Close to the city, close to the client
Small talk
Could you tell us about the history and the priorities of Noho Logistic?
Marek Mazur, director of operations, Noho Logistic: Noho is a relatively young Polish warehousing company, but the rock it has been founded on is our experience, knowledge and passion for real estate. Our operations are based on flexibility, sustainable development, business sense and good design.
Where are Noho’s centres and what types of tenant do they attract?
At the moment we own two warehouse parks in Kraków: Noho Logistic Park Christo Botewa and Noho Logistic Park Bartników. Together they comprise 40,000 sqm of leasable space and are located in Rybytwy district near the centre of the city, which means we can create competitive workspaces in our buildings and reduce the costs for last-mile deliveries. As consumers, we all benefit from this. Our tenants are active in various industries, such as the automotive sector, e-commerce, hi-tech and the grocery segment.
What makes what Noho offers stand out from other developers?
It’s important for us to have a non-standardised approach to design, one based on tried and tested solutions, innovative systems and that meets the needs of the client, who takes an active role in the design process. The facilities we’ve delivered include cold storage facilities for the grocery sector, a space for car detailing, as well as areas for testing automated machines and for providing a power buffer for the hi-tech industry. Our centres stand out due to their industrial façades. Electric vehicle charging points are included on the premises, while there are also relaxation areas with space for food trucks along with planted green areas.
The industrial and logistics market grew by a record-breaking volume of almost 1.9 mln sqm in Q1 2023. Do you think this trend is going to continue?
The growth in the first quarter was mainly driven by transactions that were agreed earlier. But we are now seeing the trend slowing down. Bearing in mind such challenges as the stubbornly high inflation levels, the increased financing costs and reduced tenant activity, I’m still moderately optimistic about the future of the market. However, I do believe that the kind of quality product that Noho develops will prove resilient to the turbulence in the market.
What, in your opinion, are going to be the main features of the ‘warehouse of the future’? And what should the sector have stopped doing long ago?
For several years now, there has been a trend towards more automation – both in terms of the building equipment provided by the developer and the client’s operations. This is a permanent shift and will set the direction for how we develop facilities in the future. Undeniably, the dominant trend will continue to be improving the energy efficiency of centres, reducing carbon dioxide emissions and applying environmentally-friendly solutions. In my opinion, we must abandon the idea of putting as much useable space on a plot as possible at the expense of all other amenities and operational capacities. The warehouse of the future will be a friendly, safe and attractive workplace that harmoniously blends the needs of its users with its surroundings, while still remaining economically viable due to its energy-saving solutions.
In addition to your operations in Małopolska, is your company considering expanding into any other regions?
We are currently preparing to launch a project comprising three warehouse and production buildings with an area of around 30,000 sqm gla near ul. Półłanki in Kraków, and at the same time we are planning other projects in both Kraków and other cities.
Interview: Elwira Soćko
