Fuel Transport builds for the next cycle with expanded warehousing footprint

While leasing warehouse space can offer short-term advantages, Piccioni said it often limits a provider’s ability to align infrastructure with customer needs. “Leasing doesn’t always suit what you’re trying to accomplish long term,” he said. “In this case, building allowed us to deliver exactly what customers needed.”

The Cordner project was shaped through conversations that began more than a year and a half ago. Rather than reacting to immediate demand, Fuel worked through timelines, costs, and operational requirements with customers, carrying the transition risk while partners committed to longer-term agreements.

“That’s how you create stickiness,” Piccioni said. “When customers see you willing to invest alongside them, trust follows.”

Fuel’s expansion strategy also includes its Brampton, Ontario warehouse, a key node for national and cross-border distribution. Expanded capacity at the facility is set to come online in early 2026, supported by a new long-term customer commitment and designed to deliver scalable warehousing for multiple industries.

Together, the Montréal and Brampton projects underscore Fuel’s view of warehousing as a partnership-driven business. Facilities are designed to support both dedicated and shared-use models, giving customers flexibility without sacrificing operational reliability.

As customer expectations around warehousing evolve, Fuel has taken a measured approach to technology investment. The company continues to enhance its warehouse management system and evaluate automation tools, but Piccioni said the focus remains on solutions that fit Fuel’s pallet-in, pallet-out operating environment and integrate cleanly with customer systems.

Fuel’s willingness to expand during a softer market is rooted in long-term planning. Much of the company’s industrial investment was made before the pandemic and funded through profitability rather than leverage, positioning Fuel to offer what Piccioni described as Grade A facilities as demand begins to stabilize.

“What we’re really selling is trust,” he said. “We’re a broker, a logistics provider, and an asset-backed partner that’s invested in our customers’ success.”

Looking ahead, Fuel plans to continue expanding its U.S. footprint, with Chicago as a key base, while also pursuing opportunities in LTL. For Piccioni, the strategy remains consistent: invest with intention, grow alongside customers, and build infrastructure designed to outlast the cycle.