Rhenus Group has expanded its Johannesburg footprint by relocating to a new 28 000 sqm facility in Meadowview.
The R440 million investment includes a 24 500 sqm warehouse and 3 000 sqm of office space.
A company statement says the facility effectively doubles the logistics multinational’s operational capacity.
Cornell van Rooyen, CEO of Rhenus Warehousing Solutions for the Middle East and Africa region, explained that the move had been driven by growth and the need for greater efficiencies.
He said the former facility in Longmeadow had high warehouse utilisation and operations were spread across three separate buildings, which limited future expansion.
Van Rooyen said that consolidating their Gauteng operations under one roof had already improved operational efficiency, streamlined workflows, and enhanced scalability to support the company’s regional growth.
The statement further highlighted the facility's strategic location, being close to OR Tambo International Airport and the City Deep Container Terminal, while remaining accessible to current customers and ensuring minimal disruption to staff commuting.
Dirk Goedhart, managing director of Rhenus Air & Ocean South Africa, remarked that the integrated facility enhanced productivity by enabling seamless cargo flow across the group's various divisions. He also emphasised that the facility had been tailored to the company's specific requirements, allowing it to provide customised solutions to meet clients' unique needs.
The warehouse incorporates several notable features, including over 600 CCTV cameras to bolster security.
Sustainability is a key aspect of its design, with a 500kW photovoltaic system powered by 1 600 solar panels, an 800W lithium-ion battery plant, and a 500kW diesel generator, ensuring energy efficiency and providing up to eight hours of reliable back-up power.
Water management systems further support sustainable operations, including a borehole, a 120 000-litre rainwater harvesting system, a 40 000-litre fire sprinkler reservoir, and a 1.1-million-litre stormwater tank.
Goedhart said the premises not only met current needs but had also been designed with future growth in mind, featuring 4 700 sqm reserved for expansion.
The warehouse includes a 1 300 sqm refrigeration area with a section maintained at -20°C and 100 deep-freeze units integrated into ground-floor racking – a unique feature globally and a first in South Africa's warehousing sector.
With a total capacity for 25 000 industrial-standard pallets, the facility is also the only one in the country fully compliant with the storage of lithium-ion batteries, offering 1 600 battery-compatible pallet positions. Additionally, it is equipped to handle high-value cargo, with a 250 sqm secure vault providing enhanced safety measures.
Van Rooyen pointed out that the move to the new facility would result in immediate workforce growth, with several new roles, including a warehouse manager position, being created. To support this, training programmes are being introduced to upskill employees in using the advanced technology and equipment at the site. Goedhart concluded that the investment reflected the company’s confidence in the local market and aligned with its 2030 growth targets. He added that Rhenus had consistently invested in South Africa over the past five years and that the new facility would play a significant role in the group’s expansion strategy.
