Consum invests €12.4M in a platform in the Zona Franca to manage waste from its supermarkets

BarcelonaThe Valencian supermarket cooperative Consum has launched a new logistics platform in the Zona Franca of Barcelona to manage the waste generated by its supermarkets. The 9,330-square-meter facility has received an investment of 12.4 million euros and employs around fifty workers. As detailed by the company this Wednesday in a statement, it is estimated that the space will manage, each month, a total of 800 tons of cardboard, 50 tons of plastic, 140,000 pallets, and 800,000 reusable containers.

The disbursement has allowed Consum to double the truck unloading docks that the warehouse previously had and add two independent loading docks to improve the efficiency of transport processes. Photovoltaic panels and a new digital lighting control system have also been installed, actions that have allowed the infrastructure to obtain the BREEAM sustainable building certification, one of the main international standards.

The investment announced this Wednesday is part of Consum's environmental policy, which aims for the selective collection and recovery of nearly 99% of waste. Among other actions promoted by the cooperative under the umbrella of this initiative, the production of bags with 100% recycled plastic throughout the commercial network stands out, an action that allows for the recycling of more than 2,000 tons of plastic waste per year.

More investments in sight

The inauguration of the logistics platform comes after the Valencian cooperative announced an investment of 100 million euros in the construction of a new 50,000 square meter operational center, also in the Zona Franca of Barcelona. With these resources, Consum plans to build 50,000 square meter facilities in the space previously occupied by Vidriera Rovira, the former bottle factory of the brewer Damm.

In parallel, the group continues to negotiate to obtain the necessary permits to create a new 100,000 square meter macro-logistics center in Montcada i Reixac (Vallès Occidental). The operation, which foresees an additional investment of about 150 million euros, aims to double down on its commitment to Catalonia and strengthen its commercial strategy based on acquiring local products.

While waiting for these two projects to prosper, Consum currently has two platforms in the Barcelona area. Besides the facilities in the Zona Franca, the chain also has an 11,800 square meter space in El Prat de Llobregat (Baix Llobregat).