Goodman has completed its thirteenth project for Amazon, bringing the Group’s total space delivered for the global e-commerce giant to one million sqm in Europe over the past eight years. The latest and most advanced fulfilment centre developed by Goodman for Amazon, located in Wroclaw, Poland, officially opened on 28 October. It is one of the largest free standing logistics centres in the Central and Eastern European region.
Goodman’s relationship with Amazon began in 2006 with its first development project in Leipzig, Germany, for a 78,000 sqm regional fulfilment centre. Since then, the two parties have worked together to help expand Amazon’s European operations, by developing a total of 12 modern fulfilment centres across Germany, France, Poland and the United Kingdom, to bring Amazon closer to its customers. Goodman’s ability to meet specific and challenging design requirements, its speed and quality of construction, and its strategically located land-banks have made Goodman a leading developer for Amazon in continental Europe.
“Goodman has shown itself to be an incredibly creative and innovative partner, each time doing things a bit faster and a bit better,” said Tim Collins, Vice President European FC Operations, Amazon. “We have been incredibly excited to work with Goodman as there are very few partners who could do what Goodman has done.”
In order to continually enhance the service it provides to customers, Amazon strives to constantly improve on the layout, technology and operations in its fulfilment centres, ensuring that each new facility is better than the last. Amazon, now on its seventh generation of fulfilment centre design, works alongside Goodman to include the most recent trends and innovations in construction and sustainability.
The forward-looking 123,000 sqm development in Wroclaw represents the latest generation of Amazon fulfilment centres, which introduces Amazon’s new global standard layout design. This new standard will enable Amazon to streamline development of its fulfilment centres and benchmark productivity. Prior to development, Goodman toured the first generation of these facilities in the United States in order to quickly and accurately complete development.
“Our relationship with Amazon is a true long-term partnership,” Philippe Van der Beken, Goodman Managing Director Continental Europe, explained. “Together we have designed an entirely new generation of logistics properties that are specific to the needs of the e-commerce industry, which requires much more complex and intelligent design combined with the expedient completion of quality properties.”
Goodman’s intelligent design included smart sustainability features to meet Amazon’s commitment to sustainability under its Earth Kaizens programme—“Kaizens” is a Japanese term meaning “change for the better.” With its ultra-modern buildings, Goodman has successfully achieved silver certification from the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) for its Amazon developments in Rheinberg, Graben, Pforzheim and Koblenz. Additionally, Goodman is in the process of seeking BREEAM certification for the properties in Lauwin-Planque and Wroclaw.
