The building has four levels and 17 loading docks
TVH, a manufacturer of replacement parts used in the material handling sector and elsewhere, has opened a new building at its headquarters in Waregem, Belgium.
The new facility, known as Plant T, represents a significant expansion for the company. Made possible by an investment of EUR 85 million, it includes four floors, 54,000m² of logistics space, and 2,000m² of office space.
It also houses 17 loading docks and is connected to the existing warehouse across the street via a new 600-ton connector bridge.
According to TVH, the new plant will serve as a central hub for all incoming goods, sorting them by priority.
“It’s easy to think Plant T is just another storage warehouse, but that’s not the case at all,” says Tanja Dysli, COO at TVH. “It’s a vital link in our warehouse logistical process to improve throughput time and consequently offer better lead times to customers, and our other branches in the world.”
The plant is designed to ensure the efficient internal movement of goods.
“By using conveyors, lifts, robots and AMRs, all parts can easily be sorted, buffered and moved across the plant to the correct workstation,” says Dysli.
“Moreover, we use autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) because the technology is highly flexible and scalable, enabling us to deliver the right goods to each workstation precisely and according to their correct priority.”
According to TVH, sustainability was a key consideration in the development of Plant T. For example, its roof contains 2,266 solar panels, with the capacity to produce around 1,250 MW of energy, and it also includes a waste recycling area that handles and processes wood, plastics and other waste materials.