Prague (9 October 2017) – Prologis, Inc., the global leader in logistics real estate, today released new research that examines why logistics customers in Europe choose certain locations over others.
The report, titled “Customer Growth Strategies: Europe’s Most Desirable Logistics Locations”, also reveals which locations in the rapidly changing European logistics market are thriving.
Prologis Research and eyefortransport (eft) polled logistics operators across Europe between February and May 2017 and found that five main factors shape location selection in Europe: proximity to major consumption centres; regulatory environments; labour availability; transportation infrastructure; and total costs.
Among the report’s findings:
- Immediate access to major consumption centres is paramount.
- Major population centres with the highest consumption are increasingly important.
- Overall costs rank comparatively low in importance when weighed against other factors.
- Proximity of labour (e.g., in Western Europe, with the Netherlands a key example) and cost of labour (such as in Poland) have a direct influence on customer logistics decisions.
“It’s clear that a close and ready workforce and proximity to economic networks are crucial to logistics users,” said Dirk Sosef, head of Prologis’ research and strategy initiatives in Europe. “In this environment of logistics growth, policymakers should encourage investment in infrastructure and availability of a qualified workforce.”
Based on the report findings, Prologis gave “Top 100 Most Desirable European Locations 2017 Awards” to the best-performing locales in Europe at EXPO REAL in Munich on 5 October. The Netherlands scored high across the five factors that shape new location selection, with Dutch markets scoring particularly well for regulatory systems and multimodality—crucial drivers for markets that concentrate on pan-European distribution. With their high consumer density and well-developed transportation networks, markets in the Benelux and Western Germany scored high in the realms of proximity to major consumption centres and transportation infrastructure. Poland also did well in multiple categories, a sign that the Polish market is rapidly maturing.
The winners of the Prologis “Top 100 Most Desirable European Locations 2017 Awards” were:
- Venlo: Europe’s most desirable location out of the 100 locations included in the study.
- Düsseldorf/Rhein-Ruhr and its three sub-locations Hamm, Unna and Metropolitan region Ruhr: strongest improvement in the top 10.
- Central Poland - Łódź: best-performing market outside Western Europe.
The full report can be found at https://www.prologis.com/logistics-industry-research/customer-growth-strategies-europes-most-desirable-logistics-locations
ABOUT PROLOGIS
Prologis, Inc. is the global leader in industrial real estate. As of September 30, 2015, Prologis owned or had investments in, on a wholly owned basis or through co-investment ventures, properties and development projects expected to total approximately 670 million square feet (62 million square meters) in 21 countries. The company leases modern distribution facilities to more than 5,200 customers, including third-party logistics providers, transportation companies, retailers and manufacturers.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The statements in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the industry and markets in which Prologis operates, management’s beliefs and assumptions made by management. Such statements involve uncertainties that could significantly impact Prologis’ financial results. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature. All statements that address operating performance, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future — including statements relating to rent and occupancy growth, development activity and changes in sales or contribution volume of properties, disposition activity, general conditions in the geographic areas where we operate, our debt and financial position, our ability to form new co-investment ventures and the availability of capital in existing or new co-investment ventures — are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Although we believe the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained and therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Some of the factors that may affect outcomes and results include, but are not limited to: (i) national, international, regional and local economic climates, (ii) changes in financial markets, interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, (iii) increased or unanticipated competition for our properties, (iv) risks associated with acquisitions, dispositions and development of properties, (v) maintenance of real estate investment trust (“REIT”) status and tax structuring, (vi) availability of financing and capital, the levels of debt that we maintain and our credit ratings, (vii) risks related to our investments in our co-investment ventures and funds, including our ability to establish new co-investment ventures and funds, (viii) risks of doing business internationally, including currency risks, (ix) environmental uncertainties, including risks of natural disasters, and (x) those additional factors discussed in reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Prologis under the heading “Risk Factors.” Prologis undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements appearing in this document.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Marta Tęsiorowska
Vice President Marketing & Communications
Prologis Central & Eastern Europe
Direct: +48 22 218 36 56
Email: [email protected]&
Marta Zagożdżon
PR Director, ConTrust Communication
Direct: + 48 605 073 929
E-mail: [email protected]