Sioen Apparel, our Protective Clothing division, has opened its new central logistics centre to serve its customers even better. Located a few kilometres from our Belgian HQ in Ardooie, this state-of-the-art facility significantly boosts operational efficiency and enables future growth. The project represents a major milestone in Sioen Apparel’s growth, strengthening our position as market leader.
With this impressive, additional logistics centre, Sioen Apparel has doubled its warehousing capacity and now has a total surface area of 25,000 m². With a height of 17 meters, the building accommodates nine pallet levels, enabling efficient storage and handling of more than 10,000 pallets. The new and automated Warehouse Management System has been specifically designed to maximize operational efficiency in managing this substantial volume of SKUs.
A key feature of the facility's modern approach to logistics is its advanced material handling equipment. The warehouse operates with a fleet of specialized EKX and EKS forklifts, chosen for their combination of speed, user-friendliness, and safety features. These vehicles work in tandem with the facility's automated systems to ensure smooth operations throughout the expansive space, making the warehouse run partly on autopilot.
The journey towards leadership consolidation
To better answer increasing customer demand for our protective clothing, a new Warehouse Management System and several automation solutions were successfully implemented in 2022 already. This initial step proved crucial, with minimal market disruption setting a positive tone for the larger consolidation ahead.
The construction progress was efficient, with ground preparation beginning in the second half of 2023. The final phase, executed in late 2024, involved the careful transfer of inventory to the new facility, marking the successful completion of this ambitious project. Now in 2025, the Sioen Apparel logistics centre is delivering protective clothing to our customer’s all over the world. Several expansion capabilities assure that our logistics capabilities remain best-in-class, now and in the future.
