Logistics and Supply Chain Subsidiary of US Trucking Group Expands in Europe

NETHERLANDS – US – It is a fact that road freight giant Con-way Incorporated is as American as Mom’s apple pie but the traditional trucking company’s suitably Dutch sounding logistics and supply chain management subsidiary, Menlo, has just announced a deal with global industrial real estate developer Prologis to construct a new 70,000 square metre regional logistics facility in Eindhoven.

The facility will be located at the Acht industrial park in Eindhoven, adjacent to the A2/N2 Eindhoven ring road, which offers direct access to Belgium and Germany, as well as Amsterdam to the north. It will be one of the largest build-to-suit projects in the region. The expansion demonstrates Menlo’s commitment to investing in the expanding market for high-value warehousing, distribution and fulfilment services in the Benelux region, and its traditional prominence as a strategic logistics hub for central Europe.

The new Eindhoven facility complements Menlo’s European footprint, which includes a network of 16 facilities throughout Europe staffed by 800 employees. The company services more than 30 European businesses and multinational companies in sectors such as healthcare, fashion and apparel, consumer goods, e-commerce, high-tech, industrial manufacturing and automotive. Robert L. Bianco Jr., President of San Francisco, California-based Menlo Logistics, commented:

“The Benelux region and Europe as a whole have always been strong markets for Menlo and represent some of our most promising growth areas, due largely to our presence in the healthcare sector, where we have served medical device manufacturers for many years. Our long-term lease for this facility with our real estate development partner, Prologis, further reinforces our commitment to the European market, not only for healthcare logistics, but across a wide spectrum of industries. We are investing to grow with our customers.”

The Eindhoven distribution centre will be one of Menlo’s most advanced facilities, with specific design elements and features to address the stringent requirements of the multiple industries the company supports. It will be a multi-discipline, multi-client facility capable of supporting the local, regional and global supply chain operations of manufacturers, distributors and service providers across a variety of industries.

The facility also will be capable of delivering other value-added services, such as picking and packing operations, product configuration, customised labelling and return management services. More than 200 employees will support the operation. Initial site preparation for the facility began in late July with construction scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2016. Bram Verhoeven, country manager, Prologis Benelux observed:

“This transaction reflects the strong demand for Class A facilities in Tilburg, Eindhoven and Venlo and further strengthens Prologis’ presence in this market. We are pleased to further our global partnership with Menlo in the development of strategic industrial real estate properties that provide high-value logistics services for local, regional and global businesses.”

Prologis is the leading provider of industrial real estate in the Benelux, with approximately 1.7 million square metres of logistics and distribution space in the region. The deal is the latest partnership between the logistics group and the property development giant which has already supplied Menlo with premises in Asia and North America.