Cracow, Poland. LKQ Europe's new central warehouse located in the Cracow Airport Logistics Complex in Modlniczka, officially commences operations. It has more than 11,000 square meters of floor space, it employs up to 200 people on a three-shift basis.

The New central warehouse will play an important role as a part of LKQ’s European logistics footprint and be operated by LKQ ELIT Polska, which will also replace two older warehouses in Dębica and in Cracow.  

Jan Dżaluk, Chief Operations Officer of LKQ Central & Easter Europe (CEE) explains the reasons for building the new central warehouse: “We want to meet the needs of our customers in Poland in the best possible way, so we continually strive to increase our logistics resources and improve the quality of deliveries. The launch of the new central warehouse is of strategic importance in the context of the further development of LKQ ELIT Polska and LKQ in the CEE region. Thanks to the investment in Modlniczka we will not only provide our customers with professional service according to global standards, but above all we invest in the future,” Dżaluk adds.

The investment is compliant with LKQ's strategy in Europe, that is well described by the slogan “logistics without borders”. It is the company’s response to the growing demand for automotive products and services in the whole Central and Eastern Europe region (CEE).

"In line with the LKQ Europe's 'logistics without borders' approach, LKQ ELIT Polska's central warehouse will significantly contribute to improving the quality and pace of the deliveries to our customers in Poland. By investing in the new central warehouse, LKQ is building a competitive advantage in local markets and expanding its network in Europe," adds Dżaluk.

Modern logistics center with an emphasis on efficiency

Efficiently organized logistics processes are a key competitive advantage in the automotive parts market. Therefore, LKQ’s new central warehouse is prepared for quick service of the automotive aftermarket as well as business and individual customers who wish to take advantage of the direct collection of goods. The central warehouse serves as a Click & Collect service for the LKQ e-shop, so that customers can conveniently pick up their goods. The location at the Cracow Airport Logistics Centre complex is a great advantage in terms of reaching out to the city center, as well as domestic and international air transport. The central warehouse can also be easily reached by a direct bus line from the center of Cracow.

The building is equipped with 22 loading docks and a number of new and modern solutions to make the work faster, easier and more effective. Four-level racking system, equipped with a conveyor system with an automatic sorter and 24 packaging stations are noteworthy. Together with roller conveyor systems with sorter reaching a considerable length of almost 600 meters or long span shelving, the central warehouse has an intelligent parts distribution system. On an area of 700 m2, the central warehouse also includes offices that will serve as a branch of LKQ ELIT Polska.

Sustainable and safety solutions

Sustainability and safety are key priorities for LKQ Europe. In accordance with the company's corporate strategy, LKQ ELIT Polska's central warehouse is equipped with modern   technological and environmental solutions, influencing, among other things, an increase in energy efficiency and occupational safety. A large area of the building has skylights installed that allows natural light into the space and improves the overall working comfort of the entire team in the central warehouse.

Together with LED lightings, roof insulation and exterior partitions that helps to minimize heat leakage, the investment will soon receive a BREEAM certificate, the world's longest established method of assessing, rating, and certifying the sustainability of buildings.

About LKQ Central & East Europe

LKQ CEE is made up of eight Central and Eastern European countries: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine. All of these were successfully integrated into one company, when LKQ Europe took over RHIAG group in 2016, that included most of today’s LKQ companies in the CEE region. Every day the region supplies around 35,000 workshops across the CEE countries and serves approximately 571,000 B2B and B2C customers in total.

LKQ Europe, a subsidiary of LKQ Corporation, with its head office in Zug, Switzerland, is the leading distributor of automotive aftermarket parts for cars, commercial vans, and industrial vehicles in Europe. The group includes Euro Car Parts, LKQ Fource, RHIAG Group, LKQ Elit, LKQ CZ, LKQ SK, LKQ SiM Impex, LKQ Láng and STAHLGRUBER Group, as well as recycling specialist, Atracco. LKQ also holds a minority interest in MEKO.

About LKQ ELIT Polska

LKQ ELIT Polska is a leading distributor of automotive parts, consumables, and workshop equipment on the Polish market. It has been part of LKQ Europe since 2017. It offers professional service, attractive commercial terms, fast delivery, and competitive prices. The company operates 47 branches all over the country and 2 warehouses in Kraków and Wrocław. The company employs a total of 850 people. It supplies 65 ELIT Partner workshops and offers a wide range of products with more than 100,000 items. LKQ ELIT Polska also provides comprehensive services for fleet customers.

Contact for further questions

Markéta Velková
HR & Communications Director

LKQ CEE
T   +420 725 504 921
E   communications@lkqcee.com