On 27 October, Albert Heijn opened its new Home Shop Center in Barendrecht. The food-tech company is constantly exploring new technologies to work smarter and more efficiently, and it shows: this WDP-built warehouse is equipped with the latest in automation, and it runs almost entirely on solar power.

The Home Shop Center was built to support the continued growth of Albert Heijn’s e‑commerce business. Every week, 45,000 orders are prepared here for home delivery. To keep that process as efficient as possible, 300 robots pick non-perishable goods and place them in crates that travel through the warehouse on an intricate network of rails. Operators then add fresh produce and finalise the order.

The robots take repetitive work off employees’ hands and allow Albert Heijn to keep growing despite ongoing labour shortages. A WDP warehouse, in other words, is more than a building. It is a smart logistics hub that helps clients tackle today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.

For WDP, the future of logistics is not just about automation. It is also about developing sustainable facilities that help clients decarbonise their operations. The Home Shop Center is a clear example of both: technological innovation paired with environmental performance.

This gas-free building does not depend on fossil fuels. Over 5,400 solar panels generate most of the electricity needed to run the site. Carefully selected installations, energy-efficient cooling cells, LED lighting and heat pumps for the offices’ climate control, keep energy consumption low. Outside, 63 EV charging stations support Albert Heijn’s transition to e‑mobility. Together, these measures earned the building a BREEAM Very Good certification.

With this project complete, there is little time to rest: the next Home Shop Center, in Zwolle, is already under construction and set to open by mid-2024.

Looking to optimise your logistics operations with a sustainable, automated warehouse? Get in touch with our experts.