Amsterdam, 21 October 2010. GLS put the Group’s fifth eco-depot, located near Würzburg (Germany), into operation. Constructing locations according to ecological principles is part of “Think Green”, GLS’ environmental initiative.

Sustainability plays an important role for the pan-European parcel services provider – as of 2008 also as a criterion when planning new locations. The first eco-depot went into operation near Stuttgart, Germany at the beginning of 2009. Made from recyclable steel and sandwich panels, with a heat pumping system and a rainwater harvesting facility, it was a model example for the whole group. A roof photovoltaic system was added in 2010. 

Other “green” locations were established: in Cologne, Germany as well as in Brest and near Fréjus in France. The new buildings in France are characterized by the use of natural building materials such as wood. GLS also installed photovoltaic and rainwater utilisation systems here. The fifth eco-depot, located near Würzburg, became part of the GLS network on 11 October. The series will be continued: In the northern part of Germany, in Neumünster, the sixth “green” depot is already under construction and more are planned for the Benelux region. 

Sustainable goals

“Current environmental technology will be used in all new and replacement buildings”, explains Rico Back, CEO of the GLS Group. For GLS, these are depots or hubs with modern sorting and security technology that replace older buildings or constructions that no longer meet capacity needs. Back: “In many existing facilities we are also switching to energy-saving heating and air conditioning technology. Similar to other environmental measures it is evident that ecology and economy are not mutually exclusive, on the contrary, they go hand in hand.”

 

GLS Group coordinates and develops its environmental activities throughout Europe within the framework of its “Think Green” campaign. The goal is to establish concrete environmental measures throughout the company and to check and document progress. This especially includes reducing emissions, avoiding waste and reducing resource consumption.

 

“With ‘Think Green’, we have firmly established environmental protection as one of our company values”, says Rico Back. “No one has yet found the perfect formula for climate protection in the transport sector. Nevertheless, a lot can be done – both at the locations as well as on the road. There, we focus on good vehicle utilisation, route optimisation, driver training and economical, low-emission vehicles.” 

The GLS Group in Europe

General Logistics Systems B.V., Amsterdam (GLS), is a pan-European company providing reliable, high-quality parcel and express services as well as value-added logistics solutions. The company offers its services through wholly owned and partner companies in 36 European states, and is globally connected via contractual agreements. The GLS system consists of 38 central transhipment points, 665 depots and 12,500 employees. Some 16,950 vehicles transport 345 million parcels annually for 220,000 customers throughout Europe. In the financial year 2009/10, GLS achieved revenues of 1.7 billion euros. GLS stands for “European Leader in Quality“. This is something that everyone working for GLS strives to achieve every day.