With the aim of improving our operations and, consequently, our customer service, GLS has taken on a major challenge: the Benavente Project. This involves the expansion of a strategic hub for our business, which we have successfully carried out without interrupting our daily operations.
The challenge of coexistence: logistics ‘open-heart surgery’
Expanding a facility such as GLS Benavente without halting our day-to-day operations has been a significant challenge. The coexistence of a construction project of this scale alongside our operational activities has added a high level of complexity and coordination to the Benavente Project in order to avoid any impact on our service.
Why not stop operations? Our commitment to customer service
Benavente is a strategic location in north-western Spain, situated at the crossroads of several of the country’s main industrial regions. Its connections with Galicia, Asturias, north-western Castile and León, and northern Portugal make this logistics hub a key distribution centre for the entire region.
This highlights the importance of carrying out the expansion of our facilities with minimal impact on our daily operations—a major challenge that we have successfully overcome without interrupting activity at the site, which has remained fully operational throughout the expansion process.
The complexity of expanding an operational facility
GLS began operations at the Benavente regional hub in June 2020, with an operational area of 3,240 m². As our business continued to grow, we launched an expansion project in November 2023 by leasing a new module that increased the available space but required us to operate in a fragmented way with only basic automation.
In 2025, we took the opportunity to add another module to our facilities, enabling us to reach a total area of 5,269 m². Throughout this expansion, however, our objective has always been to keep operations running. This significantly increased the complexity of the technical project and the need for team coordination to ensure there was no disruption to our daily activities.
Phase 1 (completed): laying the foundations for efficiency
To optimise timelines, the Benavente Project has been divided into two phases. The first phase, now completed, has delivered major improvements to our infrastructure in terms of safety and operational performance, not only enhancing efficiency but also improving employee wellbeing.
Infrastructure and comfort: new offices and access points
One of the first achievements of the Benavente logistics hub expansion has been the construction of new offices for our team. This upgrade includes the replacement of doors and the redesign of access points, as well as the creation of a staff canteen, medical room, showers, booths, and adapted spaces for both office and warehouse personnel.
Safety and technology: video surveillance and next-generation networks
Another significant improvement has been the implementation of a new video surveillance system and enhanced telecommunications infrastructure. These technological upgrades, supported by next-generation networks, contribute to greater security throughout our facilities.
Dock efficiency: motorised doors and new loading points
We have also motorised all dock doors and installed traffic lights and dedicated lighting systems for trailer manoeuvring, further strengthening both safety and operational efficiency.
In addition, we have increased the number of loading docks, allowing more trailers and vans to operate simultaneously at the facility and reducing waiting times.
Phase 2 (in progress): the leap towards full automation
We are currently immersed in the second phase of the Benavente Project, whose objective is the implementation of a new automation system.
From March to September: the transformation timeline
After several months dedicated to analysis and negotiations, we launched the second phase of the Benavente expansion project in March 2026, with completion expected in September 2026.
During this period, an automated sorting system will be installed, bringing a significant improvement to our service capabilities.
June milestone: reaching 60% smart operational capacity
Our forecast is to reach 60% operational capacity by June and achieve 100% capacity by September. At that point, we will be able to say that the Benavente Project has been a complete success.
Benavente as a benchmark for scalability in 2026
The investment made in the expansion of GLS Benavente is part of a strategic plan that will enable us to increase parcel processing capacity while achieving a higher level of automation across our operations.
Our new automated sorting system represents a major technological advancement, allowing us to increase processing capacity to 11,000 parcels per hour, significantly improving operational efficiency and reducing delivery times throughout the region.
The system operates with two feeding lines, enabling us to scale our operations and respond more effectively to demand peaks. In addition, it features ten automatic double exits, eight bulk loading positions and three bulk feeding positions. Combined with six unloading positions for vans, two loading positions and up to 36 trailer positions, this will enable us to become a benchmark for scalability in 2026.
For all these reasons, overcoming the complexity of the Benavente Project has been well worth the effort. It will allow us to significantly enhance our service across north-western Spain without ever having to halt our daily operations, maintaining our commitment to customers at all times.