Panattoni looks back and plans ahead - in 2016 every week saw the construction of 25,000 sqm of space -

Panattoni Europe, industrial property market leader, is not letting up. After a very good 2016 across Europe, with commenced investments totalling 1,233,990 sqm, this year is off to an active start. The developer is currently working on investments for such companies as Amazon, Tchibo, H&M, Raben, Thule and DSV. By early 2018, Panattoni Europe is planning to launch 5 pioneering new markets, a new city logistics product, as well as expand the existing locations.

In 2016, the developer embarked on investments totalling 1,233,990 sqm in three countries – the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland, which is like saying that the construction of a 25,000-square-metre building started every week. At the beginning of 2017 Panattoni Europe is working on a staggering nearly 1.3 million sqm across Europe, with more than 800,000 sqm in Poland alone. Among other pending projects, the developer has two distribution centres for Amazon – one near Szczecin, featuring 161,500 sqm, and the other with 135,000 sqm in Sosnowiec; the 120,000-square-metre logistics centre for Jago near Hückelhoven, Germany, is approaching completion, while in the Czech Republic the distribution centre for Tchibo at Panattoni Park Cheb is being extended by an extra 30,000 sqm. Panattoni Europe is also developing manufacturing facilities and expanding its own parks. Panattoni Europe’s current bustle is a result of the developer’s dynamic efforts in 2016.

Figures speak for themselves: Panattoni Europe in 2016
In Poland in 2016 Panattoni Europe delivered more space than any other industrial/warehouse developer – an impressive 775,000 sqm, as well as being responsible for 779,000 sqm out of the 1.08 million sqm under development across the market as of the end of the year. The leases signed by the developer totalled close to 968,000 sqm, of which 86 per cent were all new leases. Of the remainder, 9 per cent were expansions and 5 per cent renewals. According to the Poland Warehouse Market Report 2017, prepared by JLL, Panattoni Europe also ranks first in terms of the volume of warehouse space delivered after 1995. The developer has delivered the highest amount of space, as much as 29.2 per cent of the total supply in Poland – nearly 3.27 million sqm out of just under 11.2 million sqm of warehouse space stock.

Robert Dobrzycki, Chief Executive Officer Europe, Panattoni Europe comments on these results with satisfaction: “Since its establishment in 2005, Panattoni Europe has brought to the market more than 4.3 million sqm of industrial space, and in Poland alone as much as 29.2 per cent of the existing warehouse space stock, which places us at the top of the table. This portfolio and our current projects show that as a developer we are able to offer a wide range of opportunities, from small projects to record-breaking spaces in excess of 120,000 sqm in a single facility”. He then goes on to add: “Our very successful 2016 followed by a good start to 2017, as well as the dynamically growing markets, especially in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic, stimulated by transformations in logistics and industrial processes, development of e-commerce and the general improvement in economic conditions across Europe, all point to very good development prospects for Panattoni Europe in 2017 and 2018, also in Romania”.

Panattoni Europe’s pioneering plans for 2017/2018
By early 2018, Panattoni Europe is planning to launch 5 pioneering new markets – both in terms of locations and the solutions offered, as well as expand the existing locations.

Pioneering locations. Pioneering new geographical markets include areas which have not been explored by the industry to date. The developer announces that modern manufacturing/warehousing facilities providing for flexible adaptation of units will be launched in Toruń, Zielona Góra, Opole, Białystok and Kielce. Moreover, in line with its investment plans, the developer will build its first logistics centre in Romania – Panattoni Park Bucharest West, planned to total approx. 73,000 sqm.

Pioneering product. Speaking of pioneering, there is also going to be a new type of product hitting the market. To date, Panattoni Europe has been known for large-scale facilities of the big-box type, multi-tenant warehouse parks, investments dedicated to the logistics sector with cross-docking capability and BTS manufacturing investments. Now, the developer is planning to bring a new product to the market – city logistics, situated within city limits with access to public transport – initially in Warsaw, then in Poznań, Łódź and Wrocław. The new product will be dedicated to the so-called last mile delivery, focusing on small and mid-sized enterprises, usually operating in e-commerce.
The developer is also anticipating investments into the expansion of own logistics centres in Poland’s most important regions – Central Poland, the Warsaw region, Upper and Lower Silesia and Greater Poland, as well as the continued development of parks in emerging, but dynamically growing markets in Poland. The latter were initiated by Panattoni Europe last year, including projects in: Szczecin, Lublin, Rzeszów and Bydgoszcz.

Panattoni Europe is part of the Panattoni Development Company, one of the largest industrial developers in the world, with 26 offices in North America and Europe. Panattoni has been present in Central Europe since 2005. To date, the developer has delivered more than 4.3 million sqm of modern industrial space altogether in Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany, and currently has close to 1.33 million sqm under development. The company supports local businesses by delivering multifunctional warehouse facilities suitable for various purposes, including build-to-suit projects custom tailored to the tenant’s requirements. To grow its operations, the company also buys land in the most strategic locations nationwide. Among key tenants are companies such as Amazon, Arvato Services Polska, Coty Cosmetics, DSV, H&M, Intermarché, Leroy Merlin, ND Logistics, Still, Schenker, Selgros and Tesco. Apart from Poland, Panattoni Europe has offices in the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Germany and Romania.