Early success prompts Imperial to expand multi-user warehouse

Just months after opening its latest multi-user warehouse, located in Werne, Germany, rapidly-growing business has led Imperial to expand the facility’s capacity by 30%, with the leasing of a further adjacent unit.

The additional space brings the total under-cover storage area to almost 30,000 sqm. The extra warehousing will be part-racked for pallets, while some of the new floor space will be left open for handling and storing of outsize goods.

The facility now has a total of 25 truck doors, together with a large yard and parking area of 7000 sqm. which is ideal for manoeuvring large items. The complex also features container loading and unloading facilities, and incorporates a paperless order picking system. 

The expansion of the facility has been necessitated by organic business growth within the facility’s two launch customers, but some 50% of the additional capacity created will be reserved for anticipated new clients.

Says Christian Lohmann, Vice President Commercial Industrial at Imperial’s International business: “Our multi-user warehousing concept is already facilitating major efficiencies for our two launch customers at the site, and is gaining considerable attention among other potential customers. We expect to fill the additional space quite quickly, and we still have the option to expand further.”

A key to the early success of the facility has been its location, which provides easy access to Germany’s A1 and A2 autobahns. The area is also well-served by courier and express companies.

Thomas Holzberger, Vice President Operations Industrial at Imperial’s international business, concludes: “Sharing warehouse facilities and resources across multiple users is certainly a viable way forward for many companies. It balances out individual clients’ seasonal business fluctuations, enabling us to maintain better utilisation of our workforce and premises at all times.“