Lecot opens new logistics center in Heule

Targeted investment to serve customers even faster and more reliably

Heule, Feb. 6, 2026 - Lecot is opening a brand new, automated logistics center in Heule. With this investment, the wholesaler of construction hardware, tools, machinery and fasteners is strengthening its logistics strength and preparing for further growth. The new hub forms an important link in the service to the construction industry and is unique for the hardware sector in Belgium.

Focused response to customer expectations

The new logistics site was designed to handle larger volumes more efficiently, with shorter lead times and even higher reliability. For customers, this means a logistics system that grows with their expectations and the responsiveness their projects require.

“Our customers expect speed, availability and continuity,” said Pieter Morisse, CEO of Lecot. “With the new logistics center, we are consciously investing in the infrastructure that supports our services in the long term. It is a necessary step to continue our role as the most reliable partner in our sector.”

Specifically, thanks to the speed of the new warehouse, customers who order a stock item online before 5:30 p.m. will be able to pick up the item at a branch of their choice as early as 8 a.m. the next morning. Currently this only applies to orders placed through the B2B platform and the branches, by the end of this year this will happen for all orders.

“In our 85 branches, customers will find an average of 9,000 articles, our central distribution centers in Heule and Maaseik house 40,000,” Pieter Morisse clarifies. “So if customers do not find what they are looking for in the branches, we have a huge stock of stock items that they can pick up at their branch the very next day.”

Logistics as a basis for growth

The investment is part of a broader vision of the future in which Lecot is fully committed to customer satisfaction. The new logistics center therefore streamlines and accelerates logistical processes.

“It is very important for Lecot to be able to efficiently serve our customers and our network of branches,” said Stefaan Verhoyen, Director of Operations at Lecot. “With 85 branches in Belgium, a B2B ordering platform and a web shop, smooth logistics is a prerequisite to offer our customers that speed and service they expect as professionals.”

A good example is the processing of delivered goods. Deliveries from suppliers at Lecot are now received so efficiently that the time taken to stock the goods is halved: from 2-3 working days to 1 working day. This means that what is delivered today is available for sale tomorrow through the B2B platform, on order through the branches, or through customer service.

Attention to extension and ergonomics

The building was designed in the master plan to allow for further growth and scale up logistics operations. The potential growth in capacity is enormous: in the current setup, Lecot can handle double the number of orders compared to before the construction of the new distribution center. Besides 72.5% more surface area - the new warehouse adds 5,800 m² to the already existing 8,000 m² - the workstations were also optimized with an eye on the working comfort of Lecot's logistics employees in Heule. The KNAPP shuttle system combined with conveyors ensures that warehouse workers have to do much less lifting or carry heavy loads. The new pick, pack and reception stations are also height adjustable, for a maximum ergonomic working environment.