“We deliberately chose a partner who shares the same sustainable vision”

“In recent years, our family business – headquartered in Loppem – has evolved from an international carrier into a last-mile service provider, with the ambition of serving all of Flanders from our own network of depots. Our team of dedicated staff – nicknamed the Gheroes – focuses on sustainable partnerships and innovation to make a difference for our customers every day. To back up that ambition, we needed a new central location on the Ghent-Antwerp axis. Through property agent PANORAMA, we got in touch with Hexagon, which had this site in Sint-Niklaas in its portfolio.

The location offers exactly what we need: an excellent position in the Antwerp-Ghent-Brussels triangle and between our existing distribution depots in West Flanders and Limburg. The site also had the flexibility to set up a cross-docking operation, which fits perfectly with our growth ambitions. This location strengthens our national coverage and shortens transport distances, which not only increases efficiency but also reduces our ecological footprint.”

“During the day and much of the night, goods come in from our customers, partner networks in the Netherlands or France, or our other distribution depots. Those goods are mainly destined for the regions around the depot and are delivered by distribution lorries as early as the next working day. Goods for other regions are taken by night shuttles to another depot in our network and distributed from there.

The cross-docking method means targeted trips, shorter waiting times and a minimum number of kilometres per delivery. It is a crucial part of our strategy to make transport flows more sustainable. In the logistics sector, factors such as wage costs, emission restrictions and the shortage of drivers also play an important role in the focus on sustainable and flexible buildings. At Gheeraert Transport, we see these developments not as challenges but as opportunities. By investing strategically in infrastructure, energy solutions and alternative drivetrains, we are taking steps that make a difference both economically and ecologically.”

“Absolutely. Gheeraert Transport is strongly committed to sustainability, with investments in green technologies and alternative energy solutions, among other things. So we deliberately chose a partner who shares the same vision. As our development partner, Hexagon not only had to put up a building, but also actively help us think about our sustainability and future-proofing.”

“This new site in Sint-Niklaas has more than forty loading and unloading docks and almost 5,000 m² of space. It gives us the room to grow we need to guarantee high-quality, damage-free deliveries, even at peak times. We also see this depot as a testing ground for new and sustainable technologies, such as zero-emission lorries, automated cross-docking and planning processes, and smart energy management.

The Hexagon team takes care of everything for us throughout the entire process, from demolishing the old building and preparing the site to building the warehouses, offices and outdoor areas. As a result, our team can focus fully on our core business, even during the construction phase. The biggest challenge along the way was obtaining the environmental permit, including permission for night-time operations. Thanks in part to Hexagon, we were able to complete that application successfully.

In terms of both communication and timing, Hexagon is always a partner that stays on the ball. Two West Flemish companies working together – that's always going to be a no-nonsense collaboration!”