Weidmüller – Weidmüller opens new logistics center in Thuringia

February 26, 2024
Weidmueller

Detmold, 4 May 2023. The Detmold-based Weidmüller Group has officially opened its new logistics center in the municipality of Hörselberg-Hainich. 

 

With the Weidmüller Distribution Center (WDC), the globally active electronics and electrical connectivity company is strengthening its sustainable local-for-local alignment and optimizing its Central European logistics processes. Operations have already begun at the logistics center in February 2023.

 

With the completion and opening of the WDC, Weidmüller has successfully concluded its largest single investment project in the company’s history to date. Not far from Eisenach, a new logistics center was built on a total area of 72,000 square meters over the course of around two years. With the WDC, Weidmüller is significantly and sustainably optimizing its logistics processes. The state-of-the-art building complex is located about ten kilometers away from the site of Thüringische Weidmüller GmbH (TWG). It is largely automated and provides end-to-end digitalized as well as flexibly networked delivery and customer service. 

“The logistics requirements of the future are becoming more complex and dynamic. Thanks to the forward-looking and innovative design of the logistics center, we are already meeting many customer requirements of the future,” explains Volker Bibelhausen, Weidmüller’s Chief Technology Officer and Speaker of the Executive Board. He adds: “In this way, we are offering better customer service and setting the course for further growth, more flexibility and greater sustainability.”

More than 80 new jobs will be created with the WDC

 

Sustainable and cutting-edge

In designing the WDC, Weidmüller combined cutting-edge logistics technologies with sustainable building components. In addition to a partial roof greening, powerful photovoltaic systems and an energy-efficient heat pump were also integrated. Overall, the new logistics center fits into the company’s sustainable local-for-local strategy: 

At the Thuringia site, the WDC has established a central transshipment point for products manufactured by Weidmüller in Central Europe. Shortened transport and delivery routes will lead to significant CO2 savings in the future. In addition, over 80 new jobs will be created on site. Dr Sebastian Durst, Chief Operations Officer at Weidmüller, emphasizes the cutting-edge alignment of the new building: 

“Our new logistics center combines the possibilities of automation and digitalization with our high standards of sustainability and efficiency. At the same time, we are revolutionizing our logistics processes for the long term.”

 

Logistics center officially unveiled

On Thursday, 4 May 2023, the Detmold-based family-owned company presented its new building complex to approximately 200 invited guests. Mr Christian Blum (Mayor of the municipality of Hörselberg-Hainich) as well as Mr Andreas Krey (Managing Director of Landesentwicklungsgesellschaft Thüringen) were among those present. Dr Katja Böhler (State Secretary in the Thuringian Ministry of Economy, Science and Digital Society) was also present at the opening ceremony: 

“The investment project of the Weidmüller company clearly demonstrates the huge economic potential of the region and the whole of Thuringia. It’s wonderful to see how the company is helping to shape the region’s promising future sustainably.”

 

In personal discussions and a detailed tour of the building complex, Weidmüller explained future processes to guests at its new logistics center and was available to answer questions.

 

SourceWeidmuller

EMR Analysis

More information on Weidmüller: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Volker Bibelhausen (Managing Director and Speaker of the Executive Board – Chief Technology Officer, Weidmüller): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on André Sombecki (Managing Director – Chief Financial Officer, Weidmüller): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Dr. Sebastian Durst (Managing Director – Chief Operations Officer, Weidmüller): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Dr. Timo Berger (Managing Director – Chief Sales Officer, Weidmüller): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

 

 

 

EMR Additional Notes:

  • Distribution Center (DC) and Warehouses: 
    • A warehouse is used for storing products while a distribution center, apart from storing products offers value-added services like product mixing, order fulfillment, cross docking, packaging etc. A distribution center stores products for relatively lesser periods compared to a warehouse.
    • Warehouses prioritize efficient storage and inventory management, while distribution centers focus on the timely and accurate movement of goods.

 

  • Geothermal Heating, Heat Pumps, Chillers & Hydronics:
    • Geothermal heating and cooling systems take advantage of the stable temperature underground using a piping system, commonly referred to as a “loop.” Water circulates in the loop to exchange heat between your home, the ground source heat pump, and the earth, providing geothermal heating, cooling, and hot water at remarkably high efficiencies.
    • Heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat from a cool space to a warm space, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer. During the heating season, heat pumps move heat from the cool outdoors into your warm house.  During the cooling season, heat pumps move heat from your house into the  outdoors. Because they transfer heat rather than generate heat, heat pumps can efficiently provide comfortable temperatures for your home.
    • The only difference between a heat pump and a chiller is that one is designed to remove heat from a space or process stream, making it cooler and rejecting heat to the environment, while the other is designed to extract heat from the environment and use it to provide useful heat.
    • Hydronics are systems of heating or cooling that involves transfer of heat by a circulating fluid (such as water or vapor) in a closed system of pipes.

 

  • Carbon Dioxide (CO2):
    • Primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activities. Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil), solid waste, trees and other biological materials, and also as a result of certain chemical reactions (e.g., manufacture of cement). Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere (or “sequestered”) when it is absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon cycle.
  • Biogenic Carbon Dioxide (CO2):
    • Carbon Dioxide released as a result of the combustion or decomposition of organic material, that is biomass and its derivatives. Examples include carbon dioxide released during the combustion of wood and biogas generated by decomposition.
    • Biogenic Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) are the same. Scientists differentiate between biogenic carbon (that which is absorbed, stored and emitted by organic matter like soil, trees, plants and grasses) and non-biogenic carbon (that found in all other sources, most notably in fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas).
  • Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS):
    • CCS involves the capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial processes, such as steel and cement production, or from the burning of fossil fuels in power generation. This carbon is then transported from where it was produced, via ship or in a pipeline, and stored deep underground in geological formations.
    • CCS projects typically target 90 percent efficiency, meaning that 90 percent of the carbon dioxide from the power plant will be captured and stored.
  • Decarbonization:
    • Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions through the use of low carbon power sources, achieving a lower output of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.
  • Carbon Footprint:
    • There is no universally agreed definition of what a carbon footprint is. A carbon footprint is generally understood to be the total amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are directly or indirectly caused by an individual, organization, product, or service. These emissions are typically measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).
    • In 2009, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) published a standard for calculating and reporting corporate carbon footprints. This standard is widely accepted by businesses and other organizations around the world. The GHG Protocol defines a carbon footprint as “the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, directly and indirectly, through its own operations and the value chain.”