A logistics platform is not just a large building where packages pass through. Its value is measured through specific indicators: transit time of goods, flow pooling rate, capacity to absorb order peaks. Comparing these metrics between a traditional warehouse and a new-generation shared platform reveals gaps that explain why this link in the supply chain attracts so much investment.
Traditional Warehouse or Shared Platform: A Comparison of Logistics Models
Companies managing their goods flows often hesitate between a dedicated warehouse and a shared logistics platform. Both models respond to different constraints, and their performances diverge on several operational criteria.
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| Criterion | Dedicated Warehouse | Multi-client Shared Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Storage Duration | Several weeks to several months | Less than 24 hours (frequent cross-docking) |
| Contractual Flexibility | Long-term lease (3-6 years) | Modular contracts from 3 to 12 months |
| Cost Pooling | None (fixed costs borne alone) | Shared storage, labor, and equipment |
| Adaptability to E-commerce Peaks | Limited by own capacity | Rapid absorption thanks to shared resources |
| Carbon Footprint per Unit Shipped | Higher (underutilized vehicles) | Reduced by optimizing inbound/outbound flows |
This table highlights a central point: the shared platform reduces fixed costs and shortens the transit cycle. The dedicated warehouse remains relevant for slow-moving goods or operations requiring exclusive control, but it is losing ground against the volatility of e-commerce demand.
To learn everything about a logistics platform with Génération Entreprise, the operation relies on this ability to centralize flows from multiple suppliers and redistribute them in minimal time.
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Short Contracts and Multi-client Platforms: What Has Changed Since 2023
The model of the shared logistics platform has gained new momentum since 2023. European 3PL providers like GXO and ID Logistics are developing sites where multiple shippers coexist, with contractual commitments much more flexible than traditional leases.
This evolution addresses an identified constraint: demand uncertainty makes long commitments risky. Contracts of 3 to 12 months allow companies to adjust their storage and transport capacity without tying up capital for several years.
Three Concrete Mechanisms of Pooling
- The sharing of storage space among shippers whose seasonal peaks do not coincide, smoothing the occupancy rate of the platform throughout the year
- The pooling of logistics labor (order pickers, forklift operators) among several clients, reducing reliance on temporary workers during slow periods
- The common use of automated sorting and handling equipment, whose depreciation is spread over a larger volume of orders
ID Logistics’ 2023 annual report (published in March 2024) describes this logic of shared sites as a priority development axis. The report “European Logistics and Industrial Market Outlook 2024” from CBRE confirms the trend across the European market.
Logistics Platform and Decarbonization: A Regulatory Compliance Lever
The EU’s CSRD directive, published in the Official Journal on December 16, 2022, and applicable from the 2024 fiscal year for large companies, mandates the disclosure of Scope 3 emissions. Emissions related to logistics management, transportation of goods, and storage fall within this scope.
The logistics platform becomes a tool for regulatory compliance, not just an operational center. Several players in the logistics real estate sector, including Prologis and Segro, position their sites as decarbonization hubs in their 2023 ESG reports.
Equipment and Practices Observed on These Platforms
Investments focus on photovoltaic roofs installed on the rooftops of logistics buildings, charging stations for electric vehicles intended for delivery fleets, and optimization of inbound and outbound flows to reduce empty trips.
For a company subject to extra-financial reporting, choosing a logistics platform equipped with these devices simplifies the collection of emissions data. The Prologis ESG Report 2023 (published in May 2024) details this positioning strategy.
Flow Management and Control Technologies on a Logistics Platform
The difference between a high-performing platform and an under-optimized platform often lies in the software layer that orchestrates operations. A WMS (Warehouse Management System) manages the receipt of goods, the assignment of temporary storage locations, and order preparation.
Real-time tracking of inventory and shipments allows for the identification of bottlenecks before they cause delivery delays. Multi-client platforms add an additional complexity: the system must simultaneously manage the management rules, priorities, and service commitments of each shipper.
- Unit traceability of goods from receipt to shipment, with timestamping at each step
- Dynamic allocation of human and material resources based on the volume of orders in progress
- Integration with carriers’ information systems to synchronize loading slots and reduce waiting times
On the other hand, full automation remains reserved for very high-volume platforms. For the majority of sites, the gain lies in software integration between the links in the supply chain rather than in the robotization of physical tasks.
The choice of a logistics platform is based on a trade-off between contractual flexibility, pooling capacity, and level of technological equipment. Data from the CBRE 2024 reports and the ESG assessments of major operators show that multi-client sites equipped for carbon reporting capture an increasing share of goods flows in Europe. For companies subject to the CSRD, this criterion now weighs as heavily as the cost per square meter.