Retailers active in grocery, healthcare, consumer and diversified products will lead a sharp rise in demand for logistics real estate in the next two to three years as industries across the board implement lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and adapt their supply chains to the “new normal”, Prologis predicts in a new research report.

Due to the recent growth of interest in online shopping driven by the coronavirus pandemic, a leading logistics operator in Poland has decided to expand its warehouse footprint by leasing 15,000 sqm of temporary space in Prologis Park Piotrków Trybunalski I. Savills assisted one of e-commerce leaders in Poland in the leasing process.

Panattoni has appointed Mathieu Giguere as Director for Key Accounts & New Business Development. He will be responsible for acquiring new business and markets in light of the dynamic growth in online trade.

Electro-IT and home & deco online retailers take up approximately 370,000 sqm of storage space and this volume could increase by at least 50% in the next two years, due to the development of online commerce, reveals the Romania e-commerce research report launched by CBRE.

The COVID-19 crisis is expected to accelerate change in global supply chains, manufacturing and online retailing that could benefit the European property market, says Colliers International in its latest “Trends Emerging and Accelerated by the Covid-19 Pandemic” report.

In Q1 2020, approximately 50,000 sqm of modern retail space was delivered to the market in Poland. The construction of four schemes was completed: Galeria Chełm (17,500 sqm), Stop Shop Siedlce (14,100 sqm), Galeria Kupiecka in Otwock (10,000 sqm) and Vendo Park Jawor (6,700 sqm). However, due to the onset of the coronavirus epidemic, the new shopping centres have limited possibilities to serve consumers, in the same as all large retails facilities in Poland.

Panattoni has started the implementation of two sorting plants for DPD Polska. They will be built as part of Panattoni Park Gdańsk Airport and Panattoni Park Poznań X, each of which will have an area of approximately 3,600 sqm. The tenant will start operating in spring 2021.

The business environment in China was the first hit by the COVID-19 epidemic, but the fast decrease of new cases in the past weeks brings hope for recovery in the second half of the year, with a positive impact on the real estate market as well. Based on China’s evolution, a similar outcome could be expected in Romania too, mainly driven by e-commerce, after the outbreak peak is surpassed and the number of new cases drops. Moreover, the current situation can bring growth opportunities for certain industries including segments of the real estate market, according to Colliers International.

Panattoni has leased out 35,000 sqm at Panattoni Park Gliwice III. As a result, another Panattoni distribution centre is now fully commercialised. The tenant will move into the park before the end of April and will use it for e-commerce order fulfilment.

Online grocer Rohlik.cz has expanded its footprint in Brno with the lease of a custom-built, 8,000 sqm facility at CTPark Brno Líšeň. The expansion comes as the company has outgrown its existing 4,000 sqm premises at CTPark Brno. The new facility will double the company’s current footprint and will include both warehousing and production areas. Move in is on schedule for September 2020.