Total demand on Budapest’s industrial market amounted to 81,820 sqm in Q1 2021, indicating some 3% increase on the volume measured in the corresponding period of the previous year. Pre-leases dominated the demand with a share of 45%, according to the BRF’s quarterly report.

Belgian logistics developer WDP announced that it is buying several land plots near Bucharest and aims to develop a new logistics centre in Transylvania. The company is currently finalising the acquisition of new land positions in the Bucharest region in the amount of €10 million, WDP announced in an interim statement for Q1 2021.

Companies from the logistics, retail and production sectors agree that the economic environment this year is more challenging than the year before, according to the CBRE Confidence Index. However, industries have different views on the future. Already 9 out of 10 logistics companies believe that their turnover will increase or remain unchanged in the next 12 months. In retail and production, this opinion is shared by 60% of companies. Conversely, when it comes to the conditions of running a business in the coming months, companies in the logistics sector have greater concerns. Only 28% of logistics operators anticipate an improvement, while for companies involved with retail and production, the comparable figure is 36%.

European Logistics Investment (ELI) has begun construction of its newest warehouse scheme located in Tychy – one of the main logistics areas in the Silesia region in Poland. The project has been awarded the BREEAM certificate at the Excellent level. Park Tychy, developed together with its partner Panattoni, will feature two building complex with 100,000 sqm of logistics space. The first building has already been 100% pre let.

Some companies are choosing to relocate production plants from Asia to Poland to diversify business activity and shorten supply chains. On the other hand, western firms are setting up factories in Poland to bring operating costs down and take advantage of a range of benefits with which individual regions want to attract investors, say experts from Cresa Poland.

Work has begun on the construction of Panattoni Park Wrocław West Gate, which will eventually have an area of around 47,000 sqm. The park’s first tenant will be Schumacher Packaging – a producer of cardboard packaging (including corrugated), which in September is to occupy 5,670 sqm.

Romanian craft dairy producer Artesana has kicked off the construction of a new plant in Tecuci, Eastern Romania, following an investment of more than €5 million. 

Global logistics solution provider Mainfreight has started operations on a new distribution hub in Timișoara Industrial Park (II), a project jointly developed by Globalworth and Global Vision. 

Colliers recently secured the largest agent-involved transaction in the history of the Czech industrial market. Senior Associate Lukáš Svobodník brought Sportisimo to Hrušov in Ostrava, where Contera began construction of a logistics complex for the sporting goods retailer. This new distribution centre of the Czech company will offer jobs to 700 people. The 90,000 sqm hall, with a clear height of up to 25 meters, a rare feature in the Czech Republic, is now one of the country’s biggest logistics halls.

Brothers Adrian and Dragoș Pavăl, founders and owners of DIY chain Dedeman, are investing in a new logistics project in Pantelimon, near Bucharest.