GXO Logistics has opened an 80,000 sqm distribution centre for Action in Onnaing, northern France — its third facility for the Dutch discounter in the country and a direct bet on the retailer's continued sprint across the region.

The site will serve Action stores in France and Belgium, with capacity to supply up to 290 locations once fully operational. GXO already runs two Action distribution centres in France, at Moissy-Cramayel near Paris and Labastide-Saint-Pierre in the southwest. Onnaing plugs a clear gap: the industrial north, close to the Belgian border.

At the new site, GXO will handle incoming goods, storage, order picking, shipping and returns — the full inbound-to-returns chain under one roof.

What does this change for shippers?

For Action, the math is straightforward. Roughly 290 stores drawing from a single northern hub shortens replenishment lines into both northern France and Belgium, where the retailer keeps opening doors. For GXO, it deepens a contract logistics relationship that now spans three French sites plus a growing partnership in Italy.

For the wider market, it's another signal that big-box discount retail keeps absorbing warehouse capacity in France. Operators competing for labour and space near the Belgian border will notice 540 new warehouse jobs — and more coming.

Jens Burgers, Director of Supply Chain at Action, framed the opening in growth terms. "The new distribution centre in Onnaing will play a key role in supplying our stores in Northern France and Belgium and supporting Action's future growth," he said.

Headcount heading toward 1,000

The facility currently employs around 540 people. GXO expects that figure to reach up to 1,000 by 2028 as volumes ramp — nearly doubling the site's workforce in about three years.

Recruitment is being run with local organisations, and GXO says around 80% of candidates who finish its training programme get hired. In a tight European warehouse labour market, that conversion rate is the part competitors will read twice.

Built to a BREEAM standard

The building itself is targeting BREEAM Outstanding certification — the top rating in the sustainability assessment system. That puts it in a small club of European logistics assets and aligns with the ESG requirements increasingly written into large retail contracts.

The design brief, per GXO, pairs warehouse efficiency with reduced environmental impact. No specific energy or emissions figures were disclosed, so the certification chase remains the measurable yardstick.

A partnership still expanding

The Onnaing opening fits a pattern. GXO and Action have been steadily widening their logistics cooperation as the retailer pushes growth across Europe, with Italy the next frontier beyond the three French sites.

Every new Action market, in effect, now comes with a GXO warehouse question attached. That's good business if you're the incumbent, and a caution if you're a rival 3PL hoping to win the account someday.

The near-term trajectory is visible enough: headcount climbing toward 1,000 by 2028, up to 290 stores on the supply footprint, and further GXO-Action capacity in Italy still taking shape.