Vanheede aims high with state-of-the-art logistics center for special waste

An investment of 54 million for the first fully automated logistics center for "special waste" in Belgium

Vanheede Environment Group, active in waste management and processing, is building a Smart Special Waste Logistic Center on the Haven Zuid Roeselare business park. With a view to maximum recycling and using state-of-the-art automation techniques, the logistics center will be responsible for the acceptance, grouping, repackaging and storage of hazardous and non-hazardous waste materials that require special care (special waste). Vanheede gives these waste materials the best possible destination, with a strong focus on risk control, production of high-quality end products and avoiding negative impact on the surroundings and the environment.

In the spring of 2025, the existing special waste activity -which has been active on the Rumbeke site for 26 years- will move integrally to the new site on the Haven Zuid Roeselare business park. There, Vanheede is building a brand new logistics center and energy-efficient office complex on a 5.5-hectare site, representing an investment of 54 million euros and, in time, the basis for some 40 newly created jobs.

Quality end products through automation and digitization

Special waste has great potential to be valorized and upgraded, but is often delivered in small volumes as unprecedented mixtures. Due to limited characterization and lack of producer knowledge, valuable valorization is not always possible. Therefore, Vanheede is developing a data-driven methodology for the identification, classification, management and upgrading of special waste.

"This approach requires a completely new business model and an innovative logistics center that produces quality raw materials based on data-driven methodologies. In this way, we give the best destination to more than 2,000 unique waste families and their packaging and take a big step forward in the upgrading special waste", said Kurt Van Brabandt, Business Unit Manager of Special Waste Management at Vanheede.

Low-impact activities

Vanheede wants to expand the operations of its logistics center low impact perform. By conducting all activities inside or under a canopy, the environmental company avoids emissions to the environment. Among other things, extraction will be provided in each room and the extracted air will be purified through an activated carbon filter. All process water will be collected and processed in an external water treatment plant.

2.4 million toward fire protection

"Risk management is top priority, which is why we are investing 2.4 million in the best fire protection, among other things." explains Mathias D'Hulster, Project Engineer Infrastructure at Vanheede. All products are stored centrally in a highly secure and automated warehouse connected to an internal automatic transport system. A Manufacturing Operating System keeps track of all necessary data. This way, Vanheede will always know where which product is located and at what risk.

Sustainable and circular construction

The new site will be built with the most sustainable techniques and materials, fully customized to the user. The parking lot will not be an average parking lot, but a green environment with a pond at its core. With the building materials used, Vanheede is also going circular. "The concrete elements of our new building contain cement produced using the high-calorific pellets we produce ourselves at our site in Dottenijs. In addition, we reused more than 7,500 m³ or 12,500 tons of mixed rubble, concrete rubble and soil from the old buildings on our site in Rumbeke." explains Mathias D'Hulster.

More expansions in sight

In Rumbeke, the environmental company is building a new sorting plant for mixed industrial residual waste. This 35 million investment means an expansion of sorting capacity by 100,000 tons. A brand new office complex will also be put into use there in 2025. In addition, Vanheede will invest 30 million in the coming years to expand its activities in northern France, where it has already been operating for 30 years.