DHL Supply Chain is building a new logistics platform of nearly 30,000 square metres in Apolda, in the German state of Thuringia. The contract logistics provider announced the project on 9 October, presenting it as an investment to support customers in central Germany’s industrial sectors. The site is scheduled for completion in spring 2027.
According to DHL, the facility will sit on a plot of around 64,700 square metres and comprise roughly 27,000 square metres of warehouse space and more than 2,300 square metres of offices and staff areas. The company said the location, between Jena, Erfurt and Weimar, offers strong transport links for national and international supply chains.
Built to a sustainability standard
DHL said the building is designed to meet the Gold certification criteria of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB). Planned features include a photovoltaic system, air-source heat pumps, on-site energy storage and charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. The platform will employ 50 to 70 people when it opens and is expected to reach between 100 and 120 staff by 2028.
Serving growth sectors in the Jena region
Katrin Hoelter, CEO of DHL Supply Chain Germany & Alps, called the project a targeted investment in what she described as the fast-growing Jena region, citing demand from sectors such as healthcare, electric-vehicle batteries and semiconductors. DHL, which already operates in the region, said the platform will also serve regional customers, including optical and ophthalmic instruments maker Zeiss, whose historic plant is in nearby Jena.
Sources
- DHL Supply Chain press release, via American Journal of Transportation — 9 October 2026
- Supply Chain Magazine (discovery) — 12 October 2026
