NetworkHungary: hub in Budapest again substantially expanded
<p>Just in time for the Christmas parcel boom, GLS Hungary completed the expansion of its hub in Alsónémedi near Budapest in October 2020. The company invested 17 million euros in a new, approximately 8,500 square metre hall with a modern sorting system. It increases the capacity of the site to a total of 40,000 parcels per hour.</p> <p>This is already the fourth expansion of GLS Hungary’s central transhipment hub. The first building went into operation in 2007. Three years in a row – in 2017, 2018 and 2019 – the site was extended to cope with the constantly increasing parcel volumes. Now the hub has a total handling area of around 24,200 square metres.</p> <p><strong>International connectivity</strong></p> <p>In addition to sorting and distributing national parcels, the facility near Budapest serves as an important international hub through which GLS runs linehaul transports to nine countries. Via Budapest, all countries of the Europe East region are connected to each other and to Germany, Austria and Poland.</p> <p>The expansion of the central hub is not the only investment of GLS Hungary in the network. In the financial year 2020/2021, the company will open 17 new depots in the country, thus increasing the national network to a total of 80 depots.</p>
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NetworkAnniversaries in Spain, the Czech Republic and Portugal
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">2020 is a very special year for three GLS companies: GLS Spain, GLS Czech Republic and GLS Portugal have been successfully active in their markets for 15 years – each with a very different history. All three celebrators have one thing in common: a continuous expansion of their networks and a successful development.</p>
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NetworkGLS Group well prepared for peak season 2020
<p>In the autumn and Christmas business, the volume of consignments always increases significantly. This year, GLS expects parcel volumes throughout Europe to reach a record level. With significant capacity expansions as well as additional staff and tours, GLS will ensure quality and performance also in the peak season.</p>
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NetworkTongeren: one location, two depots
<p>GLS Belgium has commenced operations at the new parcel depot in Tongeren at the beginning of October 2020. The separate freight terminal at the site already started in February 2020. GLS has invested about 12 million euros in the land, construction and equipment.</p>
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NetworkGLS Group successfully recertified
<p>In the summer of 2020, the quality and environmental management system of the GLS Group has been recertified in Europe for another three years – in accordance with ISO 9001 and 14001. The certificates confirm that GLS aligns its actions daily with high quality and environmental standards and continuously improves processes. GDP certification has also been confirmed in five countries and a new GDP seal has been added for Spain.</p>
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NetworkGLS Germany opens EuropeanEcoHub in Essen
<p>GLS KlimaProtect at its best: At the end of September 2020, GLS Germany opened the new EuropeanEcoHub in Essen. The facility with a current capacity of 75,000 parcels per day is a strategically important element in the GLS network, both regionally and internationally. In terms of sustainable operation, GLS in Essen is setting completely new standards – among other things with a predominantly self-sufficient power supply and a biotope for amphibians.</p>
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NetworkPoland: Double capacity in Poznań
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">GLS Poland has considerably expanded the depot in Poznań. Since August 2020, a new hall has been integrated, which increases the total area by about 50 percent. The number of gates for delivery vehicles almost doubled to 158, and the number of loading and unloading gates for linehaul trucks increased from 8 to 13, with the possibility of adding more.</p>
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NetworkGLS opens new depot in the south of France
<p>GLS France is expanding its Mediterranean network with a new depot in Béziers. The site has been up and running since the start of April 2020.</p>
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NetworkCoronavirus crisis: GLS networks running and stable
<p>GLS continues to provide parcel shipping services in all countries in which the Group operates – keeping local communities across Europe and North America connected at this critical time. Parcel service providers have a crucial role to play in the coronavirus crisis by providing essential logistic services facilitating the flow of goods.</p>
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NetworkSpain: new hubs near Barcelona and Valencia
<p>To prepare for further growth in parcel volumes, GLS Spain has opened two new hubs. In March 2020, an international transhipment centre near Barcelona went into operation, doubling the GLS’ capacity in the province. Already in November 2019, a national hub near Valencia started operating – with a 70 percent increase in maximum capacity.</p> <p><strong>Santa Perpètua de Mogoda near Barcelona</strong></p> <p>In the new building, GLS Spain has bundled the functions of an international and regional hub with an adjacent depot. On a transhipment area of around 9,000 square metres, up to 8,000 parcels per hour can be processed.</p> <p><strong>Ribarroja near Valencia</strong></p> <p>Here, GLS Spain combined a depot and the GLS hub for the Levant region in one building. A modern automated sorting system allows handling up to 4,000 parcels per hour – on a transhipment area of more than 5,700 square meters.</p>
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NetworkNew sustainable depot opened in Amsterdam
<p>Since February 2020 the new Amsterdam GLS depot has been buzzing with activity. With the modern facility in Atlas Park in the port of Amsterdam, GLS Netherlands has doubled its capacity at the location. 140 loading and unloading gates are now available.<br /> </p> <p>At the same time, emissions are being reduced. A geothermal heat pump serves as the primary heat source. Solar collectors supply the building with "green" electricity. To make optimal use of daylight and save energy, prismatic domes on the roof capture sunlight and distribute it throughout the transhipment hall. When there is a lack of light or movement, the LED lighting switches on. For climate-friendly delivery, there are charging stations for eVehicles.<br /> </p> <p>A further step in network expansion has already begun: GLS Netherlands is expanding and modernising the depot in Wijchen near Nijmegen.</p>
