Amsterdam, 1 November 2021 – Kubota, a Japanese producer of agricultural machinery, is expanding its operations into Northern Europe with the newly completed Alblasserdam Logistics Centre as its base. The 65,000m² logistics hub was developed and is managed by long-term industrial property company Goodman.

Future-proof and sustainable logistics hub
Goodman developed the Alblasserdam Logistics Center on a former industrial site which is strategically located right next to the BCTN container terminal and close to the port of Rotterdam, with good road connections to the European hinterland. The location is fully in line with Goodman's vision, which as a long-term investor and developer is to focus on regenerating brownfield sites with strong empahsis on sustainability.

Sustainability has been central to the development of Alblasserdam Logistics Centre, according to Olav Laurensse of Goodman: “From the start of this development process, sustainability has been our central focus. This was a highly sought after area due to its strategic location, but it was a complex development because soil remediation was necessary. Our experience with brownfield development meant we were able to sustainably redevelop and upgrade the existing industrial site.”

In addition to the redevelopment of the industrial land, the new building itself is also extremely sustainable. For example, there are more than 33,000 m2 of solar panels on the roof, the equivalent of the surface of five football fields. The property is self-sufficient in terms of energy consumption: the capacity of the solar panels is approximately 7MW annually, which can supply 12,000 to 15,000 households with electricity. A smart metering system has been installed, allowing customers to measure and adjust their energy consumption in real time. A heavy power connection and electric charging stations ensure that the distribution centre is ready for the future. The logistics center was awarded the BREEAM Excellent sustainability certificate.

Strategic base is more than a transfer point
Kubota will not only have a strategic base for further distribution with their space in the new facility, but the company also wants to assemble machines in the property. Due to its location next to BCTN's container terminal, the handling of containers is seamless and sustainable. It removes the need to transport the containers overland from the port of Rotterdam to a distribution centre. The machines arrive in and depart from Alblasserdam by water or road transport to other Northern European destinations. This improves the logistics process and supply chain efficiency. Nobushige Ichikawa, President Kubota Europe SAS: ”The location of the Alblasserdam Logistics Centre is ideal for us, we can deliver machines to our customers very efficiently. The fact that the distribution centre is located right next to the container terminal also offers opportunities to further reduce our footprint. In addition, the DC offers us options for assembly, so that we can quickly and efficiently deliver a ready-made end product to the Northern European market.”

Efficient collaboration speeds project delivery
The project from land purchase to development completion took less than three years. All the partners involved including Kubota, Goodman, the Port of Rotterdam Authority, the municipality of Alblasserdam, Deal Drecht Cities and BCTN - see the rapid completion as the result of a very efficient collaboration.

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