How a Logistics Centre Gets Ready for Its First Dispatch

Set a date for a trial dispatch and work back from it in the construction programme. To run the trial, the operator needs a usable vehicle route, a working loading bay and warehouse systems ready to record the movement of goods. Putting those dependencies in the programme early shows the owner which handovers could move the opening date.

Lidl Logistic Center near Ploiești

Lidl Logistic Center is an approximately 81,000 m² distribution facility in Ariceștii Rahtivani, Prahova County, Romania. Brisk Group provided Project Management, Design Management, Cost Management and Planning & Project Controls for Lidl România.

From concept and design development through construction and handover, we coordinated project teams, oversaw cost planning and value engineering, and tracked programme milestones. View the Lidl Logistic Center case study.

Put the first vehicle movements in the programme

Start with two representative movements, an inbound delivery and an outbound dispatch. For each, map where the vehicle enters, waits, manoeuvres and loads or unloads. Confirm with the operator which routes and bays need to be ready for the trial and which warehouse systems must be available.

Link those needs to the relevant packages. Releasing one bay may depend on yard surfacing, power and dock equipment, each with its own contractor and completion date. Tracking those dependencies against the trial date is part of planning and project controls.

Agree what the operator needs to accept each area

Before contractors start closing out their packages, agree the evidence the operator will need for handover. For a loading bay, this could include test results, a signed inspection and maintenance information for the dock equipment. Give the team time to review that evidence and resolve any issues that affect first use.

Assign someone to accept each area on behalf of the operator. When a zone is handed over in stages, that person should know the activities it can support and which adjoining areas are still under construction.

Price changes against the date they protect

When an external works package slips, temporary access or a phased handover may allow part of the facility to open. The investment team needs to know which activity the proposal enables, how long the temporary arrangement will be needed and what it will cost.

Bring the revised forecast and the latest date for approval to the same decision meeting. This connects a change in the capital budget to a specific operating milestone, a practical use of cost management services.

Planning a new distribution centre or an expansion? Discuss your logistics project with Brisk Group.

Frequently asked questions

When should the logistics operator join the project?

Involve the operator during the brief and concept design. Its expected vehicle movements, storage arrangements and fit-out requirements can then inform the site layout, the construction packages and the scenarios the team will test before opening.

What does client-side project management cover on a logistics development?

It coordinates the owner’s brief, design, procurement, programme and reporting. The project manager gives the investment team a route to approve scope changes and assess their impact on capital cost and the opening date. Explore project management in construction.

How should an owner plan phased warehouse handover?

Define each zone by the activity it can support, such as receiving goods or running a dispatch trial. A release plan should show who controls access to shared areas and when responsibility for temporary routes and services transfers.

What do construction management services contribute to warehouse handover?

They coordinate contractors, track outstanding works and monitor progress against the agreed release dates for each area. The owner and operator can use those records alongside inspections and test evidence when deciding which areas are ready for handover. Explore construction management services.

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