Bleckmann, the specialist in end-to-end logistics solutions for fashion and lifestyle brands, has signed a long-term contract with urban logistics specialist Crossbay for the lease of its fulfillment center located in the Amsterdam Port area. Additional investments are planned to nearly double the capacity of the building (up to 40.000 sq m storage capacity) and provide future-proof solutions to Bleckmann’s clients.
Bleckmann has been operating this building for over 10 years. By continuing the long-term commitment with the new owner of the building, Crossbay, Bleckmann emphasizes the importance of the Amsterdam facility as part of its fast-growing European network. Crossbay is the last mile logistics investments platform of leading private equity real estate investment manager MARK (formerly known as Meyer Bergman). Additional investments by Crossbay as well as Bleckmann are planned to support the expansion of Bleckmann’s operations in Amsterdam. Planned investments aim mainly at creating more capacity to support the processing of booming volumes of current and future Bleckmann clients.
Generating more capacity by increasing the number of dock doors and the construction of additional mezzanine floors to nearly double the floorspace will allow Bleckmann to further expand its operations in the Amsterdam distribution center and make it even more suitable for both B2B as well as e-commerce fulfillment.
With these investments, Bleckmann will support continued growth of existing and new (international) clients within their B2B and B2C channels, both domestically and beyond As a result of the expansion of Bleckmann in the Amsterdam area, additional employment opportunities will be created.
“Both Crossbay and Bleckmann consider the Amsterdam area from their different business perspectives as a strategic location. This alignment resulted in a quick and professional process with a future-proof result for both Crossbay as well as Bleckmann,” says Mark van Onna, General Manager Real Estate at Bleckmann.
“Bleckmann is a perfect example of a last-mile logistics professional that needs space in a logistics facility located close to an urban area. The pandemic has proven that last-mile logistics is crucial to the functioning of our modern-day economy. While there will always be a need for physical retail, the coronavirus has undoubtedly and fundamentally altered people’s shopping habits. We will see a permanent shift to online shopping, fueling Europe’s e-commerce boom, and in turn, increasing the demand for last-mile facilities closer to customers. It is exactly what Crossbay is targeting and Bleckmann is doing,” says Marco Riva, head of Crossbay at MARK.
