Tchibo is introducing new technologies at a modern distribution centre in Cheb
Tchibo has launched several unique technologies at its distribution centre in Cheb. As a result, the building has become one of the most modern distribution centres in Europe. The extremely large hall with a total area of more than 110,000 square metres how has the most efficient equipment to service major parts of Tchibo’s logistics system. The hall was built in three separate stages between 2016 and 2021 and has become the third largest logistics building ever built in the Czech Republic. The logistics centre serves as a hub for Tchibo’s entire e-commerce division. The new warehouse management system was supplied by Körber. Tchibo consulted FORTNA on the whole modernisation project. DHL is the warehouse operator, Accolade Industrial Fund owns the building and Panattoni was responsible for the construction of the distribution centre.
The newly installed technologies enable Tchibo to optimise the capacity and utilisation of the warehouse space and speed up some other logistics processes. At the heart of the new system is modern automation and conveyor technology which ensures that returned goods without any defects are immediately reoffered for sale centrally. This speeding up of processes is provided by a pocket sorter with approximately 110 packing points. The modernisation also includes a basic control system that optimises the circulation of goods with minimal time and resources.
“Thanks to its concept and the newly completed innovative conveyor technology, Cheb is one of the most modern logistics centres in Europe. And we are very proud of that,” says Dr. Jens Köppen, CFO of the Tchibo Group. “Thanks to this highly efficient and sustainable logistics centre, we can successfully face the challenges of rapidly changing markets.”
“Tchibo is a key client for us in the Karlovy Vary region, which has brought precisely what was needed to the region: cutting-edge, modern technology with high added value. The extent of the innovation and sophistication of activities in Tchibo’s operations reaches a level that many outsiders may not be able to fully imagine. We very much appreciate that Tchibo is one of the largest tenants in Accolade Industrial Fund’s portfolio. This partnership reinforces our commitment to developing modern infrastructure for business throughout Europe,” says Milan Kratina, Chairman of the Board of Accolade Industrial Fund.
“We have been working with Tchibo at Panattoni Park Cheb for eight years now and we are honoured to have been able to design and create a space in such a way that it has been possible to use the latest technologies. This is another project that proves that cutting-edge logistics buildings can have very high added value and help the economic transformation of a former coal region,” says Pavel Sovička, CEO of Panattoni for the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
“At FORTNA, we are proud of our collaboration with Tchibo from the initial concept through the detailed design of the operation and the tendering process to implementation. We are happy to have been able to participate in the opening of the new distribution centre. At the same time, we are pleased that Tchibo trusts us with creating a highly efficient, innovative logistics design, but also as a partner in their efforts to set a new standard in e-commerce solutions,” says Bjørn A. Brunkow, Vice President and Head of Consulting at FORTNA.
“Over the course of a number of months, we have witnessed great collaboration between all the partners involved,” says Michael Brand, Executive Vice President for the EMEA Region at Körber Supply Chain Software. “As a result, we have created one of the most productive warehouse facilities in the Czech Republic, powered by a flexible and highly efficient software platform for the supply chain that perfectly connects all the different links in the logistics chain. It is an excellent example of a complex supply chain.”
“We are very pleased that we have been able to work with Tchibo as its trusted logistics service provider since 2020. Our shared commitment to innovation and efficiency in logistics perfectly matches Tchibo’s commitment to provide its customers with exceptional services in a dynamic e-commerce environment,” says Filip Budík, CEO of DHL Supply Chain Czech Republic.
“I am delighted that Tchibo’s experience of doing business in our town has been and still is so good that its management decided to invest considerable funds into modernising its operations in Cheb. It is not easy to attract new investments and so this project is clear confirmation that it is great to do business in our region,” adds Jan Vrba, Mayor of Cheb.
Park Cheb, which is owned by Accolade Industrial Fund, was built close to the D6 motorway just eight kilometres from the border with Germany. Thanks to its efficiency and qualities, the park won the CIJ Award for the Best Industrial Park in Central and Eastern Europe in 2017. The Tchibo distribution centre building itself was rated “Excellent” under the strict international BREEAM New Construction sustainability certification.