Verdion gears up for UK growth with senior appointment  

Verdion gears up for UK growth with senior appointment  
Pan-European logistics real estate specialist Verdion has appointed Mark Garrity to its team as Development Director UK.
Specialising in industrial and logistics development, Mark joins the business from Chancerygate, where he was responsible for delivering new facilities across the Midlands and expanding the firm’s regional presence including The Forge Industrial Park in Minworth, Holbrook Park in Coventry and Genesis in Leicester. His experience also includes client-side and agency roles, and acquisitions and disposals activity across retail and trade counter markets.
At Verdion he will support the business in its next stage of UK growth, building on the success of the flagship iPort multimodal logistics hub outside Doncaster and focussing on logistics development opportunities underpinned by strong ESG credentials close to major urban populations.
Verdion is also expanding its activity across Europe. Its second fund – Verdion European Logistics Fund 2 (VELF 2) – is focussed delivering on off-market, value-add opportunities in strategic urban locations across Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden. Other strategic partnerships continue, with investment and development in major parks, brownfield regeneration and complex built to suit manufacturing and logistics opportunities.
John Clements, Executive Director at Verdion, said: “This is the right time for further UK investment, drawing on our team’s strong commercial and technical capability for asset-level value creation close to urban centres where the supply-demand imbalance continues to offer opportunities for future growth. Mark is a great fit for our expanding team and we are delighted to welcome him to the business.”
Mark Garrity, Development Director UK at Verdion, said: “There is a significant growth potential in the UK’s regional urban logistics markets, especially where challenges around delivery may be holding back optimum use of brownfield sites. I’m looking forward to initiating and managing a new pipeline from the outset, leveraging Verdion’s wide experience of similar strategies in other European markets and working with the stand-out technical team behind the very successful iPort hub.”
&nbsp;

Verdion starts speculative urban logistics hub in Oberhausen

Verdion starts speculative urban logistics hub in Oberhausen
Verdion has started the speculative development of a new 23,243 sq m urban logistics property in Oberhausen, Germany.
With a GDV of €32 million, the new facility is expected to complete in Summer 2024, offering
20,073 sq m ground-level logistics area as well as mezzanine and office space. The hall can be divided into up to two units of the same size or leased as a whole.
The new opportunity is being created on a derelict brownfield site within an established industrial area of Oberhausen, with more than 4.2 million people living within 40 minutes of the site.
It has excellent connections to the regional and national transport network, including the A3 and A42, which link the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region with the rest of the country, the Netherlands and Austria. The Port of Duisburg, the largest inland port in the world, is only 15 minutes away along the Ruhr. In addition, there are excellent public transport connections to support future employment: the &#8220;Oberhausen MAN Turbo&#8221; stop is directly at the entrance to the property and a nearby multimodal transport hub provides a number of onward connections across Oberhausen and to surrounding towns. A new access road to the site is also being created.
The facility has been specified to high technical standards for operational and energy efficiency, and a long service life. It has been designed to achieve the DGNB Platinum sustainability accreditation, in line with Verdion’s ESG requirements, with energy saving initiatives, clean energy and employee wellbeing measures planned. The building will benefit from a district heating connection from Stadtwerke Oberhausen and the roof is pre-equipped for a photovoltaic system. The high-quality offices can be cooled in summer and will be furnished to a high standard.
André Banschus, Executive Director at Verdion, adds: &#8221; Identifying this opportunity to transform an underused brownfield site into a thriving urban logistics hub and using our in-house team to overcome its construction and technical challenges is exactly the kind of project our team specialises in.
“When complete, the new facility will benefit from an outstanding location and connections at the heart of a major population area as well as efficient, flexible and sustainable space suitable for a range of occupiers.”
Leasing agents are BNP Paribas.
Verdion is also undertaking the speculative development of Verdion PremierPark Ludwigsfelde, a €100 million industrial and logistics park 35 minutes from Central Berlin, with completion planned for next year.

Verdion brings new asset to Leipzig logistics market

Verdion brings new asset to Leipzig logistics market
Verdion has executed a further development for its Verdion European Logistics Fund (VELF 1), with the completion of an 11,800 sq m asset in Lützen, near Leipzig in Germany.
The new, Grade A property on Hallesche Straße comprises 10,077 sqm of high quality warehousing with 12m clear height and a 24x12m column grid as well as a 1,124 sq m mezzanine and 599 sq m of offices, plus HGV, car and cycle parking, in a landscaped environment. It has been designed to meet the DGNB Gold sustainbility rating, with a roof ready for PV panels and charging stations for cars and bikes as part of the overall specification.
Hallesche Straße is located close to the A9, connecting Berlin and Munich, while the Rippachtal interchange 9km to the north links to the A38 and provides easy access to the southern areas of Leipzig and the A4 30 minutes to the south connects with Dresden, Poland, and Czechia in the east as well as major cities further west.
Verdion acquired the 40,000 sq m site in 2021 and is refurbishing the fully-let, existing 8,500 sq m building as well as creating this additional 11,800 sq m asset.
Sebastian Achten, Senior Leasing and Development Manager at Verdion, said: “This is energy efficient, market-led space at a size with high demand in the Leipzig area. In this market, which is dominated by 3PLs but with good activity from the industrial and retail/wholesale sectors, we expect flexible leases, along with this completion milestone, to be a further draw.”
Oliver Kemper, Investment Director at Verdion, said: “Completion of this new development is a further step forward in the execution of the business plan and our VELF1 strategy – focussing on opportunities with value-add in strategic logistics locations across Europe and creating long-term value. It is a high calibre asset in an established, well-connected commercial cluster and we have now more than doubled the amount of lettable industrial and warehouse space within the site boundary.”
This milestone follows Verdion’s leasing of its speculative logistics development in Nettetal, close to the Dutch border and Venlo, to Advanced Supply Chain (ASC) prior to completion in July 2023. The 21,647 sqm redevelopment, also part of Verdion’s VELF1 fund, has been taken by the UK-based e-commerce supply chain specialist’s first warehouse in Germany.
www.verdion-leipzig.com

Verdion starts speculative development of €100 million industrial and logistics park near Berlin

Verdion has started construction of a new €100 million industrial and distribution park in Ludwigsfelde near Berlin as part of its Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF1).
Verdion PremierPark Ludwigsfelde comprises a total of 150,000 sq m at Brandenburgische Straße 51-51d, close to Berlin’s A10 ring road, 35 minutes from the city centre. It is being developed on brownfield land that was part of the historic IFA industrial area where trucks were produced from the 1960s until Reunification.
Three new buildings totalling 62,500 sq m are being developed speculatively in phases, with the first – 41,398 sq m – fully completing in spring next year and the remainder complete by summer 2024.
They can be subdivided to create up to six units from 6,568 sq m+ and flexibly configured to meet the needs of a diverse range of occupiers. Along with around 53,000 sq m of manufacturing and warehouse space, around 5,000 sq m of offices and 5,000 sq m of mezzanine space are included, as well as a 300-space car park and cycle parking. Verdion will also create a separate entrance for pedestrians and cyclists, 150 metres from the Birkengrund bus and local train station. Two other buildings on the park remain in situ with their current occupiers in place.
Verdion is targeting DGNB Platinum for the park, with solar panels, underfloor heating in the warehouses and offices via district heating system as well as battery charging point infrastructure for both cars and e-bikes all part of its plans. Grounds will be landscaped and feature attractive outdoor seating and pavilions for employees on site as well as focussing on increasing biodiversity, with wildlife protection and enhancement measures including bat boxes, nesting for birds and an amphibian habitat. Beehives and insect hotels will be installed and around 220 new trees will be planted alongside the 140 being retained as part of a site-wide environmental strategy.
Florian Stöbe, Head of Investment – Germany at Verdion says: “This is a major new park development within our VELF1 fund, aimed at a wide range of market sectors and designed to be flexible, efficient and sustainable throughout. Having seen the site shaped by decades of automotive industry activity, we are enjoying the challenge of transforming this brownfield land into a modern industrial and distribution hub powered by clean energy.
“Against a backdrop of continuing high demand from transport, retail and industrial occupiers in the German capital, we are expecting to close a first lease soon.”
CBRE has been appointed as leasing agent.
www.verdion-ludwigsfelde.de/

Advanced Supply Chain takes Verdion value-add for German market entry        

Verdion has leased its speculative logistics development in Nettetal, Germany, to Advanced Supply Chain (ASC) prior to completion. The 21,647 sqm redevelopment is located close to the Dutch border and Venlo, and forms part of the Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF 1).
Part of Reconomy, a leading provider of tech-enabled solutions for the circular economy, ASC delivers supply chain services for leading retailers and consumer brands.
Its facility at Herrenpfad Süd 40 will be the UK-based e-commerce supply chain specialist’s first in Germany, representing a €69 million investment and employing around 400 people over the next three years.
The Nettetal facility also represents another major investment by Reconomy in the global capabilities of its Re-use division, which consists of ASC and omnichannel returns management specialists, ReBound.
Ben Balfour, COO at ASC, said: “Expanding in Nettetal, is part of our mission for supporting customers’ goals to maximise the value of their supply chains. This new, well-located and well-designed operating facility on a brownfield site provides retailers with the ability to process European customer returns much closer to the point of sale. This can help to reduce supply chain mileage, cut carbon emissions, and generate new financial savings that benefit the overall feasibility of customer returns and avoid margin dilution.”
Valerie Setz, Asset Manager at Verdion, adds: “We are pleased to support Advanced Supply Chain’s German market entry. It had specific requirements in terms of building quality and technology, which we were able to implement during construction with our team of experts. As a result, its space has been tailored for efficient returns management workflows ahead of completion.”
The new facility comprises 18,573 sq m for e-commerce logistics and a 2,032 sq m mezzanine, as well as 951 sq m of office and communal spaces. Verdion is targeting DGNB Gold for the project, which includes heat pumps as well as a building structure ready for the installation of rooftop PV panels.
Florian Stöbe, Head of Investment – Germany at Verdion, says: “This asset in Nettetal is the first redevelopment opportunity we acquired for our VELF 1 fund, and it’s good to see the property fully let before completion. At the same time, we have other major redevelopment projects underway, with equity-raising for Verdion’s second value add fund progressing well.”
VELF 1 invests in urban logistics and properties in well-established locations in Europe with a total fund volume of €310 million.
Colliers International advised Verdion. JLL advised Advanced Supply Chain.

