A new cold logistics centre for the dairy processor Lactalis has been commissioned in the Hessian municipality of Steinau an der Straße. The contract logistics provider ID Logistics operates the facility, which it realised over a three-year period in cooperation with Scannell Properties. The Dutch brand Leerdammer is the first of the Lactalis Group's products to be stored there. The centre is expected to reach its full operational capacity with a planned completion in the second quarter of 2027.
The logistics property spans a total area of 33,000 square metres, divided into three halls. Two of these halls, totalling 22,000 square metres, are designated for fresh products and are constantly maintained at a temperature of two to five degrees Celsius. The third hall is currently still externally available. Tiago Lopes, Supply Chain Director at Lactalis Germany, stated that the investment in the cold storage facility represents a targeted measure to secure the future of the business and a clear commitment to Germany as a location. Its geographically advantageous position enables the consolidation of supply flows, a reduction in transport routes, and the creation of additional capacities, thereby enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of the supply chain.
Strategic Partnership and Process Optimisation
Robin Otto, CEO of ID Logistics Germany, explained his company's dual role in this project at the opening. In addition to operating the site as a contract logistics provider, ID Logistics was significantly involved in the tailor-made development of the property – from site selection and building design to customer-specific intralogistics. This collaboration represents a continuation of an existing partnership, as ID Logistics already operates three cold logistics sites for Lactalis in the United States. Tiago Lopes highlighted that the experience gained there was instrumental in shaping the logistics processes of the new site and had already shown positive results during the ramp-up and start-up phases.
Following a successive ramp-up phase, approximately 40 Lactalis plants from across Europe are expected to supply the logistics centre from May 2027. The product range will then encompass over 900 items, including well-known brands such as Salakis, Galbani, Kraft, Haydi, MinusL, and Frankenland. Incoming orders are transmitted daily from Lactalis's IT system to ID Logistics' WMS system, picked in a two-shift operation, and prepared for delivery to German wholesalers and retailers the following day. The centre serves up to 1,200 destinations, with up to 2,000 pallets handled daily in inbound and outbound goods. For this purpose, 22 flexibly usable ramps are available, and a digital slot and yard management system controls delivery traffic. These measures, according to Lopes, are intended to minimise waiting times for lorry drivers and help address the driver shortage.
Sustainability and Capacity Expansion
The construction of the central warehouse will create 80 new jobs in Steinau, 30 of which have already been filled. The ID Logistics team will be progressively expanded, particularly in the areas of picking, goods receipt, and forklift operation. The future-oriented logistics structure is characterised by a consistently sustainable approach. Jan Imfeld, Country Head Germany at Scannell Properties, emphasised that it was particularly challenging to create an energy-efficient and ecological solution for the continuous cold storage areas of this dimension. An ammonia-based cooling system is used to maintain a constant temperature. The heating system is fed by waste heat from the cooling system, and a 2-megawatt-peak photovoltaic system on the roof supplies the warehouse with electricity. The property also features CO2-reduced construction, a heat pump, and electric charging stations.
Lopes explained the significance for Lactalis: the new logistics site supports the Lactalis Group's mission to become carbon neutral worldwide and across its entire value chain by 2050. Both the building technology and the consolidation of supply flows contribute to reducing the carbon footprint. Opportunities for demand-driven capacity expansion were already considered during the conception of the logistics property. Robin Otto added that additional space for future growth was planned within the two Lactalis halls. The third hall, covering 11,000 square metres, provides scope for spatial flexibility and synergy potential.
