DHL Supply Chain held the topping out ceremony for the construction of a new logistics center in Halle (Saale) today. Rainer Haag, Chief Executive Officer, Aiste Slabokaite Heid, Business Unit Director North-East, Olaf Müller, Head of the Leipzig/ Halle Campus and Adriano Rizza, Construction Director - all part of DHL Supply Chain Germany & Alps - conducted the formalities together with Dr. Judith Marquardt, City of Halle (Saale) Deputy Mayor for Culture and Sport, as well as representatives from business and politics.

The new DHL Supply Chain facility is expected to go live at the start of the fourth quarter of 2024 following construction closeout. It is located adjacent to the existing warehouse that DHL Supply Chain has operated for a leading electronics manufacturer since 2017 and not far from a second site in Leipzig.

The new logistics center will offer space for customers requiring efficient logistics in Germany, Europe or worldwide. This expansion of the campus will also create additional capacity for technology customers as well as clients from different sectors and industries. The location benefits from multimodal connections to various transport modes, from the domestic DHL parcel and express network, through rail and highway networks, to the Leipzig/ Halle cargo airport. Leipzig/ Halle is the largest hub within the DHL Express global network, and airfreight shipments can be sent from there to anywhere in the world.

"In Halle (Saale), DHL Supply Chain offers a wide range of end-to-end solutions," says Aiste Slabokaite Heid, Business Unit Director North-East. "From manual put-away and picking, to value-added services provided by our trained and experienced employees, to complex automated solutions in the warehousing and production environment. The key to success here is close partnership and careful coordination with our customers. The new center will also enable DHL Supply Chain to expand the business of customers already based on the campus."

Rainer Haag, Chief Executive Officer of DHL Supply Chain Germany & Alps, is also proud of the new facility: "It will boost our logistics capacities in the Central Germany metropolitan region and of course in Leipzig/ Halle and enable us to help customers grow their business in Germany, Europe and internationally. It represents an important step with regard to the achievement of our strategic growth targets with customers from different industries and sectors."

The new facility also underscores DHL Group's commitment to sustainability: Construction of the warehouse meets the Gold certification criteria of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB). The carbon-neutral operated building will be powered by a photovoltaic system capable of generating 1,000 kilowatts at its peak, and its interior climate kept comfortable with the help of energy-smart air heat pumps. Specially sealed doors, low consumption LED lighting and a solar thermal hot water system will round out the building's energy-efficient features.

DHL Group is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions from 39 million to 29 million metric tons of CO₂e by 2030. This commitment encompasses three areas: Fleet electrification, zero-emission operations and sustainable fuels for all transport modes. The Group is unflagging in its dedication to a greener future and makes continual investments in clean operations to achieve its sustainability goals.

"The Star Park industrial park plays an important role in attracting renowned companies to Halle (Saale). The site has great potential and offers the opportunity to continue to benefit from the growth of logistics. This is underscored by the city's renewed multimillion investment in the infrastructure of the Star Park site. Logistics is a powerful industry that will continue to play a key future role for the city and as an employer for the people who live here. DHL is a welcome partner for the region. We are delighted that we can join with DHL Supply Chain in celebrating the expansion of the Leipzig/ Halle Campus," says Dr. Judith Marquardt, City of Halle (Saale) Deputy Mayor for Culture and Sport.