Verdion secures Södertälje site for urban logistics

Verdion has increased its pipeline in Sweden with the acquisition of an industrial site in Södertälje, south of Stockholm, that will be repurposed for urban logistics.
Verdion will speculatively develop 31,000 sqm of high-quality warehousing targeting BREEAM Excellent.
The new facility will also include office, welfare and mezzanine accommodation, with high levels of sustainability and flexibility throughout. Completion of the redevelopment, which can be leased as a whole or subdivided, is anticipated for the end of Q4 2024.
The 68,850 sqm fully-zoned site is located in the city’s eastern submarket, Gärtuna, It is less than 10 minutes from the E20 motorway connecting north to Central Stockholm and the E4 connecting with Norrköping and Jӧnkӧping to the south, as well as wider national and international connections. Södertälje Port is less than 15 minutes away.
Johan Nihlmark, Head of Business Development – Nordics, at Verdion, said: “This is a site with great potential in an area where supply is limited. Sitting within easy reach of the local population and 35 minutes from Central Stockholm, it has outstanding transport links and is very easy to access from across the region. We are planning to bring it to market quickly with occupier requirements at the forefront of our design and delivery.”
Linklaters advised Verdion. The seller was Företagsparken Norden Holding AB.

Verdion strengthens Nordics capability with Danish Development Manager appointment

Verdion has announced the appointment of Viktor Baláž as Development Manager in Copenhagen, increasing the business’s technical expertise to support its Nordics portfolio growth.
Viktor joins from Logistic Contractor, part of the Wastbygg Group, where he specialised in construction management, including a new distribution centre for DHL in Kastrup. Before that he worked with Goldbeck International where he was responsible for a new facility for DSV in Jӧnkӧping, Sweden, as well as delivering other logistics assets across northern Europe.
At Verdion he will be responsible for project and construction management of new assets in Denmark, covering all aspects planning, budget, procurement and supervision of the construction process until completion. He will work closely with Verdion’s Technical Director in Denmark, Jacob Rasmussen, who will now focus on new investment and development opportunities in the Nordics.
Peter Michael Tetzlaff, Head of Investment – Nordics, at Verdion, said: “New, efficient, sustainable assets are at the heart of our portfolio growth and with Viktor joining the team we have greater capacity to identify and execute more opportunities across the wider region. His experience in the market, his technical capability and the value he places on teamwork aligns very closely with Verdion’s ethos and we are pleased to welcome him to the business.”
Verdion is currently capital raising for a second fund targeting €400 million of equity. Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF 1), which invests in value-add urban logistics and properties in well-established locations in Northern Europe, closed with a total fund volume of €310 million and its strategy is now being successfully executed.
In Denmark, it has now completed and leased a 26,000 sq m facility in Allerød, north of Copenhagen, and continues to move forward with the 150,000-sq m E20 Park Copenhagen logistics hub, close to the port of Køge in partnership with Aviva Investors. In Sweden it will shortly complete the final phase of E4 Park Rosersberg, close to Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport, with construction of new distribution space in the key markets of Jonkoping and Gothenburg also underway.

Verdion secures Danish pharma business for iPark Copenhagen

Verdion has leased the second phase of Verdion iPark Copenhagen.
A large Danish pharmaceutical company has taken the 26,000 sq m storage and distribution facility located close to Highway 16 in Allerød, north of the city, on a long-term lease. Its new, energy-efficient warehouse, which is targeting DGNB Silver, was developed speculatively and includes a PV panel-ready roof as well as 29 dock level doors and a 56m fenced yard with automatic sliding gate.
The first phase of the park extends to 12,000 sq m and was developed by Verdion in 2018 for a leading global 3PL, which continues to occupy the asset.
Daniel Carstens, Commercial Manager for Verdion, said: “This is our second completed and leased facility north of Copenhagen, tapping into demand from the area’s pharmaceutical cluster and providing high quality logistics space with excellent transport connections north and south. We are pleased to sign up this major occupier so soon after construction completed and will be supporting them throughout their coming fit-out works.”
Colliers was leasing agent for the park.
&nbsp;

Leading furniture business signs for new E20 Park Copenhagen warehousing

E20 Park Copenhagen has secured the first occupier for its latest phase of development, with <a href="https://www.holmrisb8.com/">HOLMRIS</a> B8 – a leading Danish furniture business – taking occupation at the park being developed by Aviva Investors, the global asset management business of Aviva plc, and Verdion.
The agreement sees <a href="https://www.holmrisb8.com/">HOLMRIS</a> B8 prelet unit DC1.5, a total of 7,077 sq m incorporating warehousing, office facilities and mezzanine space, as it continues its expansion across the region. HOLMRIS B8 joins existing E20 Park occupiers Molo and NDI Group, which occupy units SC1-4 in the park’s first building.
A further four units remain available to lease in the current phase of development at the park, ranging from 6,900 sq m to 9,700 sq m, with completion scheduled for the end of March. DC1 is the second building to be developed at the 150,000 sq m park.
All occupiers in this 37,000 sq m speculatively-developed facility will benefit from 12.2m headroom, 50kN/m² uniformly distributed loading and LED lighting, with all mains services connected. The facility will also target a DGNB Gold sustainability rating.
Flemming Ib Windfeld, CEO of HOLMRIS B8, said: “HOLMRIS B8 has been growing significant during the last few years and has outgrown our current warehouse. During the process of finding a new location, it has been important to look for a warehouse that supports HOLMRIS B8’s sustainability agenda. We have found that in E20 Park Copenhagen. The DGNB Gold rating was important for us, and we are going to certify our office under DGNB Room. Sustainability is at the core of our business and we see certifications such as DGNB strong tools to make sure that we all move in the right direction. We look forward to entering the new location and to the cooperation with Verdion and Aviva Investors.”
George Fraser-Harding, Head of European Funds at Aviva Investors, said: “The Nordic region continues to see high demand for logistics space, with Denmark in particular being at the heart of our European real estate strategy. We think it remains an attractive market to actively grow our portfolio and we are therefore pleased to see such strong demand from businesses for high-quality spaces, tailored to their occupiers, such as those on offer at E20. We look forward to continuing to grow the park’s capabilities and reputation as a hub that can offer firms an unrivalled set of facilities in the region.”
Daniel Carstens, Commercial Manager at Verdion, said: “This is an important letting that sets the tone for our latest phase of development before construction completes later this month, and we are pleased to welcome Holmris to E20 Park.
“At the same time, we are also seeing considerable interest in the remaining units from a range of national and international businesses, all focussed on the quality of warehousing and strong environmental credentials, as well as our strategic location and good transport links.”
E20 Park Copenhagen is one of Denmark’s largest logistics parks, offering a wide range of unit sizes on its 38-ha site – from smaller-scale warehousing for immediate occupation to very large-scale, technically complex buildings. Located close to the town of Solrød, it is 25 minutes away from the city centre with over 40% of the Danish population living within an hour’s drive of the site. It is owned by a Fund managed by Aviva Investors.
CBRE advised on the deal and is the retained leasing agent for the park.

Verdion appoints new Investment Manager to accelerate Nordics growth

Verdion has strengthened its Nordics business with the appointment of Fredrik Salman as Investment Manager – Nordics.
Fredrik joins from Round Hill Capital, the global real estate investment and asset management firm, where he was an investment manager working on deal origination and management of commercial real estate. Prior to this, he spent three years at Brunswick Real Estate in Stockholm.
In his new role, Fredrik will focus on the sourcing and acquisition of new investment and development opportunities across the region as well as undertaking day-to-day portfolio and investment activity. He will report to Peter Michael Tetzlaff, Verdion’s Head of Investment – Nordics, and work closely with Johan Nihlmark, Head of Business Development – Nordics, along with the firm’s other investment, asset management and technical teams.
Verdion has recently closed its Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF 1), which invests in urban logistics and properties in well-established locations in Northern Europe with a total fund volume of €310 million. Capital raising for a second fund is now underway, targeting €400 million of equity.
The company’s wider Nordics portfolio also continues to grow, with the addition of new development opportunities in Gothenburg, Jӧnkӧping and Vejle in the last year, alongside more established logistics parks in the Greater Stockholm and Greater Copenhagen areas.
Peter Michael Tetzlaff, Head of Investment – Nordics, at Verdion, said: “Sweden and Denmark present particularly strong growth opportunities right now, and Fredrik’s appointment will further boost our capacity and expertise across these areas. He brings extensive experience in identifying and executing new opportunities, combined with an in-depth understanding of our target markets and a strong network. We are very pleased to welcome him to the team.”

