At this year’s Transport & Logistics Awards, ECS earned 2nd place in the “Project of the Year” category, a proud moment, and a strong nod to the vision behind our automated highbay warehouse in Zeebrugge. But this project is more than a technical milestone. It’s a statement about where logistics is heading, and how ECS plans to lead the way.
The challenge: inefficiency, high cost, and too much road
Before the build of the new highbay, our operations relied on three different warehouse sites, including partially rented locations. The result? Higher costs, more road mileage, and a fragmented process that didn’t match our ambitions, or our clients’ needs. With sustainability rising on every agenda, and the industry under pressure from rising fuel costs and driver shortages, it was clear: something had to change.
A smart, centralised solution with ripple effects
We answered with a bold shift, investing in a fully automated warehouse directly connected to the rail network. By consolidating our operations, we not only simplified the flow of goods, we reshaped the economics and environmental impact of our business.
Some key results:
- Storage capacity jumped to 160.000 pallet spaces
- Road transport to the UK and Ireland dropped by 30%
- We shifted 13.000 additional loads per year from road to rail
- Our carbon output fell significantly, in line with EU Green Deal targets
How we brought it to life
No system this advanced builds itself. One of the toughest challenges was making our pallet flow fully automation-ready. So, our teams developed a pallet classification system from the ground up, ensuring seamless integration with the warehouse’s robotic processes. From concept to execution, it was a team effort driven by expertise, iteration, and a shared goal to do better.
Why it really matters
In today’s world, logistics needs to be fast, sustainable, and resilient. Our highbay facility supports all three. It’s:
- The first of its kind in the Benelux, combining full automation with direct rail access
- Built for just-in-time delivery, with less dead mileage and smarter planning
- Designed to help clients succeed in a market that’s changing fast
This project wasn’t just about adopting new tools, it was about rethinking how we move goods, end to end.
What’s next
The journey’s far from over. We’re working toward 100% warehouse occupancy in the next five years, expanding our rail network across Europe, and continuing to invest in low-emission transport, from electric trucks to HVO fuels.