DHL will begin construction on its carbon-neutral European Innovation Center in Troisdorf, Germany, in December 2023. The anticipated completion date for the facility is April 2025.
Just 5km from the existing Europe Innovation Center, DHL has opted to construct the new facility in Troisdorf to remain close to the company’s headquarters in Bonn. The former Innovation Center building is under DHL’s lease and will be relinquished to the landlord upon DHL’s departure.
Sustainability has been a guiding principle for DHL throughout the realization of the DHL Europe Innovation Center. DHL focused on using environmentally friendly materials from regional production during construction. Constructed from locally sourced cross-laminated timber, the groundbreaking facility marks the first timber-built facility in the DHL Group’s portfolio. According to the company, the benefits of this include promoting a circular design and enhancing the well-being of employees and visitors, all while ensuring durability and superior aesthetics. The climate neutrality of the building is achieved by the use of green technologies, including a photovoltaic roof system.
The Innovation Center will feature a new showroom design, presenting future trends and technologies, exhibits and immersive experiences. The new building will also have a modular and customer-orientated concept that enables flexible adaptations for different uses and purposes without oversizing the facility. With its layout and structure, including conference and workshop facilities, the facility can be used for industry events and conferences. Covering roughly 5,000m2, the space can accommodate events with up to 400 participants.
DHL has four Innovation Centers in Germany, Singapore, the USA, and the United Arab Emirates. DHL aims to take a focused, user-centric and systematic thought leadership approach to identify upcoming developments, new best practices, potential industry applications and the impact of these trends on logistics.
For example, DHL is working to improve and integrate more efficient processes to ensure a secure working environment for all employees, while also staying vigilant for emerging technology trends. A recent proof of concept conducted in collaboration with DHL Global Forwarding in Denmark explores the integration of AI and computer vision into operations to enhance safety. The partnership with Protex AI, leveraging AI-powered technology, facilitates proactive safety decision making through actionable insights.
The DHL Innovation Centers host workshops, innovation center tours, events, and collaborative innovation projects to better understand customer needs and identify actions to solve key supply chain challenges. Globally, these hubs host over 15,000 visitors annually and engage with more than 100 startups, oversee approximately 150 innovation projects and involve 1,000 subject matter experts each year.
“It is important for us to provide our customers and partners with the best possible experience, offering insights into forward-looking logistics. After around 15 years, we have reached the capacity limits of our current Innovation Center in Troisdorf,” said Katja Busch, chief commercial officer and head of customer solutions and innovation at DHL.
“The new DHL Europe Innovation Center facility will provide more space for various new exhibits and content and represent a pioneering dedication to environmental responsibility, social benefits and economic viability. This new facility will serve as a beacon of sustainability, setting new benchmarks for the industry and reinforcing DHL Group’s commitment to a greener future.”
Alexander Biber, Mayor of Troisdorf, commented, “Troisdorf is anticipating the construction of the DHL Europe Innovation Center in the city center. DHL is making significant strides in innovation while reducing its carbon footprint, and this exciting challenge is one that we, as a city, are pleased to support. We are looking forward to the synergies that will emerge with the diverse business landscape in Troisdorf and beyond and thank DHL for placing trust in our strong economic location.”
Read more key sustainability updates from the parcel and postal technology industry, here.