Verdion promotes Oliver Kemper to Investment Director

Verdion has promoted Oliver Kemper to Investment Director as of 1 January 2023. Kemper is based in Verdion’s growing Frankfurt office and joined the company in mid-September 2020 as Senior Investment Manager.
Since then, he has been responsible for the identification, sourcing, analysis, negotiation and execution of investments as well as transaction management for acquisitions and divestments for Verdion’s European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF 1). VELF 1 invests in urban logistics and properties in well-established locations in Northern Europe with a total fund volume of €310 million. Capital raising for a second fund is now underway.
Following his promotion, Kemper will focus more on the acquisition of core-plus and value-add properties as well as brownfield opportunities across Germany. He will also be involved in the execution of business plans for existing assets.
Verdion expects the Frankfurt team to grow further in the coming months. Most recently, Nira Morres joined Verdion as Team Assistant. She previously worked as Office Manager at Mileway.
Florian Stöbe, Head of Investment – Germany at Verdion, says: “In addition to expanding his scope in acquisitions, Oliver Kemper’s promotion reflects his wide-ranging expertise and contribution to the continued growth of our investment management business. At the same time we are pleased to welcome Nira as additional support to our team in Frankfurt.”
&nbsp;

Verdion plans third project in Hanover: 15,120 sq m speculative distribution facility at ExpoPark site

Verdion plans third project in Hanover: 15,120 sq m speculative distribution facility at ExpoPark site 
10 February 2023, Düsseldorf / Hanover – Verdion ExpoPark Hanover near the city’s exhibition centre is to be expanded with the addition of a third distribution centre targeting DGNB Platinum and providing around 15,120 sq m of new Grade A warehousing space.
Pan-European logistics specialist Verdion will this month submit the building permit application for a €30 million sustainable facility that will be developed speculatively. Construction is set to start in the second quarter this year, with completion scheduled for summer 2024.
The property can be reconfigured flexibly and divided into two units. Unit 1 encompasses 9,240 sq m of warehousing, 1,185 sq m of mezzanine and 540 sq m of communal space; Unit 2 includes 3,225 sq m of warehousing, 770 sq m of mezzanine and 540 sqm of communal space. In total the facility will offer 15 loading bays, four level access doors and parking space for 20 bicycles and 53 cars – including twelve with EV charging points.
Verdion is targeting the highest level of DGNB sustainability rating – Platinum – for the facility. In addition to energy efficiency measures, it will install air source heat pump which will be operated either with energy generated directly on site or geothermal power. At the same time, Verdion plans to mount a photovoltaic array on the roof which will generate 1.2 million kWh pa – and thus save around 564,000 kg of CO2 emissions over the same period. Vertical window fronts will provide ample supply of daylight and a comfortable working atmosphere inside the building.
André Banschus, Executive Director at Verdion, says: “We are very much looking forward to delivering this third project in Hanover. Its strategic location with excellent local, regional and national transport connections is compelling and the decision to start construction speculatively – as we did with the previous phase – should be an advantage for occupiers wanting to move quickly. Another benefit is the close working relationship with the City, which makes Hanover a very attractive location not just for us but also any occupiers deciding to relocate or expand here.”
Anja Ritschel, Head of the Economic and Environmental Department of the City of Hanover, said: “As a business partner of the state capital, Verdion has unlocked a new site and led a construction project to success, which serves as a best-practice example in terms of environmental standards in the logistics sector and has created numerous new jobs. We are wishing the company continued success for the future of their sustainable investment on site.”
Verdion ExpoPark Hanover is already home to two distribution centres comprising 46,700 sqm and 59,800 sqm of space, respectively. Both are let to Arvato Supply Chain Solutions, part of the Bertelsmann Group.
The site is located inside the city boundaries, directly bordering the Messeschnellweg dual carriageway which links it to the A2, A7, A37 and A352 motorways around Hanover. The DB MegaHub freight depot in Lehrte is 20 km away and a five-minute walk leads to the tram station Stockholmer Allee, which links the site to the city centre as well as its wider public transport network.
The development will be funded by the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP), which will retain ownership of the site long-term. Following completion, Verdion will act as asset manager for the property.
www.expoparkhanover.com

Verdion to forward fund Jutland logistics asset  

Verdion has agreed the forward funding of a state-of-the-art new warehouse development in the Danish region of Jutland with third party logistics provider System Transport A/S.
Located close to highway E45 in Vejle North, part of Jutland’s Triangle Region, the built to suit facility will comprise 26,300 sqm of sustainable, high specification warehousing, logistics and office space on a 62,707 sqm plot.
Verdion’s European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF 1) has acquired the site and will fund the project. Construction will begin in January 2023; undertaken by KT Erhvervsbyg, with Verdion monitoring and advising on technical matters during this process. When development completes in April 2024, the asset will be owned by VELF 1 and managed by Verdion, with System Transport A/S occupying the new facility on a 10-year lease term.
ESG has been a major part of its design development and the new facility will target DGNB Silver, with features including air-to-air heat pumps, a focus on air tightness and solar panels on the roof (annual production of 738,400 kWh/year) which will minimise carbon emission, as well as lowering running costs. It is estimated that the range of ESG initiatives will save Systems Transport more than DKK 85/sqm pa. in consumption costs compared to standard warehouse buildings.
Peter Michael Tetzlaff, Head of Investment – Nordics, at Verdion, said: “This transaction further extends Verdion’s portfolio in the Nordics and increases our holdings in Denmark’s important Triangle region. The design, specification and sustainability features of the new facility, as well as its strategic location, make it an attractive investment for the fund. The Nordics remains a growth area for our business and despite the challenging market we have a strong pipeline of opportunities for the year ahead.”
Bruun &amp; Hjejle advised Verdion, while Accura advised System Transport. Colliers brokered the deal.

Verdion increases investment management focus with London HQ appointment  

&nbsp;
Verdion has today announced the appointment of George Johnstone as Investment Manager based at its London headquarters.
Covering both fund and separate account mandates, George will work closely with Verdion’s investment and asset management teams across Europe. His role will cover all aspects of portfolio and investment management and ensure portfolio-wide best practices and processes.
George joins from Dominvs Group, the privately owned multisector real estate company, where he specialised in supporting deal origination and execution on commercial real estate and development opportunities. Before that he held roles with Escala Partners and Beulah Capital in Australia.
Simon Walter, Director of Asset Management, at Verdion, said: “With a portfolio now standing at €2.6 billion and equity raising for our second fund underway, Verdion’s investment and asset management activity – and requirements – continue to increase. George will provide further support for the team, working across all our European markets and taking a portfolio-wide view on governance and other key areas of best practice.”
&nbsp;

Verdion secures new tenant for VELF 1 Leipzig logistics asset

Verdion has secured shipping company Bauer &amp; Mayer Spedition und Logistik GmbH for its warehouse asset in Lützen near Leipzig in Germany, taking the current accommodation at this asset to 100% occupation.
Bauer &amp; Mayer has taken the 4,511 sqm unit at Patterken 11 for the distribution of goods for DIY chain Obi. It becomes part of the shipping company’s current 16,000 sqm portfolio of storage and distribution space across the region serving a range of clients.
In total Verdion’s Lützen asset extends to 40,000 sqm south of Leipzig, with direct access to the A9 motorway which links to Munich and Berlin. It was acquired for the Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF 1) in 2019.
Bauer &amp; Mayer joins Innight Express Germany GmbH at the site’s current 10,200 sqm building.
Verdion has also started the speculative development of additional space, extending the existing building with a 10,019 sqm facility scheduled for completion in Q3 2023. This new, Grade-A accommodation targeting a DGNB Gold sustainability rating will have its own entrance, 12 loading bays and additional 668 sqm office and social areas, and 1,107 sqm of mezzanine space.
Overall, Verdion will invest around €10 million adding value to the original asset.
Tobias Passinger, Leasing and Investment Manager, at Verdion, says: “With the leasing of this existing space to Bauer &amp; Mayer, we are gaining a very good tenant deeply rooted in the local community. The deal underlines the strong demand for well-connected, Grade A storage and logistics space in the Leipzig region.”
Florian Stöbe, Head of Investment – Germany adds: “Our focus from the beginning has been optimising the existing facility, as well as generating additional long-term added value through the development of a new logistics asset within the same site, in line with our VELF 1 strategy.
“At the same time, we remain true to our aim of operating our new assets without the use of fossil fuels. In Lützen, as in our current 21,600 sqm speculative development in Nettetal, we will be installing an air-source heat pump as part of a wider programme of creating more sustainable warehouse space.”
JLL was the leasing agent for the transaction and is also mandated to market the new unit.

Verdion secures Gothenburg site for speculative urban logistics   

Verdion has further increased its Swedish pipeline with the acquisition of an urban logistics site in Gothenburg with an anticipated GDV in excess of €54 million (SEK 580 million).
The pan-European logistics specialist will speculatively develop a 17,314 sq m of Grade A distribution space that could be leased as a whole or divisible in up to three units, ready for occupation in Q1 2024. The facility will also include office, welfare and mezzanine accommodation, with high levels of sustainability and flexibility throughout.
The 31,782 sqm fully-zoned site is located in the established logistics and retail location of Bäckebol, 10km north of Gothenburg city centre on the European Freeway 6 which links Gothenburg with Oslo the north and Malmö and Copenhagen in the south. Local occupiers include IKEA, DB Schenker, DHL, Elgiganten and Bauhaus.
Johan Nihlmark, Head of Business Development – Nordics, at Verdion, said: “Bäckebol is an established logistics submarket and true urban location. It is an ideal distribution hub close to Gothenburg city and its port, with significant pent-up demand for Grade A logistics space that is expected to deliver notable rental growth in the coming months and years.
“This acquisition perfectly aligns with our growth strategy for the Nordics, with our investment, value-add and development activities focused on strong urban logistics locations that are underpinned by clear occupier demand.”

Verdion profits from UPS Prague logistics sale

Verdion has sold UPS’s Czech headquarters and principal logistics hub to Safichem Invest a.s., the investment management arm of leading complex engineering, manufacturing and asset management company Safichem Group AG.
The 13,600 sq m building in Tuchoměřice is located at Václav Havel international airport, Prague
The property was acquired by Verdion in 2018 as a forward funded development and became the first asset in the Verdion European Logistics Fund (VELF1). The property was developed for UPS’s own occupation and let on a 15-year lease from practical completion in December 2019.
Simon Walter, Director of Asset Management at Verdion, said: “This disposal has delivered exceptional returns and outperformance despite the more challenging market environment. A combination of Verdion’s high specification, building design, prime location and strong occupier enabled us to attract considerable investor interest.”
Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF 1) closed in 2020 with capital projects and asset enhancement programmes well underway. In September this year Verdion started fundraising for a second fund, seeking €400 million of equity.
Knight Frank, CMS and Glatzova advised Verdion. White &amp; Case, Deloitte and Grinity advised the purchaser.

