City Distribution

City distribution by H.Essers

H.Essers is a partner of the City of Hasselt Depot, the first city distribution center in Flanders. The concept is simple. On the outskirts of the city a warehouse is built where the goods can be distributed to their suppliers. A truck leaves the city depot twice a day, which does delivers to various shops. The freights are combined to decrease the number of trips to and from the city centre.

H.Essers has chosen the city of Hasselt for the project because of its expertise and experience in logistics and transportation. H.Essers has advised the city in regards to project design, while also providing funding for the logistics center and transportation.

Beyond basic delivery

The electric vehicle delivers two times a day. This is a free basic service. In addition to this project, the city has various deposit paid services. The aim is to help traders in many ways: mail, such as waste paper, wood, plastic and cardboard can be returned and of course a storage depot is provided as a city service.

There is also a prompt service. If there are any urgent deliveries, retailers can simply email or call the city depot. Within half an hour the product will be delivered to the door. These urgent deliveries are made with a cargo bike with electric motor. This unique bicycle holds up to 1 cubic meter to be transported in a very fast and flexible way.

Ultimately, the city distribution warehouse store is also available to dealers for easy access. The warehouse also functions as a collection point for traders that allow customers to collect the heavy items purchased in the city.

Unique vehicle technology

The concept offers many advantages. This allows suppliers to enjoy flexible delivery times, with an easy to access warehouse. Traders also enjoy flexibility through a range of delivery options and the choice to exchange the city warehouse for cheaper storage that is determined by square metres or retail space.

For the city and its inhabitants, the advantage is even clearer - fewer trucks (1,140 large truck depot equivalent in city), less traffic (433.15km), less noise and less air pollution (182 346 kg of CO2). Overall, this project is a significant step toward an even more livable and enjoyable city.

City cooperation

The city depot is a project that the city along with traders have worked together to develop and implement. The essence of city deposit is that the merchants take control over the way goods are delivered in the city. This ensures that the city, suppliers and traders work together through every step of the way to ensure the best city distribution solutions.