Hubs deliveries in Mechelen
In Mechelen there is a city hub operational since 2016. It is managed by the warehousing and distribution company ODTH (www.odth.be). The local bike courier company Ecokoeriers operates from that city hub (www.ecokoeriers.be ). Within the scope of Surflogh, the city supports these companies and helps them to grow and further professionalize. A pilot project was defined that is financially supported out of the Surflogh budget.Together with the financial consulting agency Rebel (https://www.rebelgroup.com/en/ ) a participatory traject was started. During a first innovation lab meeting with all the implied stakeholders in september 2018, a brainstorm was held to define together a supported pilot project.
The brainstorm did not result into 1 big supported pilot project, but in a list of several smaller opportunities. This shows that the evolution to sustainable city distribution is the combination of several actions, rather than that there is one overall solution.
Out of the list of possibilities, one pilot project was defined, named ‘Logistics unburdening of the shop owner in the city center.’
What’s the business proposition? The shop owner is proposed to have all its goods delivered in the city hub ODTH. The goods are then consolidated and the last mile to the shop is performed by the Ecokoeriers on a moment that suits the shop owner the best.
What are the advantages? The shop owner is relieved of several deliveries per day and is being delivered in a consolidated way at the time that suits him/her the best. Because of the collaboration with the city hub and the bike courier, there are also less driven kilometers and movements of vans into the city center. In short, an efficiency and sustainability gain!
To persuade the shop owner, Rebel developed a calculation tool with which the shop owner can calculate its actual logistics cost and its estimated logistics cost when working with the city hub and the bike courier.
After a lot of individual negotiations; 2 clothing shops, Lily and Poulain Carmin, started on the 2nd of october with a cooperation with the city hub and the bike courier. In december, a third shop, Goldfish, joined to have her online packages being picked up by the bike courier.
The pilot project will last for 6 months. After 6 months an evaluation will be made and we will be able to estimate how many driven kilometers, van movements and CO2 reductions you can save through working with a city hub and a bike courier.
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Results/Report: