Thanks to a trend towards modernisation, the use of logistics property has grown by 30 per cent over the past year. By the end of 2014, 960 thousand square metres of logistics property was in use, according to the Industrial Marketview report by property consultancy CBRE.
Modern premises are in short supply
Logistics users are reportedly searching en masse for modern, large-scale premises. This is reflected in the vacancy rate. The vacancy rate for older logistics premises has stood at 7 per cent for years, whilst modern premises stand vacant in only 2 per cent of cases. In 2010, this figure stood at 15 per cent. “Modern premises are still in short supply,” says Machiel Wolters, Director of Research and Consulting at CBRE. “In particular, there is insufficient supply now that export growth and an increase in retail spending are expected for the coming year. Demand for industrial space is increasingly coming from e-commerce companies, which want to be located closer to major cities due to the importance of the ‘last mile’ in the distribution process to the consumer.” According to the Industrial Marketview, there is therefore a significant need for new-build modern distribution space.
Logistics hotspots
The upturn in demand for logistics real estate was mainly seen in the second half of 2014. Logistics hotspots North Brabant and Limburg stand out, as do the Dutch Mainports (the port of Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Schiphol Airport). This also increased demand for multi-let complexes.
Editorial LogistiekProfs
