Major Event to Launch Massive Calais Logistics Project

A huge development which will transform Calais into one of the biggest logistics gateway in Europe is to be officially launched at the end of September.

Economic development agency Calais Promotion, in partnership with developers DCB International, has organized the September 29th event, which is designed to provide more detail on the 160 hectare project, and a special Dover-Calais hot air balloon crossing to mark the occasion.

Two branded balloons, featuring the logos of Calais for Success and Calais Premier, will leave Dover in the morning and, weather permitting, arrive in Calais at 1030, just in time for the official start of the launch.

Chaired by Mayor of Calais Natacha Bouchart, the launch will be attended by Didier Caudard-Breille (chairman of developers DCB International), Philippe Blet (chairman of Cap Calaisis Terre d’Opale) and 100 senior executives from major European freight and logistics companies.

Natacha Bouchart said: “This is the first phase of one of the largest logistics projects in northern France.

“It includes the construction of 220,000 square metres of logistics warehouses and 50,000 acres of land of storage assemblies around the future rail spur.

“In the end, the ‘Turquerie’ will be a larger platform than the multimodal platform of Dourges.”

The Calais Premier project, which is centred on the industrial Turquerie business park, is expected to bring in up to £264m (€300m) of investment from companies in the logistics, distribution and automotive manufacturing sectors.

Alongside this £1.8m (€2m) will be spent creating a railway junction at the site and modernizing the Calais-Dunkirk railway line, and a further £350m (€400m) will be invested doubling the size of the Port of Calais.

Developers DCB International believe the entire project will be completed by 2015, and will create thousands of jobs.

Ends

Notes to Editors:
Locations4Business is the leading online resource for companies to find information on where to locate operations in Europe.
Calais Promotion is the economic development agency at Calais, and is the first point of contact for all businesses setting up in the area.

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