The first sustainable urban logistics centre opens in Madrid

The first sustainable urban distribution centre has opened in Spain and will make use of environmentally sustainable vehicles for deliveries. This centre, which is 360 square metres large, makes it possible to receive packages sold by e-commerce operators, store them and prepare them to be delivered by bike. 

Mensos, the company responsible for the new centre is aware of the challenges that last mile deliveries are facing in the urban environment. In this sense, they plan to help decrease road congestion and pursue greater efficiency in freight distribution. The number of daily deliveries that can be carried out using two bicycles is equivalent to that of a normal diesel-fuelled delivery van, allowing the saving of 27 tons of CO2 in the centre of Madrid throughout 2018. In addition, these bicycles can transport up to 100 kg of cargo and have the technology of geolocation and traceability for all goods transported.

Currently, it works as an urban distribution hub and new features and services will be added in time. In order to carry out the technological development of the centre and continue to scale up this business model and take it to other cities, Mensos hopes to raise additional investment. More than half of the Mensos' staff is contracted: the remaining working force is composed by freelancers, combining this job with other occupations. The company's plans are to replicate the new Madrid centre from September 2019 in other Spanish cities, such as Valencia, Seville, Zaragoza and Bilbao through a franchise model.

Source: Story first published by Logi News in March 2019