The Hermes Einrichtungs Service and Kemena GmbH have been working together in a strategic cooperation since November 2024. According to information from the companies, they aim to offer integrated, efficient and sustainable supply chain solutions for the European market. The partnership is aimed at retailers, manufacturers, importers and marketplaces who are expected to benefit from end-to-end control of the logistics processes.
"Our cooperation combines Kemena's international reach with the service quality and customer proximity of the HES network," says Heiko Hufenbach, Business Development Manager at HES. "As a result, retailers, manufacturers, importers and marketplaces benefit equally — they gain planning certainty, speed and transparency along the entire supply chain. It is precisely this combination of global logistics and local excellence that makes the partnership so strong."
Integration of the First and Last Mile
The cooperation is based on the close geographical
proximity of the company's sites in Löhne. This enables short distances and a direct link between procurement logistics and end-customer distribution. Kemena brings, according to the company, over a century of experience in warehousing, contract logistics and transports on the first mile. The company operates four sites with a total of around 190,000 square meters of warehouse space. The portfolio includes container collection, rail transport, inventory management and just-in-time assembly. In this process, products or components are only assembled after order receipt in order to reduce inventories and shorten delivery times.
The Hermes Einrichtungs Service complements these services with end-customer distribution of large-volume goods. The company operates a large two-person handling network in Germany and is also represented in Austria, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands. The average delivery time is 3.5 days; express options are available in addition.
Digital Integration of
Processes
Both companies link their systems via a common digital interface. According to the Hermes Einrichtungs Service, order data are integrated, while status and progress information are transmitted bidirectionally to retailers, manufacturers and customers. This creates a continuous data flow that is intended to enable seamless traceability from production to delivery.
Focus on Sustainability
A central component of the cooperation is, according to both companies, the ecological orientation of the logistics processes. Kemena generates around two-thirds of its energy needs via photovoltaic installations and uses only electric forklifts. In shuttle traffic between the sites and the HES hub, increasingly electrically powered trucks are used. The Hermes Einrichtungs Service is electrifying the last mile in parallel. With over 200 charging points and certified green electricity, 72 of Germany's 80 largest cities can already be served fully electrically, according to the company. This
corresponds to a potential reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of up to 2,830 tonnes per year. In addition, both partners pursue a joint concept for returns and re-commerce.
Step-by-step Expansion and Digitization
The cooperation is long-term and is to be expanded gradually. According to the companies, planned are the expansion of the logistics infrastructure, the opening up of additional markets and the further digitization of the processes. A particular focus lies on IT-supported process integration and automation.
Kemena is currently expanding its warehousing and handling capacities at the Löhne site to meet the rising demand for integrated logistics solutions. The direct connection to the HES hub is intended to enable particularly short transport distances and delivery times. Both companies see the close integration of transport, warehousing and end-customer distribution as the basis for future-proof logistics processes in the European market. (av)