 Verdion strengthens Nordics team with Swedish appointment

Verdion has appointed Simon Davies to its team in Sweden, increasing its presence in the Nordics and underlining its growing commitment to the region.
Simon joins the business as Technical Development Manager and will support on a number of projects in the country, including Verdion’s developments in Rosersberg and Jönköping – more than 33,000 sq m of speculative Grade A space.
Based in Stockholm since 2013, Simon most recently headed up Technical &amp; Environmental Due Diligence services for Aurora (previously Gardiner &amp; Theobald) and before that helped establish the Dubai arm of architectural and engineering consultancy SSH. He is also experienced in managing large technical teams on highly-complex development projects for sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors, and has extensive experience in the adaptation and fit-out of buildings for international corporate occupiers including Google and Deloitte in Sweden.
Mani Hemmaty, Technical Director – Sweden, at Verdion said: “Simon has extensive global experience in development and construction, working closely with occupiers, funders and local teams to design and deliver high quality facilities. With our development pipeline in Sweden moving at pace, he will be instrumental in supporting the team to keep to programme and maintain the high standards of technical expertise, sustainability and energy efficiency that Verdion prides itself upon and our occupiers have come to expect.”

Verdion secures NTG Logistics BV for South Netherlands asset

Verdion has leased new logistics space in Roosendaal, in the Southern Netherlands, ahead of completion later this year.
Global warehousing, distribution, and forwarding specialist NTG Logistics B.V. has taken the 8,800 sqm speculatively developed facility on a 7-year lease starting in December 2022.
Located on the Borchwerf I industrial estate, this Grade A warehouse includes a range of features to enable smooth operations and will meet high standards of energy efficiency, with Verdion targeting a BREEAM Very Good sustainability rating.
Verdion acquired the asset for € 17 million for its VELF 1 fund in an off-market deal in 2020 – its first asset in the Netherlands. Occupiers also include Imperial Group and Raben (formerly Bas Warehousing) with Aldi, Cloetta, DHL, DSV, Jan de Rijk, Lidl, Loendersloot, OHL, and Polynorm also located nearby.
Werner Kop, Managing Director at NTG Logistics B.V., said: “We are delighted to open this new location in Roosendaal. The warehouse is strategically located in the logistics hotspot area between Rotterdam and Antwerp and will be used for the storage of vinyl and PVC flooring materials. This new location will strengthen our position as logistic service provider for the storage of ADR and non-ADR goods.
Florian Stöbe, Head of Investment – Germany and Benelux, at Verdion, said: “This deal demonstrates the strength of demand for well-located, well-specified logistics space in the region and the successful execution of our business plan for VELF 1. Verdion’s priority throughout has been to create added value on this brownfield site, extending the building and optimising the site in a market where land supply is increasingly challenging.”
De Lobel &amp; Partners and CMS advised Verdion.

Verdion delivers new European distribution hub for Boeing

Verdion has this week handed over a new hazardous goods warehouse and logistics facility near Hamburg to Boeing. The global aeronautics company will use the building as its new European distribution hub for clients in the production and services sector needing chemicals and specialist materials. 

The property is located on a 34,350 sq m plot in the Rudolf-Diesel-Strasse 11-13 in Henstedt-Ulzburg, one of the most important logistics hubs and the largest agglomeration of the aeronautics industry in Germany, only a few minutes’ drive from Hamburg Airport.
It encompasses 15,350 sq m of warehouse and 750 sq m of office and communal space, a 2,500 sq m standalone office building and 153 parking spaces. A DGNB Gold sustainability certificate is anticipated, with one contributing factor being the preparation of the roof for solar panels which Boeing will install on site.
After securing the opportunity with Boeing and bringing on board HIH Invest Real Estate (previously Warburg-HIH Invest) as a partner, Verdion managed the high technical and safety-related complexity of the specialist warehouse throughout the planning and construction process.
The main building includes four separate hazardous materials areas in which different levels of hazardous goods can be stored safely. Its design meets all permitting requirements and incorporates floors that meet WGK 3 standards, ceiling and in-rack sprinklers and quench water barriers, as well as the highest standards of security.
André Banschus, Executive Director at Verdion, says: “This is a market-leading facility ensuring that Boeing can safely and effectively distribute hazardous goods across its supply chains. As a result, the business can now expand its capacities and product portfolio and continue on its growth trajectory.
“We worked closely with Boeing’s team to conceptualise the space in order to create an efficient layout and guarantee the security of sensitive goods. This configuration of high specification warehouse and logistics space with modern offices now sets new standards for its regional distribution hubs worldwide.”
“The opening of this new facility is a strong signal of Boeing&#8217;s continued commitment to Germany. Despite challenging times, we want to secure the long-term growth of the aeronautics industry in the region and consolidate Boeing&#8217;s leading position in the European distribution services market,&#8221; said Dr Michael Haidinger, President of Boeing Germany. “We are pleased to have a location that meets our wide-ranging requirements, sets sustainable standards and offers our employees a highly modern workplace.”
JLL acted for Boeing. CBRE advised on the funding.

Second Verdion fund to raise €400 million

Verdion has announced its second European fund with plans to raise €400 million.
Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion, said: “The market is underpinned by solid occupier demand that continues to grow in many key European geographies.
“We have strong leadership, excellent connections and exceptional local teams able to source and execute the range of opportunities this new fund will offer.”
Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF 1) closed in 2020 and is now fully committed, with capital projects and asset enhancement programmes well underway.

Verdion hands over Kassel logistics building

Verdion has handed over a 7,945 sq m facility in the Lohfelden logistics park near Kassel to Winkler Logistik GmbH.
The specialist in spare parts for workshops, commercial vehicle owners, bus operators and agricultural operations has signed an 8.5-year lease for the building, which was developed on a speculative basis. Completion was on time and on budget. It is the company’s third building on this site.
The new facility comprises 6,676 sq m of warehouse, 711 sq m of mezzanine and 558 sq m of office space that will support Winkler Logistik’s expansion of its storage capacity for commercial vehicle parts in the area.
The building was constructed according to the highest standards of energy efficiency (KfW-40 standard) and is heated and cooled with heat pumps. The roof is prepared for the installation of a photovoltaic system, and charging points for electric cars and bicycles have also been incorporated. Verdion is aiming for DGNB Gold certification for the property.
Andreas Mayer, Logistics Director at Winkler, says: &#8220;The new property at the Lohfelden site will make a valuable contribution to our growing logistics capacity in the region. Now we will be in an even better position to offer our customers a very good delivery service in the coming years. The property is technically of a high standard and was built in a very short time.&#8221;
Alptug Taskin, Senior Technical Project Manager at Verdion, says: &#8220;We are very pleased to have been able to open up an expansion opportunity for our existing tenant at its traditional location. We worked closely with Winkler during the construction phase to ensure that the daily operational processes will smoothly and efficiently, and we enjoyed a good working relationship throughout.&#8221;
Verdion acquired the logistics park in February 2021 for €28 million its Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF 1), which invests in value-add properties in strategic locations. In addition to the newly built
property, there are three existing buildings on the 58,307 sq m site. One of them is let to a specialist for thermoplastic extrusion, two to Winkler Logistik. As part of the transaction, the existing lease for the Winkler space was extended to the same term as the new lease.
Florian Stöbe, Verdion Head of Investment – Germany, says: &#8220;We were able to activate new space for the portfolio in Lohfelden, extend leases and thus increase the income yield of the asset. We have thus implemented our expansion plans for the property in the VELF 1 fund and will soon be able to start further measures on the existing buildings. Despite current market headwinds, demand for core logistics properties remains high, as long-term sector trends – such as nearshoring of supply chains or the continued growth of online retail – have not changed.&#8221;

Verdion announces 1.75 million sq ft development plans at iPort, Doncaster 

Verdion today announces a major £300 million speculative development programme that will deliver all remaining warehouse capacity at iPort, the 6 million sq ft multimodal logistics hub just outside Doncaster.
Totalling 1.75 million sq ft, this final stage of development at iPort will offer five buildings from 82,000 sq ft upwards, with delivery from June 2023.
The largest of the five buildings will extend to 848,250 sq ft and complete in June 2024 – one of the largest speculative logistics units ever developed in the UK offering a significant proposition for businesses looking for a new national hub.
All buildings will be built to very high standards of construction and certified to a minimum of BREEAM Very Good.
John Clements, Executive Director of Verdion, said: “This is a major investment that underlines our unwavering confidence in both iPort and the UK market. Demand for high quality, efficient space in strategic locations remains extremely strong and this programme addresses the current scarcity in Yorkshire market and further afield head on.
“Speed of delivery is important and we have a fantastic on-site construction team, planning permission is in place and contractors’ agreements are signed.”
The decision follows recent lettings at iPort as well as the completion of the final building in its previous speculative phase, iP10, which is located adjacent to the on-site rail terminal. Woodland Group, Euro Pool Systems and Maritime Transport have all signed leases for new space at iPort this year.
iPort is one of the UK’s most significant multimodal logistics hubs, and the largest in the north of England, with capacity for a total of 6 million sq ft of 24/7 of logistics and light industrial accommodation close to Junction 3 of the M18 and the East Coast Main Line. Occupiers include Amazon, CEVA, Fellowes, Lidl, Dusk, Kingsbury Press, Woodland Group, Maritime Group and Euro Pool Systems.
In addition to large areas of landscaping and wetland, iPort benefits from an award-winning multimodal on-site rail freight terminal, iPort Rail, which is increasingly being used by companies based on-site and across the region looking to cut carbon across their supply chains, with rail connections to major UK sea ports.
Gent Visick, Colliers and CBRE are the retained leasing agents for iPort.
Verdion’s longstanding partner in the development of iPort is the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP).
<a href="http://www.iportuk.com">www.iportuk.com</a>
<a href="http://www.iportrail.com">www.iportrail.com</a>

