GEODIS has opened a new site in the 12th arrondissement of the French capital. After two years of construction, the new 15,000 m2 depot symbolizes the Group's determination to strengthen and develop its position in the Paris region. The new facility also underscores GEODIS’ commitment to a cleaner urban distribution, achieved notably by developing the use of logistics bases located in different parts of the capital and using a fleet of electric vehicles.
After two years of preparation, GEODIS has opened its Paris-Bercy depot located several meters from the old site, in the 12th arrondissement near Porte de Charenton. GEODIS has invested in this new, more modern facility to have a distribution tool that is better adapted to the environmental expectations of the Paris city community.
Several objectives have inspired the project since its inception in 2011; responding to the customers’ growing demand with the resulting increase in volumes, modernizing an ageing site, and improving working conditions for employees. The aim was also to develop a new environment-friendly distribution model in the capital.
GEODIS' Paris operation relies on distribution bases, referred to as "blue-bases", each one measuring 1,000 m2 and located in the city centre of Paris. These bases serve as distribution relay points from which clean vehicles adapted to last-mile logistics carry out local deliveries. Two blue-bases – Boulevard Ney in the 18th arrondissement and Bercy in the 12th – are already up and running. Three more – Forum des Halles in the 1st, Invalides in the 7th and Porte de Versailles in the 15th – will complete the strategy over the coming months.
"Our new site is both one of a kind and doubly strategic," says Olivier Melot, Executive Vice President, Distribution & Express, GEODIS. "One of a kind, because taking a clean slate and an empty warehouse, we have designed and implemented an unprecedented network, based on a blue-base system, which is located as close as possible to our Parisian customers. Strategic, because the new development strengthens our position to serve central Paris and validates our urban delivery solution, which will be that demanded by the cities of tomorrow. What's more, we will be introducing 30 additional electric vehicles in the coming weeks."
The new 15,000 m2 Parisian site also features two new sorting lines, an overhead line capable of sorting 2,500 parcels an hour and a ground line used for pallets, operating at a rate of 200 pallets an hour. With this new technical equipment, the depot is capable of initiating 3,000 deliveries a day, or 8,400 parcels.
In the long term, to continue boosting service quality, particularly with regards to recipient-customers, this system will be completed by new, environmentally respectful services, such as on-foot deliveries from blue bases, the implementation of a series of pick-up locations, and evening deliveries across the city.