Industrial logistics today
Undoubtedly, in the past two or three years, the manufacturing and economic world have experienced a real revolution due to a series of simultaneous events that have deeply affected the structures and dynamics of the whole system. First and foremost, the Covid-19 pandemic fundamentally changed our habits, producing a sudden and dramatic development of online commerce and home delivery. These new customs have been preserved even if the health situation is under control.
On the other hand, the economic and supply crises that followed the pandemic caused a new balance among productive sectors, sending some realities into crisis while promoting the development of others. Finally, uncertainty at the international level and the main changes caused by the new balances among world economies have significantly impacted the size and direction of international trade.
Therefore, we cannot be surprised that the world of industrial logistics is also experiencing a period of profound change. Companies are facing new challenges and confronting previously almost unknown needs. In this context of radical change, AKNO’s business parks keep playing a crucial role. The recently completed new projects, such as those of the new lot in Broni (PV) and Settala (MI), dedicated specifically to the pharmaceutical industry, show how our logistics facilities are appreciated and stand as vital hubs for the changes in modern logistics.
AKNO’s business park innovations
AKNO‘s design philosophy has always been driven by two founding principles: the creation of efficient facilities, and respect for environmental sustainability. Thanks to our company’s long tradition in logistics construction, we are able to understand customer requirements and design business parks that meet the technical and commercial needs of companies from different sectors.
The integration of goods storage spaces, loading and unloading areas, and administrative offices within the volume of logistics parks must be designed to optimize the flow of goods and labour. This is the key to the efficiency of any logistics facility. In addition, the choice of strategic geographical locations is of primary importance for cutting transportation costs and thus for the economy of the whole process. As it is well known, the best location for a logistics hub is one that minimizes distances and transportation time between manufacturing plants and retail outlets. Thus, it is needed an analysis that considers both geographic distances and access to fast routes for transporting goods. For this reason, business parks tend to be built in a few specific areas that have this set of characteristics. Broni, Settala, Telgate, Nogarole Rocca, Belgioioso, and the other locations where we have built our facilities, are classic examples of how the most suitable spaces for industrial logistics can be found right near major highway and railway junctions, in a barycentric position close to the main centres of central and northern Italy.
Eco sustainability and energy efficiency
AKNO has always supported environmentally friendly architecture according to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) principles, and in the design of its business parks, it always provides the most advanced technological solutions aimed at energy saving. This issue, crucial for the respect of the environment, is also an aspect of considerable importance for the containment of operating costs of our logistics parks. And this is vital, especially in the current international economic situation.
The constant presence of photovoltaic solar panels in our facilities, for example, contributes concretely to the reduction of electricity bills, as do the large glass roofs that minimize the need to employ energy for artificial lighting by making the most of the natural one.
Another vital aspect of the eco-sustainability of our business parks is the choice of materials and window and door frames that provide a considerable degree of thermal insulation to the facility’s interior spaces. This, combined with high-efficiency heating and air conditioning systems, aims to minimize energy consumption for air conditioning of the rooms and thus achieves the dual goals of preserving the environment and containing operating costs.
All these energy-saving and environmentally friendly technical solutions, complemented by, among others, rainwater recovery, are in addition to AKNO‘s focus on sustainable site management during construction and proper disposal of waste produced during the construction of our business parks.
