Sud Fresh is gearing up for an impressive new project in 2025.
To meet the growing demand for climate-controlled food storage, we are beginning construction of a “mega-freezer” in Rhisnes (Namur). The project goes beyond providing additional storage capacity and also plays an important role in making our business operations more sustainable, particularly through the future electrification of our fleet.
Our current capacity of 25,000 pallet spaces, spread across our warehouses in Aubange and Rhisnes, is already fully booked through 2031. That is why we will be using our land reserves in Rhisnes to build an additional 6,000 m² warehouse, fully temperature-controlled and with an impressive height of 20 to 21 meters. The new warehouse is expected to add 10,000 additional pallet spaces and is located right next to the current cross-dock site. This will enable us to respond even more quickly and efficiently to our customers’ needs, which will benefit both our productivity and our service quality.
The building permit is expected in the first quarter of 2025, after which we will begin construction in the third quarter. We expect the new facility to be ready for use by the end of 2026.
Sustainability is central to this expansion. The new temperature-controlled warehouse will, of course, be equipped with solar panels on the roof—and possibly on one of the facades as well. This will help minimize our carbon footprint and support the purchase of electric trucks in the coming years. “Our warehouses have high energy needs. With solar panels on the roof, we can cover up to 50% of our energy demand in the summer and between 30 and 35% during other periods,” said CEO Vincent Gaillard. “To further increase the share of renewable energy, we are exploring several options. One of these is installing two small wind turbines with horizontal rotor blades. These would complement the solar panels well, as they provide peak power at different times.”
However, an initial analysis shows that such an investment is less likely to pay off financially than solar panels. That is why Sud Fresh is exploring the alternative of installing solar panels on the walls of the new building as well, which would also provide additional thermal insulation. The company is also considering covering the truck parking lot with solar panels, and there is a plan for a temporary electricity storage system to ensure that future electric trucks can always be charged.
As a transportation company—and above all, as a dedicated partner to our customers—we remain committed to investing in the future. We are fully committed to a future in which sustainability, quality, and growth go hand in hand!
