Hans-Jürgen Melchor (Goldbeck), Dietmar Kersting (OEC) and Gregor Schnell (Grieshaber) break ground on the new Orion logistics center in Cologne, Germany. © Orion Engineered Carbons/Christoph Kottmann

Orion Engineered Carbons S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a worldwide supplier of specialty and high-performance Carbon Black, has announced that it is building a new logistics center at its largest manufacturing plant in Cologne, Germany. Upon completion, the central warehouse will be 8,850 square-meters, equaling a capacity of approximately 12,400 pallets.
"We produce 160,000 metric tons and more than 100 differentiated grades of carbon black at this facility each year which must be treated and handled very carefully. The new, modern distribution center will enable us to further grow our business in a location where we have deep roots," said Dr. Sandra Niewiem, Senior Vice President Specialty Carbon Black and EMEA Region.
The new building, a turnkey project of Goldbeck construction company, will have eight truck docks. It will equalize plant traffic - with about one hundred trucks passing through the plant gate every day. In addition, the new warehouse will eliminate internal logistics, with consolidation into one location. Orion will lease the warehouse from Grieshaber.
"With a space-optimized shuttle warehouse system and the connection to the warehouse via an automated material conveyor system, we will be able to guarantee a smooth and even more efficient flow of goods," said Grieshaber Managing Director Gregor Schnell.
Construction of the new distribution center will start in the next few weeks with the shell construction. The topping-out ceremony is planned for the end of June, with the handover and commissioning scheduled for December.
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