Avnet announces the start of construction of its high-performance distribution center in Bernburg (Saale)

The plan is for the 225-million-euro investment to come into operation in 2024. From then onward, up to 19,000 parcels will be sent out every day to more than 30,000 customers worldwide

Bernburg (Saale), September 7, 2022. "As construction work begins on our ultra-modern, high-performance distribution center for electronic components and semi-conductor electronics in Bernburg, as a company we can be sure that we will meet the growing demands of the market and implement our growth strategy in Europe. We are investing in the location and will create several hundred jobs there over the next few years," explained Slobodan Pujarevic, President of Avnet EMEA. "We are aware of the importance of this investment. For Avnet, social engagement, corporate responsibility and sustainability are not just buzzwords but genuine commitments."

As a result, the new logistics center will largely avoid using fossil fuels and will rely almost entirely on renewable energies and green electricity. "Among other things we will be installing a photovoltaic system on the roofs and we are planning other sustainable, environmentally friendly measures," added Roswitha Heiland, Vice President of Avnet Logistics EMEA.

During the ceremony, two trees were handed over to students of the local "Regenbogen" elementary school and to Anhalt University of Applied Sciences as a symbol of the sustainability and regional ties of the company. "Once the distribution center is finished, they will be planted on the site. In the meantime, we are giving them to the elementary school and the university to look after. The two tress represent our future social engagement and our responsibility as an employer in the region," remarked Slobodan Puljarevic.

"As the construction phase starts, we will also begin recruiting the staff we need. We have been pleasantly surprised by the responses and the unsolicited applications that we have received since we chose the site in May. The very positive, fast-moving and productive cooperation with the region of Saxony-Anhalt, the district, the town and our partners confirms the fact that we have made the right decision about this site, not only because of its central location in Europe and good transport links with Leipzig-Halle airport," explained Heiland.

Both the Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt, Dr. Reiner Haseloff, and Sven Schulze, the Minister for Economic Affairs, Tourism, Agriculture and Forestry, were full of praise for the rapid implementation of the project. "Avnet's arrival in Bernburg shows that Saxony-Anhalt is an attractive business location. This company is another good advertisement for our region. We welcome investors with open arms. The regional government, the municipalities and the business development specialists work closely and effectively together to facilitate investment in the future of our region," said the Minister President. "The arrival of Avnet is another major success for Saxony-Anhalt that will bring many modern, secure jobs to the region. This will reinforce the position of Saxony-Anhalt as a business location even further," added the Minister for Economic Affairs Sven Schulze.

The high-performance distribution center, which consists of several logistics units with buildings in front of them that house employee facilities and administration departments, is being built on a site around 190,000 square meters in size and also includes roads and paths and a parking lot for a minimum of 400 cars and a minimum of 22 trucks. The external height of the buildings ranges from 14 to 35 meters. The first phase of the construction project involves logistics areas covering 56,000 square meters, offices covering 4,600 square meters and a product modification center (PMC) with an area of around 1,100 square meters. Extensions to these areas are being planned and around 700 jobs will be created by 2031. With its good transport links, Bernburg (Saale) allows for rapid, efficient access to the air freight hub at Leipzig/Halle airport.

Following the successful start of construction in September 2022, the center will gradually be brought into operation during 2024. The company will then start delivering up to 19,000 parcels a day to over 30,000 customers worldwide. The new facility in Bernburg (Saale) will complement Avnet's two existing European distribution centers in Tongeren in Belgium and Poing near Munich in Germany. According to the company, the investment amounts to more than 225 million euros.

Dr. Silvia Ristow, Mayor of Bernburg (Saale), highlighted the boost for Bernburg as a business location and, in particular, the company's positive efforts to become more environmentally aware: "We are responsible for ensuring that our town is a safe, attractive and healthy place to live and work. The environment and the climate affect all of us and it is essential for us all to act sustainably. Therefore, we are very pleased that Avnet takes this subject extremely seriously and, with the installation of a photovoltaic system on its roofs and the use of renewable energies and green electricity, is contributing to our move toward making the industry in the area more sustainable."

"Now that we have received the first construction permit for the groundwork, which marks the official start of the construction project, we would like to thank everyone involved for their valuable cooperation. Our thanks go to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the IMG, the investment bank, the town of Bernburg (Saale) and the Salzland district for the excellent support that they have given us. We would also like to thank our partners Körber Supply Chain Automation GmbH, Max Bögl Group, Verdion GmbH and Tricer Management GmbH for their help with the project and we look forward to continuing this successful cooperation in the next construction phase," said Thomas Ludäscher, Senior Vice President and CFO Avnet EMEA. In addition, Avnet thanked its partners Miebach Consulting and Logivest GmbH which provided the company with significant support during the evaluation phase and the choice of the site.

Background information on Avnet Inc.:

As a leading global technology distributor and solutions provider, Avnet has served customers’ evolving needs for over a century. We support customers at each stage of a product’s life cycle, from idea to design and from prototype to production. Our unique position at the center of the technology value chain enables us to accelerate the design and supply stages of product development, so that our customers can shorten their time-to-market and earn revenue more quickly. For decades, Avnet has been helping its customers and suppliers around the world to make use of the transformative possibilities of technology.

In EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa), Avnet has a customer and supplier strategy that focuses on various technological fields. Its independent business units EBV Elektronik, Avnet Silica, Avnet Abacus and Avnet Embedded give it a strong market position. These business units combine world-class technical expertise with a comprehensive range of supply chain services. Avnet also relies on Avnet Logistics, its strong logistical backbone, with its worldwide warehouses and distribution centers.

Source: www.avnet.com