Not only is the 100,000 square-meters Muggensturm site in Germany the French cosmetic giant’s largest, but its particularly high environmental standards also make it a pioneering example of sustainable logistics real estate development.
"Sustainable development is an integral part of our company culture," according to L’Oréal operations director Klemens Gschwandtner, and the development testifies to that. Sustainability considerations were incorporated at every stage to produce a completely carbon-neutral facility. L’Oréal will power the center with renewable energy and harvest rainwater for all its irrigation needs. The site will also be planted with 30,000 square meters of green spaces and a 7,400-panel, 2-megawatt photovoltaic system.
Working closely with the municipality, Prologis converted what had previously been agricultural land around Muggensturm into an industrial park. Construction on the 18-hectare site began in February 2018. Before receiving the building permit, Prologis had defined and implemented detailed wildlife protection measures, replacing habitats for reptiles and amphibians, such as natterjack toads, in rainwater collection basins and green spaces. Prologis is even planting a replacement habitat for skylarks on the roof. The natural balance is being protected in every existing ecosystem.
L’Oréal will be able to supply its German, Austrian and Swiss markets more effectively from the new site. “We will have double the space we have today”, explained Klemens Gschwandtner, “giving us greater flexibility and enabling us to work more efficiently and quickly to satisfy our customers.”