First Pile Driven for Eutraco’s Distribution Center in Willebroek — 40,000 m² and Offices to Be Operational This Year, First Major Client Already Signed
The first pile for Eutraco’s distribution center in Willebroek was driven on Wednesday. The first 40,000 m², along with the office spaces, will be operational by the end of this year. The first major client has already signed on.
Serge Gregoir, CEO and new owner of the West Flemish transport and logistics company, is wasting no time. In early June, he announced that Eutraco would be building a so-called XXL distribution center of no less than 60,000 m² at MG Park De Hulst in Willebroek. Yesterday, construction officially kicked off with the first pile. Although the building is remarkable in many respects — it will be completely carbon- and energy-neutral and is being built entirely at the company’s own risk — the first phase of 40,000 m² must be operational by December 15. A year later, the second phase of 20,000 m² will be completed.
“Ignace De Paepe of MG Real Estate seems capable of working miracles,” says Gregoir. He adds that a lot of effort went into realizing the building in a commercially responsible way, despite the heavy investment in carbon and energy neutrality. “In 2017, Eutraco set a long-term goal: our objective is not to become the fastest-growing or most profitable company, but to be the challenger. In Willebroek, the challenge is to develop sustainable logistics without costing the customer a cent more.”
Sustainable Logistics Is a Draw
The logistics center is largely being built on speculation. “The first contract is in. I can’t reveal the name for another week, but it’s a global player in its field. They chose us specifically because of our sustainability efforts. Willebroek is actually slightly less ideally located than their current site,” Gregoir adds. For this client, Eutraco has already leased an existing warehouse on Victor Dumontlaan — part of the former Distrilog site, located across from logistics service provider ODTH First Class Logistics.
“With the construction of Eutraco’s distribution center and PostNL’s sorting center next door, MG Park De Hulst is now almost completely built out in just ten years. Of the 570,000 m², only a small plot of 12,000 m² remains at the entrance of the logistics park,” says De Paepe.
“Regulations Delay New Permits”
De Paepe would like to acquire more land in Willebroek, but that is not currently possible. According to Mayor Eddy Bevers, dozens of hectares along the A12 will eventually be made available for logistics activities. “As a municipality, we try to support companies in their development as much as possible. But it will still take a few more years before that land becomes available. Due to all the regulations, it takes a long time to get the necessary permits,” he says.