Lyreco, the largest distributor of B2B office supplies in Europe, has brought together its Benelux logistics activities at a 32,000 m2 distribution centre in Liege.

This family enterprise, founded in Valenciennes in 1926, took off at the end of the 1980s, in particular thanks to its wish to provide its customers with an extremely high standard of service. With a presence in 27 countries, Lyreco employs 10,000 people and registers a turnover of €2.2 billion.

Rather than establish its new distribution centre in Flanders or the Netherlands, Lyreco's managers decided to locate to Wallonia.

Although the subsidies offered by the Walloon Region helped to tip the balance, the good logistical location  of Liege and the proximity of foreign sub-contractors also influenced the decision.

The human aspect, with staff that is both available and properly trained, was also a major asset, as was the open-mindedness of all the local stakeholders, whether the Walloon Region, the Wallonia Export-Investment Agency (AWEX), Forem, SPI or the municipality of Herstal.