharmaceuticals and e-commerce; markets that have recorded strong growth in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.
Brussels Airport has invested a total of 100 million euros in the construction of ultra-modern logistics buildings including the Brinks building for the storage of valuable goods and the Animal Care & Inspection Center for the temporary accommodation and transport of various animal species, as well as in the renovation of several existing buildings such as the Swissport Cargo building. And in the construction of a brand-new building at Brucargo West.
Expeditors is heavily expanding its healthcare logistics in Europe and has chosen for Brussels Airport to become its pharmaceutical gateway to connect its European network with the rest of the world.
The new Expeditors healthcare facility in combination with fully monitored end-to-end temperature-controlled logistics is a differentiator in the market for the shipment of highly sensitive vaccines and pharmaceuticals. This new Expeditors facility is already playing a key role in the shipment of COVID-19 vaccines and related medical supplies.
Sustainability was a key concern throughout the construction of this logistics project, which started in May 2019. Part of the roof surface is laid out as a green roof while the entire surface is designed to be fitted out with solar panels in the future. Rain gardens were built to improve rainwater infiltration and rainwater pits were constructed for the reuse of rainwater, driving down the buildings’ use of mains water.
The buildings were also equipped with LED lighting and heat pumps. In addition, to improve mobility within the airport grounds and facilitate more sustainable modes of transport for staff, charging stations for electric vehicles were installed in the area. Two additional bus stops and a new bicycle path complete the mobility offer. ■
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