At Brussels Airport, the foundation piles for the logistics project located on the west side of Brucargo, the airport’s logistics platform, were placed. A new logistics building for cargo handling will rise on this site, with direct access to the tarmac. The symbolic ‘laying of the first stone’ of this new project took place in the presence of Marc Grootjans, Mayor of Machelen, and the CEOs of the three future tenants, Kuehne & Nagel, World Flight Services and Expeditors.
At Brucargo, Brussels Airport offers a crucial platform for the import and export of goods in our country. Today, Brucargo has more than one hundred different companies from the logistics chain, making it an important logistics hub for international trade and air transport in Europe. Thanks to its exceptional central location between all important industrial centres, the area is a crucial engine for economic growth in our country.
With these investments in the further qualitative expansion of Brucargo, the airport is considerably increasing its offer of handling space and particularly that of refrigerated storage. These temperature-controlled rooms are not only of considerable importance for various key sectors in our country including biotech and pharmaceuticals, but also for the import and export of fresh and perishable goods. Two niche markets in which Brussels Airport is specialised and in which it is investing further.
The construction of this logistics building will also incorporate various sustainability aspects. For example, the office block will get a green roof and solar panels. The buildings will also be economical with water, thanks to the installation of a water infiltration system and rainwater wells for reuse of rainwater. The building will also be equipped with LED lighting and heat pumps.
To improve mobility at the airport and facilitate more sustainable modes of transport for staff, charging stations for electric vehicles will be installed, together with two additional bus stops and a new cycle path in the area.
Brussels Airport is developing the buildings under its own management. The construction is part of a 100 million-euro investment in the modernisation of Brucargo. The building will be completed in the course of 2020 and can then be taken into use by the tenants Kuehne & Nagel, World Flight Services (WFS) and Expeditors.