New logistics center for KiK near Swarzędz

LSK Polska has opened the first logistics Distribution Center in our country, serving the KiK store network. Located at 61 Bliska Street in Rabowice, the facility will increase the efficiency of transportation and warehousing processes of the well-known discount brand.

The facility at 61 Bliska Street in Rabowice, Swarzędz municipality, is the third distribution center in Europe serving this non-food discount brand. The two already functioning centers are located in Bönen near Dortmund and in southern Slovakia near the Hungarian border.

The establishment of LSK Polska and the Distribution Center is a result of the market expansion of the KiK store network in Poland. This led to a capital group need to shorten the time and distance of transporting products to the brand's retail outlets - says Udo Rogowsky, a board member of LSK Polska.

With the opening of the facility in Rabowice, we have managed to close the logistical triangle on the map of Europe, which is an ideal solution for deliveries to KiK stores in the western, southern, and central-northern parts of the continent - he adds.

With the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, the stocking of the warehouse hall with an area of 40,000 sqm began. The first pallet shipments to Polish stores are planned for January 2024. In the spring, transports to retail outlets in the eastern states of Germany are set to depart from Rabowice. The Group's Management also considers a scenario where the new Center will support e-commerce shipments in the region in the future. There is also the possibility of expanding the facility by an additional 22,000 sqm of warehouse space. Regarding the numbers describing the new logistics complex, it should be added that 1,780 sqm have been allocated for offices and social rooms, and 50 loading docks are guaranteed.

As LSK Polska informs, the choice of Rabowice as the location for the first Distribution Center of Goods in our country was not accidental. The facility is located near the A2 highway running east-west and the S5 expressway connecting northern and southern Poland. This is an optimal location in terms of ensuring smooth and fast deliveries of goods to stores throughout the country. The center is also in close proximity to the intermodal terminal CLIP Logistyka. It is a very large operator responsible for delivering overseas containers to Poland by rail from ports such as Hamburg or Rotterdam.

The location of our center near the transshipment terminal obviously has all the advantages in terms of delivery logistics. But not only that. Containers with goods, which initially arrive from Asia, for example, to the port in Hamburg, are currently delivered to Swarzędz by train. Thus, we are dealing with transport based on electric energy. Unlike road transport, it significantly reduces CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. This perfectly fits into the strategy of sustainable business conduct that we have adopted and implement in the newly established company - emphasizes Michael Frölich, Prokurent of LSK Polska.

Environmental protection is indeed one of the business foundations for LSK Polska. The new warehouse complex includes many modern solutions confirming this. The warehouse hall is equipped with underfloor heating, powered by a Rolls Royce V8 cogeneration engine generating heat and electricity with a capacity of 999 kW.

The company has also invested in new, "clean" Toyota forklifts. They are powered by lithium-ion batteries, which are lighter, three times more durable, and consume even 20% less energy compared to lead-acid batteries. Additionally, during the charging of the forklifts, which resembles charging a smartphone or electric car, there is no risk of environmental contamination or employee burns from acid.

For many years, our parent company has had the ISO 14001 environmental certificate. We are also implementing its guidelines here, even though we do not yet formally have this certificate in the new company. In the newly opened complex, we take care of minimizing waste and water consumption in logistics processes. We have also purchased energy-efficient machines, such as Toyota forklifts or the most modern automatic pallet wrapping machine. The facility in Rabowice itself is in the process of BREEAM certification, certifying that the building is energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and user-friendly - emphasizes Ralf Jakubiak, Director of the LSK Polska Distribution Center.

The investor has also taken care of the comfort and safety of the employees working in the facility in line with the "Safety First" philosophy. The hall includes heating zones and automatic lighting. It activates when sensors detect movement of a forklift between the racks. The warehouse hall is built according to NFPA13 standards and equipped with sprinkler installations, guaranteeing the highest level of fire protection. The construction of the racks themselves and the appropriate distances between the pallets stored on them were also prepared according to these guidelines.