Verdion completes latest speculative phase at iPort

Verdion has completed a further facility at iPort, the multimodal logistics hub just outside Doncaster, bringing new Grade A space to the undersupplied Yorkshire market.
iP10 offers 259,266 sq ft of high-quality distribution space in a steel portal framed warehouse unit with double-storey offices, HGV and car parking and a secure 53-metre deep yard.
It is the final completion in Verdion’s latest round of speculative development, which also included two buildings leased to Woodland Group and Euro Pool Systems respectively. Verdion has also signed a new long-term lease with Maritime Transport, which has doubled the size of its facility at iPort to reflect its growth in the region. Unit iP2f is also currently available offering 174,380 sq ft for immediate occupation.
Jamie Young, Asset Manager at Verdion, said: “With clear demand in this Yorkshire market for high quality logistics space, this new unit offers over 250,000 sq ft with immediate availability and outstanding road and rail transport links. It also means that our latest speculative development programme has been delivered very smoothly despite wider supply chain challenges in the market and, with occupier appetite showing no signs of slowing, we are now focussed on bringing forward future opportunities at the park.”
iPort is one of the UK’s most advanced multimodal logistics hub, with capacity for a total of 6 million sq ft of 24/7 of logistics and light industrial accommodation close to Junction 3 of the M18 and the East Coast Main Line. It also benefits from an award-winning multimodal on-site rail freight terminal. iPort Rail, is increasingly being used by companies based on-site and across the region looking to cut carbon across their supply chains, with rail connections to major UK sea ports. Other occupiers include Amazon, CEVA, Fellowes, Lidl, Dusk, Kingsbury Press, Woodland Group and Euro Pool Systems, while its remaining 1.7 million sq ft includes capacity for buildings of up to 800,000 sq ft.
Gent Visick, CBRE and Colliers are the retained leasing agents for iPort.
<a href="http://www.iportuk.com">www.iportuk.com</a>
<a href="http://www.iportrail.com">www.iportrail.com</a>

Maritime Transport doubles presence at iPort, Doncaster

Verdion has leased further space at iPort, the multimodal logistics hub just outside Doncaster, to Maritime Transport. The leading transport business has taken an additional 4 acres on a long-term lease, doubling the size of its HGV parking facility on-site.
Maritime Transport will now be able to accommodate up to 170 HGVs and 85 car parking spaces with immediate effect to reflect its growth in the region. The business took an initial 4 acres in 2020, including a new 4,000 sq ft high quality office and amenity building.
The deal follows lettings to Woodland Group and Euro Pool Systems earlier this year. A further building, iP2f, which totals 174,380 sq ft, is available for immediate occupation. iP10, the final facility in Verdion’s latest round of speculative development will complete later this month bringing a further 259,266 sq ft to the market.
John Clements, Executive Director at Verdion, said: “Maritime Transport has already proved that iPort is a strong strategic location, with the business benefitting from outstanding road links as well as our on-site rail freight terminal. This decision to expand was a natural progression given the strength of demand for services and we were pleased to be able to accommodate this growth alongside our wider development plans. Building iP2f is currently the only Grade A unit available in Yorkshire and our next completion should also see significant interest given the region’s lack of supply.”
Simon Smart, Chief Executive Officer at Maritime Transport, said, “We are pleased to agree a long-term lease to extend our transport depot at iPort on the back of strong market demand and customer support. iPort Doncaster is an excellent strategic fit within our network and the development at iPort with its exceptional transport links is second to none. The additional land will double the size of our operation which only commenced at the start of 2020.”
iPort is one of the UK’s most advanced multimodal logistics hub, with capacity for a total of 6 million sq ft of 24/7 of logistics and light industrial accommodation close to Junction 3 of the M18 and the East Coast Main Line. It also benefits from an award-winning multimodal on-site rail freight terminal. iPort Rail, is increasingly being used by companies based on-site and across the region looking to cut carbon across their supply chains, with rail connections to major UK sea ports. Other occupiers include Amazon, CEVA, Fellowes, Lidl, Dusk, Kingsbury Press, Woodland Group and Euro Pool Systems, while its remaining 1.7 million sq ft includes capacity for buildings of up to 800,000 sq ft.
Gent Visick, CBRE and Colliers are the retained leasing agents for iPort
<a href="http://www.iportuk.com">www.iportuk.com</a>
<a href="http://www.iportrail.com">www.iportrail.com</a>
&nbsp;

Verdion strengthens asset management team to support growing portfolio

Verdion has appointed Annika Schmelzer as Asset Manager to support the growth of the firm’s real estate portfolio across Germany and the Benelux region.
Based at Verdion’s Frankfurt office, Annika Schmelzer will assist in integrating new properties into the portfolio as well as handling lease renewal and regear negotiations. She will also manage capex projects, working closely with Verdion’s development team.
Annika Schmelzer joins from Deutsche Real Estate AG where she worked in leasing and warranty management. Prior to that, she worked as Property Manager for DGIM Deutsche Gesellschaft für Immobilienmanagement mbH. She completed an apprenticeship as a Real Estate Agent at Calibrium Real Estate GmbH in Mannheim.
Simon Walter, Director – Asset Management, at Verdion said: “Annika is a welcome addition as Verdion’s European portfolio continues to grow. Good asset management based on strong relationships and a deep understanding of the logistics sector underpins our business, and we need skilled people who can unlock the potential of existing assets as well as helping to deliver new development strategies. We are all very pleased to welcome her to the team.”

Verdion strengthens Finance team with double appointment

Verdion has announced two new appointments, strengthening its finance team as its pipeline and portfolio increases.
Mario Zapouni joins Verdion as Financial Controller. He comes with a strong background in real estate development, previously as Finance Manager for leading developers EcoWorld International and Berkeley Group. He has also held roles in professional practice with Deloitte Real Consulting and BDO and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Max Goodwin joins the team in the role of Financial Accountant. He was previously at the accountancy and business advisory firm BDO, where he was a senior auditor working across a broad range of sectors including real estate and private equity, from LSE-listed businesses to start ups. Max is a qualified Chartered Accountant.
Paul Clarke, Chief Financial Officer at Verdion, said: “With continuing growth in our development pipeline and assets under management, we are strengthening our finance expertise. Ensuring that the financial side of the business is well-resourced by a focussed team who understand real estate is essential to providing proactive financial management for our investors, as well as supporting our development and asset management teams.”
“Mario and Max are great additions to the business. Their combined skills and experience, alongside our existing expertise, means we will remain very well placed to deliver long-term value to our investors.”

Further letting at iPort Doncaster: Euro Pool System takes iP1a

Verdion has signed a lease agreement with Euro Pool System (EPS) for its latest speculative building at iPort, Doncaster.
Euro Pool System, one of the leading logistics companies of reusable packaging in the European fresh supply chain, has signed a 10-year lease for a 116,791 sq ft high-quality distribution facility iP1a.
iP1a is the third of four speculatively-developed warehouses completing at iPort in 2022. All buildings are designed to EPC A rating and BREEAM Very Good.
John Clements, Executive Director, at Verdion, said: “Euro Pool System is an innovative business leading the way in sustainability and efficiency in the fresh supply chain with their returnable packaging containers (RPC’s), and we are pleased to be able to facilitate the growth requirements for Euro Pool System business in the UK. With discussions underway well before the building was completed, this deal is further evidence of the demand we are experiencing from potential tenants reinforcing the importance of our wider speculative development programme.”
Dirk Vercammen, Regional Director Region West at Euro Pool System, commented: “iPort is one of the UK’s most advanced multimodal logistics hub and industrial accommodation close to Junction 3 of the M18 and the East Coast Main Line. It provides an ideal base as a strategic location for Euro Pool System expansion in the UK to service customer needs using advanced solutions for our retail customers.”
In addition to this year’s 680,000 sq ft of speculative development and existing facilities for Amazon, Fellowes, CEVA, Lidl, Maritime Transport, Dusk, Kingsbury Press and Woodland Group, iPort’s remaining 1.7 million sq ft includes capacity for further specialist buildings up to 800,000 sq ft.
It also benefits from an award-winning multimodal on-site rail freight terminal. iPort Rail, is increasingly being used by companies based on-site and across the region looking to cut carbon across their supply chains, with rail connections to major UK sea ports.
Gent Visick advised Verdion and Knight Frank acted for Euro Pool System. Gent Visick, CBRE and Colliers are the retained leasing agents for iPort.
<a href="http://www.iportuk.com/">www.iportuk.com</a>

Verdion begins speculative development on German-Dutch border

Verdion has started development of a new €30m logistics facility on the outskirts of Nettetal near the German-Dutch border and Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region. The speculative project is part of the value-add strategy of the Verdion European Logistics Fund (VELF) 1, which invests in last-mile logistics and value-add assets in northern and central Europe.
On completion in Q2 2023, the new facility at Herrenpfad-Süd 40 will offer 21,560 sq m of Grade A logistics space in up to four units, with 18,575 sq m of warehousing with 20 loading bays as well as 950 sq m of office and mezzanine space.
Verdion is targeting a DGNB Gold sustainability certificate for the highly energy efficient building, which will not be using fossil fuels as a primary energy source and provides charging points for electric vehicles and cycle parking for a carbon-neutral commute. Additionally, the roof and electrical infrastructure will be prepared for solar energy generation.
The site itself is located in the established Herrenpfad Süd industrial estate in Nettetal between Mönchengladbach and Venlo, directly on the German-Dutch border and within striking distance of Germany’s largest conurbation, the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region. Its strategic location is less than a kilometre from the A61 motorway which connects Germany and the North Sea ports, as well as being close to rail and bus connections.
Florian Stöbe, Head of Investment – Germany at Verdion, says: “Within the framework of Verdion’s sustainability strategy, we determined that rather than modernising and extending the existing building as originally planned, a full-scale redevelopment would better serve this market and meet the fund’s ESG standards. We are already seeing a great deal of interest in the new space, based on its strategic location and the strength of demand for last-mile distribution space for customers in the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.”
“With this strategy in Nettetal and other assets in the VELF 1 fund coming forward, we are creating value at the same time as providing new space in undersupplied markets.”
This development is one of a number of value-add projects for Verdion’s VELF 1 fund, which is now almost fully committed. New occupiers have been secured for improved assets in Gallin, near Hamburg, and Lohfelden near Kassel. Speculative construction in Roosendaal in the Netherlands is well underway and new plans are currently being worked up for the reconfiguration of its recently-acquired 150,000 sq m logistics area in Ludwigsfelde near Berlin.
Colliers has been appointed as sole leasing agent for the Nettetal opportunity.

