The LEGO Group together with logistics service provider Kuehne+Nagel opened a European regional distribution centre in Belgium. A total of €70 million was invested in the new state-of-the-art facility in Tessenderlo. From this strategic location, shorter delivery times will be possible for B2B customers in scope in the UK, Ireland, Benelux and northern France. ‘We’re thrilled to celebrate the opening of our Belgium distribution centre. Expanding our supply and distribution network will ensure that we can continue to meet customer demand and bring learning through play to millions of children for years to come. We’re grateful for the continued partnership we’ve had with Kuehne+Nagel and are happy to have them on board to operate the site”, says Carsten Rasmussen, Chief Operations Officer of the LEGO Group. The site of approximately 30,000m², will also provide employment for 70 new Kuehne+Nagel employees .
In 2012, the LEGO Group and Kuehne+Nagel opened an e-commerce platform and warehouse management system, focused on online sales via LEGO.com, in our country. Geel was chosen as the location at the time. To capitalise on long-term growth in Europe, it was time for the next step in the partnership. The distribution centre is the second in the company’s European distribution network, joining an existing centre in Jirny, Czech Republic
The investment is also part of a broader capacity expansion strategy globally for the LEGO Group. The LEGO Group has also invested more than US $1B in two new state-of-the-art factories in Binh Duong, Vietnam and Virginia, U.S., on track to open in 2025 and 2027 respectively.
‘In 2023, we started the construction of this brand new distribution centre. It is a great addition to the current location in Geel. We expect to process 32,000 orders a year here for European customers,’ says Dave De Landtsheer, Operations Director Benelux of the LEGO Group.
‘Today we celebrate the next step in a partnership that has sustained for more than 12 years. Together with the LEGO Group, we carry values such as innovation, infinite possibilities of imagination and creation, constant attention to the customer and the planet we live on. We are especially proud as from today we complete our offer with all our products (sea, air, road, B2C and B2B fulfilment centres) to ensure an exceptional online and in-store experience,’ said Gianfranco Sgro, Executive Vice President of Contract Logistics at Kuehne+Nagel.
Shorter delivery times & more sustainable transport
A lot of elements were considered when deciding on the location, including the logistical possibilities. The choice of Tessenderlo allows the LEGO Group to use the European railway network. The LEGO sets will be delivered by train from the LEGO factories in Nyíregyháza, Hungary and Kladno, Czech Republic. A total of 2,000 different types of LEGO sets will be stored at the location in Tessenderlo from where 5,500 trucks depart annually.
The opening of the distribution centre in Tessenderlo ensures that B2B customers, as well as the company’s own LEGO Brand Retail shops, will receive their deliveries faster with a reduction in delivery times by one to two working days.
The distribution centre supports the sustainability ambitions of the LEGO Group to reduce global CO2 emissions by 37% by 2032. By organising its logistics in this way, the LEGO Group will reduce total annual CO2 emissions by 2,000 tonnes. The building was built according to the environmental standards of BREEAM Excellent, a certification system that measures the sustainability performance of buildings. The wind turbine on the site generates renewable energy and the buildings are heated via geothermal energy.