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NetworkBelgium: freight terminal in Tongeren up and running
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The new freight terminal of GLS Belgium started in February 2020 with a capacity of 2,500 pallets per day. The hall is around 5,700 square metres in size and has 75 gates. GLS has invested a total of seven million euros in the new terminal and its equipment. In the summer of 2020, a separate new parcel distribution centre will also start operations at the Tongeren site.</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Features of the freight terminal include dock levellers for trucks which do not have a lifting platform, volume scanners and automatic scales embedded in the floor. Over 900 solar panels on the roof supply the depot with sustainable electricity. Charging stations for e-vehicles and a rainwater recovery system are also installed.</p>
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NetworkPeak parcel season successfully completed
<p>Parcel volumes some 30 to 50 per cent higher across Europe – every day for several weeks: GLS owes its successful handling of the 2019 peak season to meticulous preparation:</p> <p><strong>Capacity: </strong>New builds<strong> </strong>and extension projects were completed before peak season got underway, meaning that the additional capacity was available in good time. GLS had invested in many sites across the network in the prior twelve-month period.</p> <p><strong>Manpower:</strong> GLS hired additional staff all over Europe to cope with the high parcel volumes. GLS transport partners also provided extra personnel and vehicles in order to ensure the collection and delivery of parcels during peak season.</p> <p><strong>Quality:</strong> Existing customers came first. In order to maintain the high quality standard throughout peak season, GLS did not take on any new customers during this period.</p>
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NetworkFrom GLS to GLS – across the Atlantic
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Since autumn 2019, GLS has been handling many consignments from Europe to the west coast of the USA or to Canada entirely within its own system. Transatlantic consignments via the European hub in Neuenstein (Germany) are forwarded to the GLS Airport Office at Frankfurt Airport, where they are then passed on to the relevant airlines.</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">As soon as the airlines have confirmed departure, the customs details are transferred automatically to the customs authorities. This enables GLS US and Dicom Canada to clear the parcels during the flight. After touchdown in Los Angeles or Toronto, they can be taken over and delivered immediately.</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The standard delivery time from Frankfurt to the economic regions of Canada is between three and six days. To the west coast of the USA, GLS usually delivers in three to four days. GLS US and Dicom Canada are also feeding parcels into the European network via Frankfurt.</p>
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NetworkGermany: new Mannheim depot launched
<p>After a construction period of ten months, the Mannheim depot was connected to the German GLS network at the end of October 2019. GLS invested around 15 million Euros in the new building, which replaces the previous one located only a few hundred metres away. The heart of the 10,000 square metre sorting hall is the modern parcel sorting plant. In combination with 30 loading and 15 unloading gates and a yard area of around 30,000 square metres, it enables a smooth parcel flow of up to 80,000 parcels a day, twice as many as in the old depot.</p> <p>For shippers, this means reliable transit times and consistently high quality – even with increasing volumes. A plus for the environment: eVehicles will soon be used for delivery from the depot. Initially, four ultra-modern rapid charging stations are available to supply them with power.</p>
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NetworkAustria: new depot near Graz operational
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Future-oriented and sustainable growth: the new, environmentally friendly depot in Kalsdorf near Graz went operational in autumn 2019. GLS Austria has invested some nine million euros in doubling the capacity of the old depot, due to the dramatic increases in parcel volumes witnessed in the region.</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The depot is characterised by numerous sustainable elements. Charging stations for electric vehicles are available – and recyclable building materials were used during construction. Integrated heat pumps and underfloor heating, as well as cutting-edge conveyor belt technology, ensure pleasant working conditions for employees and delivery drivers, even in winter.</p>
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NetworkNew parcel centre in Metz
<p>GLS France has completed its largest infrastructure project of recent years. In March 2019, a new depot went into operation in Metz, increasing the company’s capacities significantly. Even with growing shipment volumes, this allows GLS to keep the transit times beween France and Germany short.</p>
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NetworkEstafeta is GLS partner in Mexico
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The GLS Group has expanded its commitment on the American continent with a new partnership. Since June 2019, Estafeta delivers GLS consignments in Mexico and, in a second step, will feed parcels for the European, US and Canadian markets into the GLS network.</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Estafeta is the second-largest logistics, courier and parcel service provider in Mexico and covers the fifth-largest country in the Americas with an extensive network and over 6,500 employees. The company’s infrastructure includes three hubs and 57 operating centres. Six airplanes and 3,600 vehicles are deployed for transportation and delivery.</p>
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NetworkGermany: new depot in Essen with European hub function
<p>In June 2019, construction on a new location in Essen began. GLS is investing about 16 million euros in the depot, which will also serve as a European hub. It is scheduled to open in the autumn of 2020.</p>
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NetworkGLS Denmark opens ninth depot
