Panattoni Europe, Poland’s leader in the industrial property market, has commenced construction works on the biggest lease in Central and Eastern Europe. The developer’s customer is Amazon – online retail giant, for whom Panattoni Europe is set to deliver more than 201,000 sqm of modern warehouse space in two distribution centres. The facilities will be located in Poznań and Wrocław.

Panattoni Europe has broken another record in the industrial space market. Following the contracts with H&M, Leroy Merlin, Tesco and the facility for Castorama which is currently being finalised, the developer has won another impressive contract. It includes two distribution centres for the industry leader in online retail, Amazon – the world’s largest distance selling chain. The total space of the facilities built by Panattoni will amount to 201,306 sqm.

 ” The centres to be delivered by Panattoni Europe are placed in strategic locations, not just for Amazon and the developer, but also for the local logistics market. They will be built near Poznań and Wrocław, and each one will feature more than 100,000 sqm. Each one will provide jobs to approx. 2 thousand people, going up to 3 thousand in the holiday season. It is a momentous transaction not only for the development industry, but also for the economy, and definitely a landmark event in the market” said Robert Dobrzycki, Managing Partner for Panattoni Europe adding: ” The distribution centres for Amazon constitute the biggest contract in the history of the real estate market in Poland and in CEE, lending more proof to the professionalism and dynamism of the Panattoni team. We are proud that Panattoni in Poland contributed to expanding Panattoni US – Amazon US business relationship, not only in our country but also in Europe”.

The first of the warehouses is under development in Sady near Poznań, approx. 2.5 kilometres from the expressway S11 and 16 km from the motorway A2. The facility will take up more than 100,653 sqm. Warehouse space has been planned on more than 91,837 sqm, which means that it would fit some 2,800 tractor units next to one another. In light of the plans to employ 2 thousand (up to 3 thousand) employees, office and staff facilities have been planned on two storeys taking up 8,816 sqm. The facility will feature 2,154 car parking spaces, 97 truck spaces, 32 handicapped spaces, 16 motorcycle spaces, and 60 reloading docks. Due to the high headcount and to facilitate commuting by public transport, two bus stops will be built in the vicinity of the investment. The facility was the first to start construction works and it will also be the first to be commissioned, as soon as mid-August 2014.

The other facility will be built in Wrocław’s Bielany, in the direct vicinity of the Nowa Wieś junction linking the motorways A4 and A8. The planned space accounts for close to 100,653 sqm, of which the warehouse will take up 91,837 sqm, while office and staff facilities – 8,816 sqm. The distribution centre will feature 1,942 car parking spaces (including those for disabled drivers), 111 truck spaces, 16 motorcycle spaces and 60 reloading docks. Additionally, Panattoni Europe will ensure the high standard of road infrastructure around the facility – putting in place 3 exits and 2 access roads. Construction works are set to start as early as December, while planned completion and commissioning are expected in September next year.

Panattoni Europe is currently developing more than 343,000 sqm in Poland and the Czech Republic, including two warehouse facilities for Amazon, the 50-thousand-square-metre facility for Castorama Polska, the 33-thousand-square-metre BTS facility for Polaris, or the BTS in Kutno. The developer’s own park in Łódź is also being extended. Since 2005, that is from the onset of Panattoni’s presence in Central Europe, the developer has built more than 1.9 million sqm of modern industrial space. The market appreciates Panattoni’s systematically implemented development strategy and has shown its recognition in numerous awards. The most recent include the 2013 Developer of the Year at the Eurobuild Awards, the Industrial Developer of the Year title at CIJ Awards 2013, Tenants’ Prize for the Best Logistics Park 2013 awarded at EASTLOG 2013 to Airport Logistic Park and the title of the Industrial Developer of the Year 2012 in the prestigious competition CEE Quality Awards.

Source: Panattoni