The first quarter of 2020 ended on the industrial market with good results on both the demand and supply side. Poland’s total warehouse stock surpassed the 19 million sqm mark, reveals a report by Cushman & Wakefield.

Poland’s total industrial stock at the end of Q1 2020 amounted to over 18.95 million sqm (+15% y/y). The quarter’s solid results were driven by steady tenant demand as well as stable rental rates, which despite the growing COVID-19 pandemic maintained their height in most markets. On the investment side, only in Q1 2020, the volume of transactions was comparable with the whole of 2019.

The industrial sector is considered one of the most resilient to the negative economic consequences of the Covid-19 outbreak as it benefits from the growing popularity of online shopping, especially in recent weeks. Although there is not much difference between market data for Q1 2020 and Q1 2019, opportunities and risks for the logistics sector resulting from the current situation will not be known until later months, depending on how the pandemic unfolds, according to Savills.

Profi, one of the largest retail chains in Romania, expands its logistic activities by contracting two new projects in Timisoara (58,000 sqm) and Craiova (57,000 sqm), which will be developed and rented out by Belgian logistics developer WDP. JLL has advised Profi in both transactions, thus continuing the partnership started few years ago, which resulted in 250,000 sqm of logistics space contracted in Bucharest, Roman, Cluj, Craiova and Timisoara.

At the end of the Q1 2020, the total supply of modern warehouse space in Poland exceeded the level of 19 million sqm. The Warsaw market (three zones) maintained its leading position and accounted for nearly 23% of the total supply in the country (4.3 million sqm), Colliers International reports.

The Industrial Research Forum in the Czech Republic announced the final industrial market figures for Q1 2020. According to the report, both global and local real estate markets are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the adopted measures. The situation is changing dynamically and currently, no predictions can be treated as accurate. While Q1 2020 seems to be a slightly weaker quarter in terms of take-up volumes, the Industrial Research Forum expects the true impact to be visible during Q2 and beyond.

Dunwell brokered a transaction for TeraPlast for 5,000 sqm (1,500 sqm of warehouse space and 3,500 sqm of outer platform) in Mega Distribution Center’s park in Chiajna. The relocation from the northern area into this new space aims at increasing the efficiency of the company’s distribution activities.

Panattoni has embarked on a new project, Panattoni Park Tricity East III, totalling close to 33,000 sqm. The park will be completed in a single phase and has already found tenants for more than 26,000 sqm. They are logistics operators: Greenyard Logistics Poland, providing services to the FMCG sector, which will take up close to 12,000 sqm, and Omega Pilzno, specialising in comprehensive supply chain services, with a lease of 14,500 sqm. Project commissioning is anticipated in Q1 2021.

Panattoni has bought 14.8 hectares of land in Central Poland to build Panattoni Park Stryków IV. The project, which will feature 74,000 sqm at full build-out, will be developed at the intersection of the A1 and A2 motorways. Construction kick-off is planned for Q3 2020.

7R, a Polish warehouse developer, is implementing new technology to manage the risks connected with flat roofs. The "Smart Roof" platform, developed by Sense Monitoring, helps to prevent roof overload by alerting the building's manager in advance of potential danger. 7R will apply the system in the 7R Park Gdańsk II logistics complex in Kowale, where a monitored roof will cover over 60,000 sqm of modern warehouse space.