The expansion of Romanian retailer Profi Rom Food SRL site in Ploieşti, Romania is at an advanced stage. The extension construction project is due to complete by September 2018.

Panattoni Europe nears the finish line with the launch of its fourth logistics centre in Tricity. Panattoni Park Gdańsk IV, with 41,500 sqm planned at full build-out, is only 4 km away from the Port of Gdańsk and the deep-water container terminal DCT Gdańsk, and the first tenants will be able to move into it already in the coming August.

One of the most active industrial and logistics developers of the region has announced major expansion plans for Hungary this year. CTP hopes to increase the value of its Hungarian portfolio to €320 million by the end of 2018 from the current €250 million. Rudolf Nemes, CTP’s Country Manager for Hungary talked about changing tenant needs and challenges on the labour market.

Żabka Poland opened a new warehouse facility with the area of 24,700 square meters. The new logistics centre leased by the owner of the convenience store chain is located in the MLP Gliwice park owned by MLP Group.

Panattoni Europe commenced the construction of a new distribution centre near Warsaw. Completion of the first part of the investment is anticipated in February 2019. The lease transaction was mediated by the advisory firm JLL.

In Q1 2018, Poland’s total warehouse and industrial stock amounted to more than 14.15 million sqm and another 1.90 million sqm was under construction, the largest quarterly development pipeline on record. Central Poland was the leading regional market, accounting for more than half of new supply and most of the leasing transaction volume.

Panattoni Europe has sold another logistics facility, Panattoni Park Warsaw West V totalling 70,000 sqm. The buyer is a Dutch company controlled by one of the leading global real estate investment firms, for whom this is the first investment in the Polish warehouse market.

Panattoni Europe is developing another warehouse facility for an e-commerce business. This time it is expondo Polska, which will take up 30,000 sqm at Panattoni Park Zielona Góra, currently under development. The tenant will be able to move into the complex already in the coming October.

Automation and digitisation penetrating all spheres of life also have a material impact on the economy. Experts of Cushman & Wakefield have identified five key factors that will shape the retail and warehouse market growth going forward.

Total demand on the Budapest industrial market amounted to 103,790 sqm in Q1 2018, marking a 45% year-on-year increase. At the end of the first quarter, there were only four existing schemes with more than 5,000 sqm of available warehouse space. The Budapest Research Forum published its quarterly industrial market analysis.