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">In July 2019, GLS Denmark opened a new site in Horsens, thus expanding its network from eight depots to nine. The new site enables the company to serve the growth region of East Jutland whilst considerably easing the strain on the hub in Kolding and the depot in Aarhus.</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The new site offers 3,200 square metres transhipment area and can handle up to 25,000 parcels a day. 83 bays and an optimal layout of the loading and unloading area contribute to efficient processes and good working conditions.</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Horsens also offers long-term scope for sustained growth, with further extension work possible. Some 6.3 million euros have been invested in the new-build facility, which is part of a nationwide investment programme to boost capacity.</p>
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NetworkCapacity soon to be doubled in Amsterdam
<p>In spring 2019, construction work started at Atlaspark, the logistics hotspot in the port of Amsterdam. Here, a state-of-the-art GLS depot is being built that will double capacity in the Dutch capital – with a handling area of 6,200 square metres, 140 loading bays and a powerful sorting system. GLS Netherlands will thus be ready for rising parcel volumes.</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The depot will also boast sustainable highlights such as solar thermal collectors, heat pump-based heating and charging stations for electric vehicles. The more than 200-strong workforce will benefit from larger office spaces and a new works canteen. Drivers can look forward to improved ergonomics, as the depot floor will be at the same height as the loading areas of the vehicles.</p>
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NetworkGLS Belgium is building in Tongeren
<p>GLS is building a new, environmentally friendly depot in Tongeren, Belgium, at a cost of 20 million euros – two buildings for separate cargo and parcel processing on a site of around 60,000 m². They are scheduled to be in operation at the beginning of 2020.</p>
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NetworkAnniversary in Ireland
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">More than two decades on the move: In 1999, the GLS Group expanded to Ireland by purchasing the Williames Group. The newly acquired Irish company underwent substantial restructuring and by 2004, the brand GLS Ireland was established. Today, the hub in Dublin serves as an international gateway while the six depots are strategically located throughout the country. In July 2019, a seventh depot opened in Kerry.</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">In the course of growing e-commerce, GLS Ireland has continuously expanded its range of national and international B2C services. Almost 400 ParcelShops were opened or integrated into the network. Another service with added value for customers: In Ireland, GLS delivers in accordance with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) guidelines. Standard delivery times are less than 24 hours, not only countrywide but also to Northern Ireland.</p>
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NetworkGLS Spain: new hubs, expanded locations
<p>E-commerce in Spain continues to grow strongly. To actively accompany this trend and meet customers' increasing demands, GLS Spain expanded its distribution network considerably in 2018. In Madrid, GLS Spain relocated its hub in San Fernando de Henares, quadrupling its capacity at this strategically important site.</p>
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- Network
New depot near Warsaw up and running
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Up to 80,000 parcels a day: in 2018, GLS Poland opened a new depot near Warsaw. It is the largest ever depot in Poland, with a roughly 6,600 square metres handling area and more than 160 loading bays. State-of-the-art sorting technology is complemented by an eco-friendly design, with solar thermal collectors on the roof used to heat water for the staff facilities.</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">GLS Poland celebrated the opening of the new site at a joint party that also marked the company’s 20<sup>th</sup> anniversary. 140 guests – mainly customers, partners and employees – were invited, with each guest receiving a gift pack via the sorting system.</p>
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NetworkGLS Italy: boost for Modena
<p>With its proximity to the centre and its many new environmentally friendly features, the new depot in Modena has several benefits for GLS. “We have responded to the past growth in parcel volumes”, says Klaus Schädle, Group Area Managing Director. “We can handle up to 2,400 parcels an hour here.” The building was specifically designed for the quality and security needs of the site. The solar power system on the roof supplies green electricity and produces around 8 kWh of power each day. The LED lighting and a large green space also create an environmentally friendly atmosphere.</p>
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Network25 years GLS Austria
<p>Anniversary in Austria: In 1993, General Parcel Austria delivered its first parcels. The company was formed by ten medium-sized shipping companies as part of the Europe-wide General Parcel network. GLS acquired the franchise system in 2000 and created GLS Austria, which is now one of the country’s largest parcel companies.</p> <p>The expansion of the EU towards the east in 2004 brought with it a further boost. GLS Austria scored highly with its quick connections to the GLS companies in the east. The service within the country was also improved further: In 2005, GLS Austria became the first parcel company to open ParcelShops in Austria, thus making it easier for private customers to send parcels and receive their orders.</p> <p>In 2008, GLS expanded its services to include <em>Express<strong>Parcel</strong></em>, offering a one-stop shop for parcel and express shipping. GLS Austria began offering customised delivery with the <em>FlexDelivery<strong>Service</strong></em> in 2013.</p>
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NetworkA trio of 20 year anniversaries: in Poland, Hungary and Switzerland
<p>The GLS subsidiaries in Hungary and Poland are celebrating their 20th anniversaries in 2018. The partnership with Swiss Post also started in 1998. Initially, the three companies were partners in the European General Parcel cooperation. Following the establishment of GLS B.V. in 1999, they became key pillars of the GLS European network.</p>
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