sweet and low

They may be known for their chocolate, but the Low Countries have earned a reputation as a sweet spot for an altogether different reason as well. A recent survey reveals that the Netherlands is the top choice of companies looking to establish logistics hubs to serve the European market, with Belgium and Germany running close behind. The survey, which was commissioned by global consulting company Capgemini and industrial real estate developer ProLogis, included input from more than 100 supply chain leaders in a wide range of industries.

Survey respondents who work in the high-tech and electronics industries as well as the food and beverage industry all chose the Netherlands as their preferred location for a European DC. Only the consumer goods industry bucked the trend. Respondents from that sector named France as their top choice, with Belgium a distant second.

"The Netherlands and Belgium have a relatively large number of distribution centers compared to their population size," says Bert Angel, senior vice president of ProLogis's Global Solutions Group in Europe. "One reason for this is that these countries are close to the major demand markets, have good transport infrastructures and have access to two large international sea harbors (Antwerp and Rotterdam) to handle large overseas flows."

To read a summary of the survey's key findings, visit www.capgemini.com, select "Industries We Serve" on the toolbar and go to "Distribution."