French-owned international retailer Auchan Retail will increase its commercial capacity in Hungary with a new, integrated logistics center at the Üllő Airport Logistics Center near Budapest. The 87,200 square-meter greenfield facility will be the largest of its kind ever built in Hungary.

The logistics center is being developed by Goodman, a leading global industrial property expert, according to a press release sent to the Budapest Business Journal.

Expected to open in late 2018, the new center at Üllő will handle Auchan Retail Hungary’s food and non-food logistics for both existing and planned new stores, while also supporting the company’s online commerce countrywide. 

"In addition to boosting our physical expansion plans, the new, integrated logistics base will also help our multi-channel commercial model in the long run," said Dominique Ducoux, CEO of Auchan Retail Hungary. "This is a multi-billion-forint investment employing hundreds of people in the local area, which will provide an innovative and efficient platform for our business in Hungary. This integrated and centralized logistics hub enables us to provide excellent customer service at all our current and future stores in Hungary," he added.

The facility will boast storage rooms at various temperature settings for the most favorable environment for all items, whether fresh or frozen food, or textiles or homeware products. The new buildings are also suitable for implementing automated processes for packaging and transportation in order to create a more efficient supply chain for the benefit of Auchan customers, the press release says.

Goodman’s current portfolio in Hungary comprises more than 88,000 sqm of warehouse and office space in two locations – Gyál and Üllő. The Üllő Airport Logistics Center, strategically located next to the M4 highway and M0 ring road, lies on the pan-European transport corridor to Ukraine, Romania and Serbia.

Resource: bbj.hu