Setting the standards

The trend for personalising products and services has up until now mostly been a characteristic of the B2C sector, but it is becoming ever more important for business clients too. The changes which are now taking place are due to increasing demands from businesses that expect comprehensive services to meet their individual needs. “Increasing customer expectations are naturally resulting in the developers and owners of logistics parks having to change their business models and strategies. Companies that are looking for modern warehouse space are more and more often also interested in how environmentally friendly it is as well as the innovations and solutions employed, which they feel gives them a competitive edge,” claims Magdalena Szulc, Segroʼs business unit director for Central Europe. “Segro understands what the conditions are very well. With our many years of experience, we know that adjusting our services to individual clients’ needs on the one hand makes it possible for them to increase their efficiency and make maximum use of the area they lease, and on the other it helps them fulfil their corporate CSR goals. It also helps them to improve employer branding with dedicated bike shelters, modern canteens and preferential parking spaces for car sharing,” she explains.

With the customer in mind

The growing number of large BTS projects that are being ordered by customers is proof of the effectiveness of Segro’s strategy of focussing on the needs of its business partners. One of its latest projects is a 30,400 sqm building being developed for Arvato Polska in Segro Logistics Park Stryków. Eventually it will house a distribution centre for the online sales of the fashion brands owned by LPP. With the future business development of its customers in mind, Segro has also secured an expansion option for Arvato for a further 30,000 sqm, just as it has done with many of its other clients. The Arvato Polska project represents the beginning of another stage in the extension of Segro’s park in Stryków. As well as the new warehouse space, a new road is also being built which will ease transport in the park for all its current and future tenants. “Improving the working conditions for all those who will be employed there in the future was a very important factor when we were preparing the design for the Arvato Polska distribution centre. The solutions Segro suggested included improving access to natural lighting with more light in those areas where orders are assembled and partially glazed docks. Modern, ecological LED lighting has been installed throughout the building, which significantly lowers electricity costs and provides the customer with realsavings,” explains Bartosz Michalski, Segro’s director of development.

As for projects constructed last year, Tesco’s distribution centre in Segro Logistics Park Poznań, Komorniki has an area of 30,200 sqm and is a prime example of a Segro built-to-suit development tailored to the individual client’s specific needs. The building includes intelligent LED lighting with motion sensors, which can reduce electricity consumption by as much as 30 pct as well as a special plumbing system that can reduce water consumption by up to 10 pct. This summer Segro completed a 12,000 sqm warehouse for CAT Polska in Segro Business Park Warsaw, Ożarów. The new space was required due to the expansion of the company, which previously occupied over 4,500 sqm in a number of buildings throughout the park. As a result of the project CAT Polska not only increased the size of its lease in the park but more importantly, it was able to organise its activities under one roof.

Sustainability and innovation

All new buildings developed in Segro’s parks, including those for Arvato Polska and CAT Polska, undergo rigorous BREEAM certification, since sustainability is an important aspect of each project even from the design stage. Another example of the importance of the environment for Segro is its recent project to replace all its outdoor lights with LEDs throughout all of its parks in Poland, which was completed in just under six months with a total of over 3,500 LEDs installed. This project is not only going to generate real savings for customers but, more importantly, it will also improve their comfort and their security. There will be more light when deliveries are made at night, which will reduce the risk of collisions and of goods being accidentally damaged. The lighting inside the buildings is also being gradually replaced with LEDs, and because of smart control systems that switch on automatically when light levels fade, the longevity of the new fittings has also been significantly improved with electricity costs being reduced at the same time.

Segro has also been introducing an access control system that can automatically read licence plates. It isalready fully operating at Segro Logistics Park Poznań, Gądki and has partially been installed at Segro Logistics Park Poznań, Komorniki and Segro Logistics Park Warsaw, Pruszków. The installation of the system has almost been completed at Segro Logistics Park Stryków, which is the company’s largest park in Poland. The system is of particular importance for employees as well as regular suppliers to Segro’s parks. It saves time, which is very important for most industries and in particular to logistics operators and courier companies. Additionally, the system also guarantees that no unauthorised person enters the park, providing clients and their staff with a greater sense of comfort and security.

Everyone on the same wavelength

The innovative and eco-friendly solutions in Segro’s parks fit in with the philosophies of many international and Polish companies. More and more are choosing to work exclusively with business partners that ensure a standard of sustainability and competitiveness through innovation. The growing importance of the environment in business is demonstrated by the exceptionally high level of demand for logistics space in building ‘C’ at Segro Logistics Park Warsaw, Nadarzyn. The building has recently been awarded a BREEAM certificate with a rating of ‘Very Good’ and a score that makes it officially the most environmentally sustainable warehouse in Poland. Even though the building was developed partly on a speculative basis, it was already fully leased a few months after its completion. The last available unit, of more than 4,000 sqm, was leased by NNR Global Logistics, almost doubling the area it occupies in the park. “We are confident that the relocation of our operations at Segro Logistics Park Warsaw Nadarzyn to building C and the expansion of our operational space will boost our potential in the region and contribute to meeting the environmental targets set out in our group’s sustainability policy. Our positive experience of successfully cooperating with Segro in recent years also played a part when we were making our decision,” reveals Adam Kolarzyk, the general director of NNR Global Logistics, Poland.