DHL Parcel recently officially opened the loading doors of its brand new sorting center in Amsterdam, which has been built according to the BREEAM excellent standard. This is also a good moment for Marco de Groot, resource management logistics consultant at Milgro, because from the start he has been involved in the management of waste flows at this new location of the second largest parcel carrier in our country.
“Thanks to the knowledge and experience that we have built up at otherDHL Parcel locations, we knew exactly which types and volumes of residual flows we could expect,” says De Groot. "In addition, we organized an inspiring brainstorming session early in the design phase where we, together with DHL, reflected on, for example, safety, efficient internal waste movements and awareness among DHL staff."
Flexibility and awareness
Based on the philosophy of 'grip on waste', Milgro takes control of all waste flows for DHL Parcel. “The advantage of thinking along from the design phase is that we could immediately put the right collection resources in the right place,” says De Groot. "For example, the container for A-wood is now under the loading dock, so that employees do not have to drive out with broken - and therefore unstable - pallets." But Milgro also offers flexibility with changing volumes and, thanks to its data-driven approach, anticipates fluctuations in waste flows.
In addition, waste separation is encouraged with the help of visual management; not only in the workplace, but also in the office. For example, there are so-called 'droppers' in the office environment: waste bins for paper, coffee cups and residual waste that stimulate correct use due to their color and shape.
Ready for the future
For more than 10 years, Milgro has provided independent waste management for the various DHL business units, including DHL Parcel. Milgro's approach, which focuses on profitable sustainability, is a good fit with DHL's sustainable ambitions as outlined in the company's Go Green program. The new building in Amsterdam, for example, has 4,700 solar panels on the roof, which can provide 80% of the location's energy needs.
DHL Parcel is growing rapidly due to the worldwide increase in e-commerce and is investing heavily in its network of modern sorting centers. The next milestone is the largest e-commerce sorting center in Zaltbommel, which will become even more sustainable. Milgro, as an expert in the field of circular raw materials management, is of course also involved in this.
