HARDER Logistics Expands Location in Neu-Ulm

Investments in the future characterized the year 2022 for HARDER Logistics from Neu-Ulm. While the newly opened automated container storage hall is in high demand, the company plans to construct an office building and a warehouse at the same location. With a full order book for the first half of the year, HARDER Logistics has started 2023 on a strong note. Managing Director Marcello Danieli also reflects positively on the past year.

(Neu-Ulm) Danieli is particularly pleased with the success of the fully automated container storage hall opened in June 2022 in Neu-Ulm. “The demand is high, especially for the app that allows users to access their containers autonomously 24/7. With about 190 containers, the hall is already 75 percent booked.” The entrepreneur expects full occupancy by mid-2024, which also depends on the currently scarce storage containers available on the market. To provide the boxes on-site to customers more flexibly, the company recently invested half a million euros in a loading crane vehicle, which will be delivered this spring. In the medium term, HARDER Logistics plans to expand the container hall, doubling the parking spaces from 250 to 500.

Two to three major projects per month

The business areas of operational relocations, object moves, industrial relocations, and clean-up (restoration of properties to their original state) have developed disproportionately well over the past year. “On average, we have managed about two to three major projects per month alongside our daily business. For example, we are currently supporting the closure of the fish canning manufacturer Hawesta in Lübeck with our clean-up activities, as well as the partial relocation of production lines to Rügenfisch in Saßnitz,” reports Danieli. Another focus in 2022 was logistical activities for hospitals. The operational relocator took over the move of the Sana Clinic with nearly 400 patient beds to a new building within Biberach. Another project was the complete relocation of the former lung clinic St. Blasien, now operating under the name Lung Clinic Breisgau, from a historic building to Waldkirch, 75 km away.

Consistent continuation of environmental strategy

For the fourth consecutive year, the operational relocator has been able to report a climate-neutral result through compensation measures. “Our goal is to continue to align our environmental strategy consistently to become climate-positive as soon as possible,” says Danieli. The transition of over 40 warehouse vehicles to electric drives is well advanced. About 95 percent of the forklifts are already powered by electricity. Regarding the fleet of around 30 vehicles, Danieli tends to rely on electric mobility for short-distance transports and to use hydrogen-powered trucks for long distances, although a final decision is still pending. “We will invest in electric moving vehicles as soon as the charging capacity at our location is sufficiently secured. By 2025, hydrogen-powered trucks are to be added, provided the technology has matured by then,” plans Danieli.

Investment in logistics hall and office building planned

Operating the company in a climate-positive manner is within reach as soon as the next construction phase at the new location is completed. A logistics hall and an office building will be built on the site next to the container storage hall, allowing all activities to be centrally managed from one location. A series of construction measures will be implemented, and a large-scale photovoltaic system will be installed to become independent of energy suppliers. The entire construction project is expected to be completed by 2025, with an additional investment of around 21 million euros flowing into the project, in addition to the approximately 7 million euros already invested in land and the container storage hall. “Whether the project can be carried out as planned and the timeline adhered to also depends on the further economic development,” Danieli explains, emphasizing, “caused by the official approval processes, the project has been delayed to the extent that we are now entering a phase of high interest rates and need to adjust our plans accordingly.”

Photo: © HARDER Logistics / Caption: With about 190 containers, the automated container storage hall is already 75 percent booked.