Ten months after construction commenced, GLS, the international logistics provider will now call Goodman Madrid Gate I Logistics Centre its home on the Iberian Peninsula. Consolidating the company’s presence in the region, the headquarters is strategically located in Madrid’s major logistics hub, developed by Goodman, and adjacent to the Adolfo Suárez Madrid Barajas Airport. The new sustainably designed logistics facility was officially opened today in a ceremony attended by David Pérez García, regional minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Madrid Government, José María Ortega Antón, general coordinator of Urban Development, Fernando de Pablo, general director of the Digital Office of the Madrid City Council, Jesús Pascual Martín, general director of Urban Management, accompanied by Luis Doncel, General Manager Iberia of GLS and Ignacio García Cuenca, Country Manager of Goodman in Spain.

The facility is part of the ambitious project, Goodman Madrid Gate, which includes the revitalisation of more than 168,000 square metres of unused industrial land, equivalent to 15 football fields. Goodman's project contributes to the provision of essential infrastructure for urban distribution in Madrid, and comprises the development of three independent facilities, of which this is the second to be completed.
During the ceremony, David Pérez García, regional minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Madrid Government stated that “with this alliance, we want to promote the air cargo sector and attract the use of the supply system in global supply chains. In our region, we have a modern communications network that concentrates 60% of the international flows of goods entering Spain, 33% of the national flows and 54.1% of the sector's national turnover. That is why, today, we are once again offering institutional collaboration to companies in the transport sector to continue promoting Madrid as the Global Logistics Hub of Southern Europe”.
Ignacio García Cuenca, Country Manager Goodman Spain, explained that "public-private collaboration is essential to make innovative and sustainable urban development a reality. We continue to reactivate land that is key to the economic and social revitalisation of the area, helping to provide Madrid with infrastructure that responds to the needs of the city today and in the future. Providing access to 5.2 million consumers in just 30 minutes, Goodman Madrid Gate Logistics Centre enables our customers like GLS, to streamline their operations, strengthen their businesses, and importantly efficiently fulfil their promises to customers for fast delivery in a sustainable way”.
Optimising efficiency
GLS’ new facility enables it to absorb and manage more than one million shipments per day and optimise its operations to meet its 24h to 48h delivery commitment to customers. In addition, the 33,000 square metre, cross dock complex has more than 340 charging stations to power the whole GLS fleet each day. The proximity to the city centre, which is just 17 km away, allows GLS to shorten the distance needed to transport goods – reducing traffic, emissions and cost. Importantly it means consumers can get their goods soon after they have ordered them.
Luis Doncel, General Manager Iberia of GLS, said: "This facility responds to our objective of being close to our customers and offering a quality experience, as it allows us to streamline operations and install the latest logistics technology, increasing the capacity of our network to face the future of GLS at a national and international level. It also confirms our commitment to environmentally friendly logistics, as it has been built in accordance with the BREEAM Very Good standard”.
Sustainability for the logistics of the future
Sustainability is a shared priority for GLS and Goodman and has been central to the design and development of the project. The new facility will enable GLS to advance its global Climate Protect plan, with the roof prepared for installation of solar panels, the implementation of an emission-free vehicle fleet, the calculation of its carbon footprint through the smart metering system and BREEAM compliance.
These objectives are in line with Goodman's circular construction strategy, which targets brownfield development and the reintroduction of waste generated during construction into the operational cycle, with the aim of reducing its environmental impact. Currently, 80% of Goodman's projects in Continental Europe are developed on brownfield sites, and the company's goal is to reach 100% in the region. In Spain, Goodman Madrid Gate I is the sixth brownfield development, all of them located near Madrid and Barcelona.
For Madrid Gate I, Goodman teamed with CoCircular, a waste management service that certifies the complete traceability of each waste stream. The reuse of waste has been maximised with the aim of giving it a second life. 100% of the concrete and wood on the site has been reclaimed, as well as 75% of the plastic, and the processing of non-valid waste has been managed for reuse, recycling, or energy recovery.
Madrid Gate I has been designed to obtain the BREEAM Very Good certification and joins the total of 15 Goodman´s facilities in Spain which are BREEAM certified.
Key details:
- 33.227 sqm for cross-docking and urban distribution
- New headquarters for GLS on the Iberian Peninsula
- Brownfield project
- Facility can process 1 million shipments per day
- 5.2 million consumers in just 30 minutes driving time
- 100% of the concrete and wood on the site has been reclaimed and 75% of the plastic
- Roof prepared for solar panels
- Smart metering system
- BREEAM Very Good sustainability certification