Wehkamp Warehouse Expansion in Zwolle

Great progress for a great company

WDP is making great progress with the expansion of Wehkamp’s distribution centre in Zwolle, The Netherlands. This well-known e-commerce company, which brings the best in fashion, interior, and garden products to clients’ doorsteps, is all set for continuous growth – and WDP is building the warehousing space to support that goal.

The warehouse expansion is currently underway yet full operations are still guaranteed during the works. Let’s see what the main stakeholders in the project have to say about the vision behind it.

Boosting efficiency in one warehouse hub

“Wehkamp’s reputation is one of reliability”, says Jan de Niet, Head of Facility at Wehkamp. “Customers know that what they order today, will be delivered the same day or the next. To fulfil that promise to our customers, we need to continuously identify how we can operate even more efficiently.”

“By merging all our warehouses into one hub in Hessenpoort, Zwolle, which we constantly improve and expand, we can make good on that promise.”

Choosing the right contractor for the job

“The client wanted to move swiftly. We needed a contractor who understood our expectations and demands to the full, equitably from the preparatory to the execution stage”, says Dick Hootsen, Project Manager at WDP. “We found that partner in Goldbeck, a family-run German contracting business specialised in warehouse construction.”

“We produce prefabricated columns and steel constructions in our own factory”, says Arno van Haaften, Project Leader at Goldbeck. “We deliver those products on-site and assemble them in the shortest possible timeframe. This planned and efficient methodology speeds up the process.”

“That’s vital for us”, adds Jan de Niet. “If construction isn’t finished, we can’t store our winter collection. Speed is of the essence.”

A challenging project, without operational downtime

“This project is unique. We’re talking 30,000m² of warehouse space, with an additional 6,000m² of mezzanine space. The fact that Wehkamp’s operations continue to run during construction – 24/7 – was something the contractors needed to take into account”, WDP’s Dick Hootsen continues. 

“We’re building an attachment to an existing building”, Goldbeck’s Arno van Haaften adds. “We communicate intensively with Wehkamp. We plan thoroughly, and time management is crucial for successful delivery.”

Sustainability for the future

Another great asset of this distribution centre is its sustainability. “We strive for a BREEAM Excellent rating”, says WDP’s Dick Hootsen. “It’s a gasless building, fitted with solar panels and heating pumps, with LED lighting throughout.”

“We want to continue our growth in the Netherlands and additionally in Belgium”, concludes Wehkamp’s Jan de Niet. WDP’s expert approach enables this ambitious household name to pursue that strategy.