Investment Logistic
The explosion in e-commerce has redefined the logistics space as retailers expand their digital offerings, so it is no surprise that investors are keen to grab a slice of the ever-expanding pie.
The European subsidiary of the giant American logistics developer Panattoni has been awarded a contract by e-commerce company Jago AG to develop what will be the biggest logistics facility in Germany – a 120,000 sqm distribution centre in the Industriepark Rurtal commercial zone in North Rhine-Westphalia. Panattoni Europe said it is investing “a sum in the high double-digit million-euro range.”
The first of four phases of construction will begin this month near Hückelhoven, comprising 40,000 sqm of warehousing and logistics space and 1,450 sqm for office and social areas, to be completed and handed over to Jago in March 2016. Three further phases will follow consecutively, with the entire project scheduled for completion in August 2017.
According to Fred-Markus Bohne, Panattoni Europe managing partner, "Hückelhoven's central location is ideal for e-commerce. It ensures smooth and swift distribution to Germany and the Benelux countries as well as providing a speedy link to the ARA ports.“ Jago products for the home & garden, do-it-yourself, sports and leisure markets, as well as pet supplies and toys. The products are mainly produced in Asia and transported by container ships. Thanks to its proximity to the container port in Born, Netherlands, with connections to the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp, the location in the Industriepark Rurtal will reduce transport costs considerably.
Bohne added, "This logistics centre is the lighthouse development for the Industriepark Rurtal and at the same time with its dimensions also a lighthouse project for the logistics real estate market in Germany. We have succeeded in achieving a virtually perfect combination of customer requirements and our sustainable investment criteria. For Jago, the new facility provides maximum flexibility, allowing for any modifications in logistical processes. The halls can be divided into twelve sections and thus offer optimal conditions for various secondary uses.“
Panattoni Europe has grown rapidly since its recent entry to the market and now has offices in Mannheim and Düsseldorf as well as its initial centres in Hamburg and Münich. It recently completed another major logistics facility for BLG Logistics in Bremen, a facility integrated into Bremene's Cargo Distribution Centre, the largest central freight terminal in Germany. BLG already uses about 180,000 sqm in Bremen for their automobile parts logistics, and the Panattoni development brings another 30,000 sqm of floor space and 1,600 sqm of offices to the facilities.