Second occupier signs for E20 Park Copenhagen

Verdion and Aviva Investors have leased a further unit at E20 Park Copenhagen south of the Danish capital to leading Nordics automotive business NDI Group.
NDI Group will be opening a state-of-the-art tyre distribution warehouse at the logistics hub from June 2022, ensuring customers on Zealand a faster delivery of an even more extensive product range, preparing the company for future growth.
It has taken units SC1.3 and 1.4 – a total of 6,302 sqm – adjacent to Danish childrenswear company Molo, which became the park’s first tenant in May 2022.
Allan Pedersen, CCO of NDI Tyres, said: “The new warehouse will ensure profitable growth and efficient operations in line with our 2024 strategy and optimisation efforts of our warehouses, which are also in full swing in Norway and Sweden right now.
“At the same time, the warehouse is energy efficient and has the sustainability certification DGNB Gold, as it is built according to strict environmental standards. In this way, we can combine profitable operations and at the same time take the environment into account, which is also important to us. So we are very much looking forward to taking the new warehouse into use, becoming part of the E20 Park, and taking the next step in our growth journey.”
Daniel Carstens, Commercial Manager at Verdion, said: “It’s great to see the park start to fill up with the first building now fully let and both NDI Group and Molo attracted by its strong sustainability credentials as well as high quality building specification and speed of delivery.
“Development at E20 Park is still continuing, with a larger distribution centre of 37,000 sqm also underway speculatively offering unit sizes from around 7,000 sq m upwards ready for occupation in Q1 next year.”
The new unit – DC1 – will benefit from 12.2m headroom, 50kN/m² UDL floor loading, LED lighting and an ESFR sprinkler system, with all mains services connected and available and a 56-meter-deep fenced yard. A DGNB Gold sustainability rating is being targeted. Lease terms are available from retained agents CBRE who advised on the NDI letting.
E20 Park Copenhagen is one of Denmark’s largest logistics parks, offering a wide range of unit sizes on its 38-ha site – from smaller scale warehousing for immediate occupation to very large scale, technically complex buildings. Located close to the town of Solrød, it is 25 minutes away from the city centre with over 40% of the Danish population living within an hour’s drive of the site. It is owned by a Fund managed by Aviva Investors.
<a href="http://www.E20parkcopenhagen.com">www.E20parkcopenhagen.com</a>

Verdion secures new speculative Swedish opportunity 

Verdion has secured a new logistics opportunity with an anticipated GDV in excess of €34.36 million (SEK 360 million) in the Swedish market hotspot of Jönköping.
Verdion will speculatively develop a 21,000 sq m Grade A warehouse with high levels of sustainability and flexibility ready for occupation in Q3 2023.
The 4.1-ha site is located next to the E4 motorway which provides access to Stockholm, Malmӧ and Gothenburg, and is a 20-minute drive from Jönköping Airport, one of Sweden&#8217;s most strategically important freight hubs. Local occupiers include DHL, Schenker, Elgiganten, IKEA, Husqvarna, Bildelar, UPS, Unilever, PostNord, DSV, Bring and ArlaFood.
John Clements, Executive Director at Verdion, said: “This is a particularly attractive opportunity as we increase our Nordics portfolio. Jönköping stands out for its ability to offer same-day deliveries to all the largest Nordics cities and an increasing attractiveness for occupiers set is low vacancy rates. It is one of a number of investment opportunities we are pursuing in locations across Sweden and its advantages were immediately clear.”
Linklaters advised Verdion. Born Advokater KB and New Property advised the sellers.

Woodland Group takes second warehouse at iPort, Doncaster

Verdion has secured leading independent logistics company Woodland Group for one of its new speculative buildings at iPort near Doncaster.
Woodland Group, one of the largest privately owned global logistics companies, will occupy the 130,458 sq ft distribution facility, iP1b, on a 10-year lease with construction completed and the facility fully operational from this week onwards.
The Group is continuing to expand its footprint across Yorkshire as part of a strategic move to service the growing needs of its existing and new business.
iP1b will be its second building at iPort following a decision to take a 195,000 sq ft fulfilment and distribution warehouse in February last year. Woodland Group also benefits from iPort’s on-site multimodal freight terminal, iPort Rail, as part of their carbon-conscious solution offering, even launching a dedicated new rail service through iPort Rail for its onsite clients.
John Clements, Executive Director at Verdion, said: “Woodland Group is already proving how the combined logistics and rail freight offer at iPort can support businesses seeking a greener, more efficient, supply chain. We’re pleased to be able to prelet this additional unit as part of our wider speculative development programme and look forward to leasing the remaining space this year – there is already significant interest from a range of potential occupiers.”
Luke Fermor, Global Head of Fulfilment, Woodland Group, commented: “The Woodland fulfilment business is seeing large growth with strategic clients who trust us with their complete end to end supply chain solutions. It has been a pleasure working with Verdion to deliver a second facility on the iPort estate which allows us to continue to expand our services out of Doncaster. This new dedicated e-commerce facility gives us the ability to store over 15,000 pallets and 12,000 pick locations all being managed by our state-of-the-art, in-house built WMS. This facility will further drive our aim to deliver sustainable supply chains, and we have extensive plans in place to make it our flagship for sustainable development. The investment we are seeing in the South Yorkshire and Doncaster area is very exciting and we are pleased to be a major provider and employer in the area.”
iPort is one of the UK’s most advanced multimodal logistics hubs, with capacity for a total of 6 million sq ft of 24/7 of logistics and light industrial accommodation close to Junction 3 of the M18 and the East Coast Main Line.
iP1b is the second of four warehouses completing in 2022 as part of a speculative development programme being undertaken by Verdion. iP2f comprises 174,380 sq ft and is available for occupation. iP1a comprises 116,000 sq ft and completes in June and the largest, iP10, comprises 260,000 sq ft and completes in August. All are designed to EPC A rating and BREEAM Very Good.
The park’s remaining 1.7 million sq ft includes capacity for specialist buildings of up to 800,000 sq ft alongside this speculative space. Other occupiers include Amazon, Fellowes, Lidl, Maritime Transport, Dusk and Kingsbury Press.
CBRE advised Verdion. Knight Frank acted for Woodland Group. Gent Visick, CBRE and Colliers are the retained leasing agents for iPort.
<a href="http://www.iportuk.com">www.iportuk.com</a>
<a href="http://www.iportrail.com">www.iportrail.com</a>

Verdion lets speculative space at Lohfelden logistics park

Verdion has leased a third building at its Lohfelden logistics park on the outskirts of Kassel, Germany, to Winkler Logistik GmbH.
The commercial and agricultural vehicle business has agreed an 8.5-year lease for the speculatively-developed building, which includes 6,676 sqm of warehousing plus a 711 sqm mezzanine and 558 sqm of offices, and is set for completion in September this year.
Verdion acquired the park for €28 million in February 2021 as an opportunity for its Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF 1), which focusses on value-add assets in strategic locations. In addition to land available for this new development, the 58,307 sqm site included three existing buildings, one leased to a specialist thermoplastic extrusion business and two leased to Winkler Logistik GmbH. As part of the recent transaction, Winkler Logistik GmbH has regeared its existing lease, which expires in 2026, to be coterminous with its new lease.
The park is situated on Otto-Hahn-Strasse in the Lohfelden logistics hotspot on the edge of Kassel and is strategically located on the A7 highway in Central Germany – the country’s longest autobahn and an important north-south route.
Florian Stöbe, Verdion Head of Investment – Germany said: “This deal is a good reflection of our value-add activity in practice – creating more high quality, income-generating warehousing within a defined footprint. With capital to deploy, our appetite for similar value-add or brownfield opportunities continues, and we remain committed to an extensive programme of speculative development in response to strongmarket demand.”
Valerie Setz, Asset Manager at Verdion, added: “Recent expansions at our assets in Gallin and now in Lohfelden demonstrate the importance of working closely with existing occupiers to expand and regear their space to optimise efficiency. Being able to provide more modern, more sustainable facilities through good asset management can be enormously valuable to companies who need expansion space without disruption or relocation.”

Verdion starts speculative development at first Dutch asset

Verdion has started the speculative development of a new logistics asset in Roosendaal in the Southern Netherlands.
From Q4 2022, the 8,800 sq m Grade A warehouse on the Borchwerf I industrial estate will be available to lease, offering 7,880 sqm of high-quality warehousing plus mezzanine and offices on a 6-ha site.
Designed with logistics sector occupiers in mind, it includes a range of features to enable smooth operations and will meet high standards of energy efficiency throughout, with Verdion targeting BREEAM Very Good sustainability rating on completion and remaining in place as long-term manager for the building.
Located close to the A17 motorway, Borchwerf I offers rapid connections to Bergen op Zoom and Moerdijk, with Breda, Tilburg, Antwerp and Rotterdam all within easy reach. Occupiers would be joining the wide range of businesses already located in the area, including Imperial, Raben, Aldi, Cloetta, DHL, DSV, Jan de Rijk, Lidl, Loendersloot, OHL and Polynorm.
Verdion acquired the site for €17 million in an off-market deal in 2020 – its first asset in the Netherlands.  The site already includes facilities for Imperial Group and Raben – formerly Bas Warehousing – for hazardous goods storage.
Florian Stöbe, Head of Investment – Germany and Benelux, at Verdion, said: “This is a very well-located logistics building with excellent transport links, offering high quality space close a number of major urban centres and ports. Starting development is a further step forward in our investment programme focused on delivering last mile opportunities in Northern Europe and we are expecting significant demand from a range of businesses moving into the region or expanding their current operations.”
De Lobel &amp; Partners is the leasing agent.
<a href="http://www.verdion-roosendaal.com">www.verdion-roosendaal.com</a>

Verdion strengthens Frankfurt team as urban logistics activity grows

Verdion has further strengthened the capability of its team in Frankfurt with the appointment of Tobias Passinger as Leasing &amp; Investment Manager.
Tobias Passinger (26) joins from CBRE in Frankfurt where he was a consultant in its advisory and transaction services team, specialising in the industrial &amp; logistics sector. Before that he spent time with JLL and aik Immobilien-Investmentgesellschaft mbH following a Masters degree in Real Estate and Facilities Management from the University of Applied Sciences in Mainz.
Florian Stöbe, Head of Investment – Germany at Verdion, said: “Tobias is a very welcome addition to the business. His primary focus will be sourcing and executing investment transactions and securing occupiers for our urban logistics and value-add assets currently under development, working closely with Verdion’s business development and asset management teams as our activity across Germany continues to grow.”

