Kuehne+Nagel has officially opened a new adidas distribution centre in Mantova, Northern Italy.
The €350 million financial commitment is the company’s single largest investment to date. The logistics hub combines growth opportunities, next-level digitalisation and sustainability, the company said in a statement, adding that it will create more than 700 new jobs with a focus on digital skills.
“The opening of the adidas logistics hub represents the largest and most innovative implementation in our company to date,” said CEO of Kuehne+Nagel International AG, Stefan Paul. “It is the blueprint for the next generation of omnichannel distribution centres, combining next-level digitalisation and sustainable solutions.”
The distribution centre will service a geographical range including 19 countries in Southern and Eastern Europe, using digital technologies that are expected to make contract logistics management faster, more accurate and environmentally friendly.
More than 700 robots and further automation will support every step of the logistics process, from inventory tracking to product distribution. The 130,000 square metre area is equipped with 20 km of conveyor belts and a shuttle system handling 25 storage lanes with a capacity of 440,000 units. The logistics hub can process up to 500,000 shipments per day in support of every retail channel – from single e-commerce parcels to bulk orders for large retailers.
Real-time monitoring allows for greatly improved efficiency and reduction in error margins, optimising resources and also reducing delivery times. Sustainability is another fundamental pillar of the adidas distribution centre, with the aim of reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
Mantova was selected as the location due to its strategic position with road and rail connections.
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