Expansion of logistics center 

Villmergen: new standards in warehouse logistics

Storage, packaging, customs clearance and shipping of goods: for more and more business customers, Swiss Post is their all-round logistics service provider. By 2025, it will expand the Villmergen location in the Canton of Aargau into its largest center for warehouse logistics. This is currently Swiss Post’s most important construction project.

As the online retail sector grows, Swiss Post is delivering more parcels to doorsteps and, for business customers, storing ever-growing volumes of goods. For everything from fridges to protein shakes to dangerous substances, Swiss Post has the right solution.

Investment in growing market

“There is a shortage of suitable spaces for goods, especially goods with special characteristics, such as sensitive, small or bulky products,” says André Brühlmann, Head of Logistics Center, “and the demand for comprehensive warehouse logistics services is growing steadily in all sectors.” Swiss Post is therefore significantly augmenting the capacities available at the Villmergen logistics center in the Canton of Aargau: this highly-automated, temperature-controlled storage space is being expanded from 20,000 to 57,000 square metres with multistorey extensions – equivalent to almost eight football pitches. One specialization of the Villmergen logistics center is the proper storage of medical and pharmaceutical products. “Because we are certified by Swissmedic, we also number pharmaceutical companies and hospitals among our customers,” explains André Brühlmann.

The groundbreaking ceremony for what will be Swiss Post’s largest logistics warehouse took place in June 2022. Operations are scheduled to start in 2025. Swiss Post is investing around 137 million francs in this expansion, currently its largest construction project. This will create 100 new full-time equivalent positions – in addition to the 70 already in place. A photovoltaic system on the roof will supply more than 1,200 megawatt hours of solar electricity annually, covering most of the center’s energy needs.

Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals

Swiss Post strengthens goods logistics

Because the increases in goods flows are not focused on national borders, but on customers and production sites, Swiss Post is continuing to expand its logistics network across borders. In 2022, Swiss Post acquired or acquired a stake in the following companies: Stella Brandenberger Transporte AG, based in Pratteln (Canton of Basel-Landschaft), a company specializing in the national transportation of overseas containers. With German company Hugger GmbH, a forwarding company with a focus on goods transport by road, Swiss Post is strengthening its presence in Baden-Württemberg. Logistik Center Villingen GmbH, based in Villingen-Schwenningen (Germany), specializes in storage services. Swiss Post has acquired shares in this company. With the company H. Bucher Internationale Transporte AG, based in Alpnach (Canton of Obwalden), it can offer its business customers additional logistics services and strengthen its network in Central Switzerland. The IT company Eoscop, based in Balsthal (Canton of Solothurn), develops specific digital applications. This enables Swiss Post to standardize and further develop its logistics processes.