Molo signs up as first occupier for E20 Park Copenhagen

Leading Danish childrenswear company Molo has become the first business to take space at E20 Park Copenhagen, the new logistics park being developed by Verdion and Aviva Investors south of the Danish capital.
Molo has taken Units SC 1.1 and 1.2 combined, a total of 5,732 sqm, with the modern specification of the building and its sustainability credentials being an important part of its decision, alongside availability of the space.
In total, 12,000 sqm of new storage space will be ready for completion at the end of April 2022 offering energy efficient storage, mezzanine and office space close to the E20 motorway, 25 minutes from Central Copenhagen. Discussions are well advanced with a number of businesses keen to take the remaining space.
Daniel Carstens, Commercial Manager at Verdion, said: “This is very well-located logistics space being delivered quickly to high standards of energy and operational efficiency. As a result there is significant interest from a range of Danish and international occupiers.
“We are very pleased to welcome Molo to the park and look forward to handing over its new unit at the end of this month. We’re expecting the remaining space to let quickly, too, and are already pressing ahead with longer-term development plans ready to accommodate a range of specifications and timescales as the local market continues to experience a shortage in supply.”
Mogens Jepsen, CEO of Molo said: “Molo&#8217;s overall vision is to be a leader in responsible business operations. That is why our transport and logistics system is essential, and becoming part of E20 Park Copenhagen was an obvious choice. The combination of its sustainable strategies, strategic location and tailor-made solutions will help us sustain our competitive advantage.”
In addition to the first units that will be completed in April, a larger distribution centre of 37,000 sqm is also underway speculatively. It will offer unit sizes from 6,000 sq m upwards, with 12.2m headroom and a 56-meter-deep fenced yard.
All space will benefit from 50kN/m² UDL floor loading, LED lighting and an ESFR sprinkler system, with all mains services connected and available. A DGNB Gold sustainability rating is being targeted. Lease terms are available from retained agents CBRE who advised on the Molo letting.
E20 Park Copenhagen is one of Denmark’s largest logistics parks, offering a wide range of unit sizes on its 38-ha site – from smaller scale warehousing for immediate occupation to very large scale, technically complex buildings. Located close to the town of Solrød, it is 25 minutes away from the city centre with over 40% of the Danish population living within an hour’s drive of the site.

Verdion hands over state-of-the-art Derby Cycle e-bike factory in Emstek

Verdion has completed and handed over a state-of-the art cycle production facility in Emstek, near Cloppenburg in northern Germany to Derby Cycle Werke GmbH. The leading bike and e-bike manufacturer is expanding its presence at this location and will now produce up to 400,000 Kalkhoff brand bikes per year on the site in a 32,230 sq m facility adjacent to its existing distribution hub.
Developed by Verdion in close cooperation with the Derby Cycle team, the new facility offers 26,500 sq m of high-tech production and storage space, 5,730 sq m of office and community space as well as 510 parking spaces on the 63,000 sq m plot in the ecopark industrial park. It includes a new Kalkhoff brand experience where employees and visitors are invited to trial new models at the on-site test track.
Following a 15-month construction period, the property at Europa-Allee was handed over on time and in budget, with Verdion targeting a DGNB Gold certification. It is located right next to a 25,000 sq m bespoke distribution facility which Verdion completed for the company in 2015.
A major focus of the project was ensuring that the building supported production flow as effectively as possible. Drawing on extensive automotive sector experience, Verdion optimised the masterplan layout, locating the final assembly line at the front of the building in order to have the best daylight provision for the final assembly workers and connecting the final assembly area with the paintshop through an air sluice. The office location was chosen to allow for the most effective flow of people to/from the production area and its interior was designed with flexible working in mind, providing different workspaces for a range of tasks.
Staff wellbeing was also a priority, with large windows creating more natural light in the production area, and a floor heating system and ventilation system installed to provide an ideal indoor climate. A restaurant with a large open-air terrace offering attractive spaces for a break is also provided.
André Banschus, Executive Director at Verdion, says: “Cities are becoming increasingly bike friendly and more and more people want to travel with as few emissions as possible. Sales are rising, but new production space in Germany is rare. That is why we were especially pleased to offer a solution for the expansion of Derby Cycle at the existing site in Emstek. As well as using our development expertise in complex production facilities, we also supported the tenant on financing and leasing the new site.”
The new facility was delivered in partnership between Verdion and Canadian pension fund Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP), with Verdion taking on the role of asset manager post-completion. Since 2014, Verdion and HOOPP have created a European logistics portfolio and pipeline valued at over €1.2 billion.
The first 200 e-bikes have been rolling off the production line since 7 March with operations launching in full on 1 July. Derby Cycle is creating around 200 new jobs on site.
The ecopark is located directly adjacent to the A1 motorway which links the Baltic Sea via several North See ports and the Rhein-Ruhr metropolitan region with the French border near Saarbrücken. The municipality of Emstek borders the district town of Cloppenburg with its 35,000 inhabitants and is located 60 km southwest of the Hanseatic city of Bremen.
List Bau was the general contractor of the project, Phase 5 the architect.

Verdion extends Danish reach with Jutland acquisition 

Verdion has acquired an urban logistics asset close to Aarhus in the Danish region of Jutland, its third in the Nordics for Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF 1).
The 16,180 sqm property, Niels Bohrs Vej 37, Skanderborg, has been bought from Hanssen Logistik, part of the Hanssen Ejendomme property company, for €12 million (DKK 96,000,000).
Located in Skanderborg&#8217;s industrial area of Stilling, it comprises an 8,223 sqm cross-dock warehouse with 1,857 sqm of offices and storage occupied by DHL and BFT Logistik &amp; Ejendomme, as well as a new 6,100 sqm warehouse let to Dan-Form A/S.
Peter Michael Tetzlaff, Head of Investment – Nordics, at Verdion said: “The Aarhus logistics market is increasingly attractive as the surge in ecommerce continues and supply across Denmark tightens. This modern, multi-let asset – which was secured in an off-market transaction – offers strong potential for value-add and occupies a strategic location on the E45 motorway, close to Denmark’s second largest city with good links to the country’s main port. We are pleased to be marking our first acquisition in Jutland, an area we will be focusing on further in the months ahead.
Lund Advice, KHR and Accura advised Verdion. DLA Piper advised the seller.

Verdion completes latest big box unit at iPort, Doncaster

The speculative development of Yorkshire’s largest big box logistics unit has been completed by Verdion at iPort, Doncaster.
Offering a total of 174,380 sq ft, the new unit – iP2f – includes 169,317 sq m of Grade A logistics space and high-quality office and amenity areas. Its energy-efficient design has now achieved BREEAM Very Good and an EPC A rating.
It is the first of four speculative buildings being delivered at iPort over the next eight months, a total of 680,000 sq ft of new warehousing for the undersupplied Yorkshire &amp; Humber region. Two further units of 130,500 sq ft and 116,000 sq ft will be completed in May and June. A fourth unit of 260,000 sq ft next to the site’s international rail freight terminal will complete in August 2022.
iPort’s remaining 1.7 million sq ft includes capacity for specialist buildings of up to 800,000 sq ft alongside its programme of speculative development.
John Clements, Executive Director of Verdion, said: “This is the first of a number of completions planned at iPort in 2022 including two large-scale units offering some of the region’s largest available warehousing.  Thanks to a robust supply chain and development-ready site construction continues to run smoothly, and with occupier demand remaining high we are expecting stiff competition for all four units.”
iPort is the UK’s most advanced multimodal logistics hub, with capacity for a total of 6 million sq ft of 24/7 of logistics and light industrial accommodation close to Junction 3 of the M18. Current occupiers include Amazon, Ceva, Fellowes, the Woodland Group, Lidl, Maritime Transport, Dusk and Kingsbury Press.
Its rail international freight terminal, iPort Rail, is increasingly being used by businesses on-site and across the region looking to cut carbon across their supply chains, with daily services to/from Southampton, Felixstowe, Teesport and Immingham and more routes across the UK planned. The facility includes a customs area allowing businesses to clear customs in South Yorkshire and move goods through the Channel Tunnel by rail in both directions, avoiding UK road and sea port disruption.
Gent Visick, Colliers and CBRE are retained leasing agents for iPort.
<a href="http://www.iportuk.com">www.iportuk.com</a>
<a href="http://www.iportrail.com">www.iportrail.com</a>

Verdion boosts Nordics team with a new Denmark recruit

Verdion is increasing its team in the Nordics with the recruitment of Daniel Carstens as Commercial Manager in its Copenhagen office.
Daniel Carstens, 31 joins from M7 Real Estate, where he was an Asset Manager focused primarily on the logistics sector. At Verdion he will handle leasing activities for the Danish business, including new warehouse developments coming forward at E20 Park Copenhagen, near Solrød, and Verdion iPark Copenhagen close to Allerød. He will also be responsible for asset management across Denmark and Sweden, including properties being held in Verdion’s VELF1 fund.
Peter Michael Tetzlaff, Head of Investment – Nordics at Verdion, who heads up the company’s Copenhagen office, said: &#8220;One year on from major investment in the region, Verdion’s activity in the Nordics continues to grow, with a number of strategic sites and assets now secured and a significant pipeline of opportunities underway. Daniel will be instrumental in discussions with occupiers and the active management of our portfolio in the months ahead and we are delighted to welcome him to the team.&#8221;
Daniel Carstens holds a cand.merc.jur. from Copenhagen Business School.

