Global Reach Logistics (GRL), a third-party logistics (3PL) provider, has leased an 11,680 sqm warehouse space in the distribution centre Prologis Park Poznań. The business venture is a transaction in cooperation with AXI IMMO and the Czech consulting company 108 AGENCY, which run joint projects within IRELS, an organisation of international specialists in the logistics real estate sector.

The first quarter of 2021 saw record low vacancies in the greater Prague region, affirming consistent high interest in industrial premises in premium locations. High demand is pushing lease prices upwards, with lease prices having grown by 25 % per sqm year-on-year within the Prague cadastral district, for example. The Czech industrial real estate market is being impeded by drawn-out approval processes and a lack of new options in areas with the greatest demand.

Czech real estate consultancy 108 Agency has published the first edition of an original project that provides an overall summary of the Czech industrial real estate market from the perspective of individual development companies and owners.

There is currently a shortage of industrial and logistics space on the Czech market, in addition to a lack of land suitable for their construction. This is mainly due to growing demand and the fact that local governments aren’t motivated by tax benefits to allow their construction. The situation is most evident in the vicinity of large cities, and also affects the growth of rent levels. Moreover, it has also caused a new trend in the form of the extension of rent contracts. The first new projects of over 20,000 sqm can only be expected in the second half of 2022. 

The fourth quarter of 2020 closed a year full of changes and upcoming trends on the Czech industrial market. Despite the pandemic, the industrial segment proved stable, and there was a significant acceleration in the development of e-commerce, and specifically the digitalisation of the entire retail sector. There remains a high demand for premises on the market from investors and clients, and this interest puts pressure on prices, which will increase significantly at premium locations in 2021, according to 108 Agency.

108 Agency is expanding into the Hungarian market. The company has now started its operations by cooperating with three local professionals István Fazekas, Marcell Szotyori-Nagy and László Kemenes who have many years of experience in commercial real estate.

Total stock on the Czech industrial property market reached 6.71 million sqm by the end of the third quarter of 2017. From July to September this year, 68,000 sqm of new warehouse space were completed in 5 parks. Compared to Q2 2017, when a total of 208,000 sqm was delivered, it means a quarter-on-quarter decline of 67 percent. Compared to Q3 2016, when a total of 52,000 sqm was delivered to the market, it is a year-on-year increase of 31 percent. 108 Agency presented an overview of the Czech industrial property market.

In the past 18 months, three major Chinese logistics providers leased almost 100,000 sqm of new warehouse premises, one of them being 68,000 sqm leasing agreement in VGP Park Jeneč signed by the company 4PX Express (logistics operator of Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba). This transaction ranks among the largest single industrial transactions of this year. Chinese concentration on the Czech market is expected to continue as there are several other major transactions currently underway.