- Who is the client?
- DeLaval (DeLaval Services GmbH) is a global dairy equipment manufacturer, part of the Tetra Laval Group. The company employs more than 4,500 people worldwide and serves over 100 markets with net annual sales of around €1bn.
- Full-spectrum storage, from milking-machines to hazardous goods
- When DeLaval asked us to build a new distribution hub, the request came with a complex set of challenges. As well as needing new facilities to accommodate its growing business, the company had to store a wide range of products and materials with specialist requirements, from tiny spare parts like nuts and bolts up to large robotic milking-machines that can serve two cows at once. These machines have to be cleaned with both acidic and alkaline agents, which must be kept apart when stored. If they come into contact with each other, they can produce hazardous chlorine gas.
- Office accommodation that puts people first
- As well as providing storage for such a diverse range of products, DeLaval also needed the building to serve as headquarters for its distribution activities across Europe. DeLaval employs a total of 190 people at the site, and in view of the shortage of skilled workers in the industry, they wanted to make sure their needs were looked after. Working closely with DeLaval to understand every nuance of the company's needs, we put forward a proposal for a new Grade A warehouse complex that combined innovative solutions and state-of-the-art automated technology to support its business processes.
- How did Verdion add value?
- It was essential to minimise the risk of the different cleaning agents coming into contact with each other, so we built a distribution centre with separate acid and alkaline environments, linked by a narrow bridge. As well as a small-parts warehouse and an empty hall for the milking robots, we designed a further part of the building specifically for storing rubber mats and the mattresses that keep cows comfortable when they’re resting. To help DeLaval boost staff retention and put the emphasis on employee wellbeing, we delivered a bespoke office building connected to the distribution centre by a bridge, with a beautifully designed cafeteria. The centre also features sports and yoga rooms, a creative room where people can read, relax or meet up with colleagues, and electric car charging points. Despite tight timescales for delivering the project, we incorporated last-minute changes to deliver DeLaval a building with versatile, safe and efficient storage, and offices that are a pleasure to work in. Stefan Schultz, Managing Director and Vice President of Global Planning & Logistics at DeLaval, said: “We’re very excited about the new European Distribution Centre in Germany that Verdion has developed for us. We were impressed by the speed and professionalism during construction. Even though the development period was tight, Verdion has always been flexible in implementing changes and amendments to our requirements. The quality of the facility is excellent.”
Built-to-suit
DeLaval, Hamburg
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