In September 2021, the two companies formalized their partnership to expand Picard’s logistics footprint and optimize its operations through the GXO site in Sainghin-en-Mélantois. To accommodate the company’s dedicated activity, a 4,800 sq m expansion was built, including 3,200 sq m of frozen storage and a 600 sq m fresh dock.
Since mid-June, this warehouse has been serving 53 Picard stores located in the north and east of France as well as in Belgium and Luxembourg. The objective is to cover 128 Picard stores by 2026, Beginning in 2024, it will also enable Picard to export products to some of its international partners. Picard currently is present in 18 countries around the world.
The new logistics facility will support Picard’s rapid growth in France, where the company now has over 1,100 stores and aims to open 40 additional outlets each year through 2026. The facility will also help to optimize delivery routes and shorten lead times, offering better service to the company’s stores and therefore to its customers.
The site will employ around 40 people, including the recruitment of some 30 logistics operators.
The Sainghin-en-Mélantois site has been awarded BREEAM certification by BRE (Building Research Establishment). In addition, a heating system using a closed circuit of glycol water heated to a temperature of 8°C, has been installed to prevent frost problems in the warehouse slabs. This system recovers the heat produced by machines, reducing energy consumption and minimizing the site’s environmental footprint.
As part of the company’s efforts to preserve the site’s biodiversity, a pond has been installed, providing a natural habitat for many species and contributing to the conservation of local ecosystems. Moreover, beehives have been set up on the site, encouraging the presence of bees, pollinating insects essential to the balance of biodiversity.
Source: GXO
