Briefs

Warehouse by Konin

Agricultural equipment supplier Grene Polska is to invest over PLN 10 mln on the construction of an 8,000 - 10,000 sqm warehouse next to the A2 highway near Konin, 100 kms east of Poznan. The scheme will serve as a distribution centre for its 45 outlets. Konin was chosen for its central location and because the firm is based there. The company recorded a turnover in 2001 of c. PLN 100 mln.

Polifab Debica in DBP Lódź

Paint producer Polifarb Becker Debica, has leased 7,000 sqm of warehouse space in AIG/Lincoln Polska's Diamond Business Park Lódz, leaving the c. 22,000 sqm-phase 1 roughly 90% occupied. Talks are proceeding with prospective tenants for the remaining space and AIG/Lincoln expects to have a deal signed within 3 to 5 months. Work will start soon on the next building, the scheme's 3rd, which will contain c. 9,800 sqm and will be built on spec. In total DBP Lódz has a site capacity of 60,000 sqm.
Other major tenants at the scheme include Cargoline Polska and US based food producer Pilsbury. Jones Lang LaSalle and King Sturge are the leasing agents.

Ghelamco's cool distribution park

Belgian based developer Ghelamco is preparing to launch construction of a new logistics and warehouse park in Warsaw. Krakowska Distribution Park, located 8 kms south of Warsaw close to the main interchange of Krakowska and Syszkowa streets, will contain 9,500 sqm of warehouse and 1,200 sqm of office space in the first phase. Paul Gheysens of Ghelamco commented, ,We feel that to commence a park of this size a speculative building is required. The site is an excellent location that will be further enhanced once the new road (A1) is developed." The scheme boasts the technology to provide cool storage facilities, which Ghelamco says is rare in the market, and 17 dock gates. The 2nd phase offers potential for development on 20 hectares. DTZ Zadelhoff Tie Leung is the leasing agent.

Demand for industrial property strong in Europe says King Sturge

According to the ,European Industrial Property Markets", report published by King Sturge, demand for industrial property remains strong in Europe despite the slowdown in economic activity. Demand is stronger in countries where GDP growth is forecast to grow at or above the EU average in 2002, in which Central Europe is included. The region, namely Budapest, Prague and Warsaw, has seen development activity increase to meet greater demand for industrial property.
Elsewhere in Europe demand has been strong in France (Lille, Strasbourg, Paris, Lyon and Marseille), parts of Belgium (Liege) and in Italy (Milan). At the other end of the spectrum, demand for industrial property has been weak in regions of Germany (Berlin, Dusseldorf and Stuttgart) and the Netherlands (Amsterdam and Rotterdam). The average investment yield risk premium for industrial property in Central and Eastern Europe is 580 basis points, compared to 350 basis points in Western Europe.

In a second report, entitled ,Global Trends in Industrial Parks", King Sturge says that developments in logistics and supply-chain management are having a major impact on industrial property markets. ,The centralization of production and inventory has generated increasing requirements for very large facilities, and the use of just-in-time logistics often generates requirements for warehouses to be co-located on manufacturing sites or situated adjacent to them," the report says. The globalization of production and marketing, it goes on to say, has raised the importance of freight transport and led to the development of major transport hubs.