The rising prices of construction materials and energy, the increasing cost of land for new construction, a lack of crucial components to ensure continuous production and workforce shortages are all afflicting the industrial sector in the Czech Republic. One solution in regard to the availability of industrial real estate would seem to be the optimising of operations and more frequent investment by many companies into the automation of routine activities.

European Logistics Investment (ELI) has commenced constructing a logistics centre in Błonie near Warsaw. The Park Warsaw West X project by ELI and its partner Panattoni is planned as a multi-let facility offering nearly 49,000 sqm of modern warehouse space. The investment is planned to be delivered in Q2 2022.

CTP, the biggest owner of industrial and logistics spaces in Romania, says it has signed a lease deal with beverage maker Tuborg Romania. 

The current level of buying activity on the warehouse market shows that lands for warehouse and industrial projects remain in high demand. It is being driven by several overlapping phenomena originating in a range of market sectors. What plots are attracting the strongest investor interest? What regions are being targeted and why? Cushman & Wakefield is looking for an answer. 

CTP has started the construction of its new warehouse of more than 30,000 sqm in the CTPark Tatabánya industrial park. The BREEAM-rated speculative development, which can be tailored to the needs of future tenants, will be delivered in 2022.

Cushman & Wakefield has closed its largest-ever lease transaction on the Budapest industrial market, with Boxy Logisztika Zrt. signing a lease for 62,000 sqm in VGP’s Aerozone Park, according to the company's LinkedIn page.

Panattoni is completing another development for the automotive industry in Bielsko-Biała. As part of Panattoni Park Bielsko-Biała IV, the developer is to deliver a BTS production centre with an area of 33,200 sqm to the Italian-based Cornaglia Group – a producer of components for the automotive industry, as well as construction and farm equipment and other machinery. The building is to be completed in January 2022.

With the recent completion of the third phase of the Tchibo distribution centre in Panattoni Park Cheb, adding approximately 30,000 sqm, the hall, totalling over 100,000 sqm, has become the largest industrial building completed this year in the Czech Republic. Panattoni as a developer completed the project together with investment group Accolade. Since the first phase of construction in 2016, the tenant has been Tchibo, one of the world's most important coffee producers and consumer goods retailers. The new part of the site aspires to a high BREEAM New Construction environmental certification rating of "Excellent". 

The Polish warehouse market is experiencing an unprecedented boom. In the first half of 2021, the take-up of logistics space in Poland exceeded 3 million square meters for the first time in history and was higher than in the United Kingdom, France or Spain.

The Romanian industrial and logistics market recorded a total demand of 562,000 sqm in the first three quarters of 2021, down only 3% compared to the same period of last year. The sector was mainly driven by new demand, which reached 86% of the total transacted volume, according to real estate consultancy Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.