Double appointment strengthens Verdion’s expansion in Germany 

Verdion is investing further in its Germany operations with the appointment of two business development specialists.
Nils Mutzke joins Verdion as Business Development Director – Germany, and Sebastian Achten joins as Senior Leasing &amp; Development Manager, both based at the company’s Düsseldorf offices.
Nils Mutzke (41) joins from GLP where he was a Development Director covering business development in Central Germany. He previously spent three years with SEGRO as Business Development Manager before which he was with FedEx and UPS for a total of eight years. He will now focus on securing Verdion’s growing pipeline of urban logistics opportunities, build to suit facilities and strategic landholdings for major park developments across the country.
Sebastian Achten (29) has been appointed as Senior Leasing &amp; Development Manager. Joining from Bienen&amp;Partner Immobilien GmbH where he was a senior real estate consultant, he has more than eight years’ experience in real estate transactions, predominantly in logistics and manufacturing. He will be actively involved in managing Verdion’s development pipeline and support leasing negotiations across the business.
André Banschus, Executive Director of Verdion, said: “With substantial capital to deploy and significant projected growth across Germany, we see tremendous potential in the year ahead. Both Nils and Sebastian are very effective operators with impressive track records and far-reaching contact networks that will be invaluable as our pipeline expands. We are delighted to welcome them to the team.”

Verdion and Tritax EuroBox plc announce second speculative Swedish logistics project

Verdion and Tritax EuroBox plc, which invests in high-quality, large, sustainable prime logistics real estate strategically located across Continental Europe, have today announced plans to fund and develop a €39.4 million (SEK 402 million) prime sustainable logistics asset in Rosersberg, north of Stockholm. 
The newly acquired 27,562 sqm site will accommodate a 17,832 sqm prime logistics facility consisting of two units. Construction is due to commence in June 2022, with practical completion targeted for May 2023. Tritax EuroBox will forward fund the speculative development in addition to acquiring the land. Verdion will develop the site and act as asset manager following leasing and completion. 
It is located next to the site acquired for €27.9 million (SEK 284 million) in September 2021 where the same team will bring forward 13,181 sqm of prime logistics space. Construction at this site will commence in February 2022 and discussions are already underway with potential occupiers.
The new assets will be strategically situated close to Stockholm Arlanda Airport, on the E4 motorway to Stockholm city centre. Given its location, occupier demand for logistics space in Rosersberg is amongst the highest in Sweden and its importance as a hub is expected to increase further in the coming years. 
Strong ESG credentials are at the forefront of each unit’s design and construction, with a minimum BREEAM Very Good certification being targeted and a range of energy saving initiatives and staff wellbeing measures being included throughout.
Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion, said: “The Nordics remain a key focus, with enormous potential for urban logistics as well as strategic parks and specialist build to suit across the region. In Tritax EuroBox we have a partner that not only shares our commitment to these markets but also a strong focus on ESG and we are very pleased to be partnering for a second time at this strategic location with its excellent prospects for growth.”
Alina Iorgulescu, Assistant Fund Manager of Tritax EuroBox, commented: “This acquisition reinforces our shift to a higher proportion of value add assets, investing in development opportunities alongside established development partners. We are particularly pleased to be increasing our exposure to the Stockholm logistics market where we are seeing growing occupational and investor demand. We have already made good progress at our adjacent asset, obtaining the building permit in December, meaning we are looking forward to starting on site in a few weeks time. 
“This is also our fourth off market deal with Verdion demonstrating our close relationship, bringing forward these ESG led, high quality assets in key locations where land supply is constrained.” 
It will be Tritax EuroBox’s 22nd asset, and its third in Sweden. For Verdion, it is the latest in a growing number of Nordics projects, including two major logistics parks close to Copenhagen and a site for BMW’s Nordics distribution outside Malmö. It is also the fourth partnership for Verdion and Tritax EuroBox, following the completion in 2020 of a specialist food distribution facility for HAVI close to Hanover.

Verdion secures major Berlin urban logistics opportunity

Verdion has acquired a major urban logistics opportunity in Ludwigsfelde just south of Berlin. Vendor is a fund affiliated with MCAP Global Finance (UK) LLP, the European subsidiary of New York headquartered Marathon Asset Management LP. The 149,800 sq m site has significant value-add potential and will become part of the Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF 1).
The new asset at Brandenburgische Strasse 51-53 currently includes five buildings with a combined GLA of 27,600 sq m. Verdion will retain two units with a combined 12,500 sq m of GLA – one of which is let to car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz – and redevelop the three remaining buildings to create 62,000 sq m of modern urban warehousing. Construction is set to start on a speculative basis by the end of 2022 and units will vary in size from 5,000 sq m to 40,600 sq m to provide flexibility and speed to market for a wide range of occupiers.
The new buildings will be developed to high sustainability standards, aiming to incorporate renewable energy generation technology as well as reducing the site’s overall energy consumption. Verdion is targeting a minimum of DGNB Gold for the new buildings.
Florian Stöbe, Head of Investment – Germany at Verdion, says: “This site offers a significant opportunity to create a high-quality urban logistics park serving the German capital and allows us to tap into its robust market fundamentals for our investors. Its superb location enables us to compete robustly in the Berlin urban logistics market and we expect strong occupier interest. This investment also sets the tone for our future fund activity: urban logistics is a major focus, driven by rising demand resulting from changing consumer behaviour and the opportunity to create more sustainable warehousing through the reduced environmental impact that brownfield regeneration brings.”
Oliver Kemper, Senior Investment Manager at Verdion adds: “Not only does this project allow us to better utilise an existing brownfield site but its micro location scores highly for ESG, a crucial point in our investment criteria: local train and bus station Birkengrund lies within walking distance and links the site to Berlin city centre and the wider public transport network around the German capital. Other transport links are strong too, with the site benefitting from quick access to the A10 ring motorway around Berlin and close proximity to Berlin Brandenburg Airport as well as the city centre.”
Verdion was advised by GSK Stockmann (legal &amp; due diligence) and REC Partners (technical due diligence). Law firm Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft and asset manager NAI Apollo advised the seller.
Verdion has a strong track record in the Berlin market. The company has developed, managed and leased over 136,650 sq m of logistics space at Schoenefeld close to Berlin Brandenburg Airport, firstly Verdion Air Link Park, developed in partnership with AEW and Tristan Capital and latterly Verdion Airpark Berlin on behalf of German investment manager Patrizia. Verdion Airpark Berlin was sold to CBRE Investment Management in 2020, following very strong bidding from a number of parties keen to acquire this outstanding logistics park.

Arvato Supply Chain Solutions takes entire second phase of Verdion ExpoPark Hanover

Third-party logistics service provider Arvato Supply Chain Solutions, part of the Bertelsmann Group, has leased the entire second phase of Verdion ExpoPark Hanover, a total of 46,700 sq m of logistics space within the city. Pan-European logistics specialist Verdion started construction of the €60 million project near Hanover Messe on a speculative basis in July last year.
With this new lease, Arvato Supply Chain Solutions is expanding its footprint at this location, having taken the first phase of the park – a total of 59,800 sq m designed specifically for the fashion sector – in 2013. Arvato Supply Chain Solutions will use the new space for handling the distribution for two brands and start with an initial 300 new jobs on site.
&#8220;When the opportunity arose to expand our business right next door, we immediately seized the opportunity,” said Stefan Weidt, Executive Vice President Consumer Products at Arvato Supply Chain Solutions. &#8220;This gives us the chance to grow with our customers right here in Hanover.” The supply chain management and e-commerce service provider is particularly growing the e-commerce segment and continues to expand the business with new and existing customers.
André Banschus, Executive Director at Verdion, added: “This is a sought-after urban logistics site and demand was especially high as a result of its excellent public transport links, quick connections to the new DB MegaHub freight terminal and the national motorway network. In the current market the decision to build speculatively was absolutely right. More importantly, we have built a close and trusting relationship with our long-term partner Arvato Supply Chain Solutions and are delighted to support their expansion at this strategic Hanover site.”
The new distribution centre has been developed to a very advanced technical specification, particularly for a speculative development, and meets the highest standards in energy efficiency and sustainability. Verdion is targeting a DGNB Gold sustainability rating, with the installation of photovoltaic panels with an output of 4.4 kWh p.a. on the roof of the building expected to play a significant part. A similar level of photovoltaic energy generation was included in phase one.
The facility was developed in partnership with the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) which will hold the property in its portfolio long-term with Verdion as asset manager.

Verdion and Aviva Investors ramp up development at E20 Park Copenhagen

Speculative development at E20 Park Copenhagen is moving forward at pace, bringing around 50,000 sq m of new logistics space to the Greater Copenhagen market and addressing the shortage of available stock in the region.
In the first stage of development, 12,000 sqm of new storage space is set to be ready for occupation in April 2022. It will offer energy efficient storage, mezzanine and office space for up to four businesses close to the E20 motorway.
A further 37,000 sq m has now been greenlighted for speculative development, with completion planned for early 2023. It will offer unit sizes from 6,000 sq m with 12.2m headroom and a 56-meter-deep fenced yard.
All space will benefit from 50kN/m² UDL floor loading, LED lighting and an ESFR sprinkler system, with all mains services connected and available. A DGNB Gold sustainability rating is being targeted. Lease terms are available from retained agents CBRE.
E20 Park Copenhagen is one of Denmark’s largest logistics parks, offering a wide range of unit sizes on its 38-ha site – from smaller scale warehousing for immediate occupation to very large scale, technically complex buildings. Located close to the town of Solrød, it is 25 minutes away from the city centre and over 40% of the Danish population lives within an hour’s drive of the site. The development is being led by Verdion with funding by Aviva Investors.
Peter Michael Tetzlaff, Head of Investment – Nordics, at Verdion said: “With the Greater Copenhagen area continuing to experience an acute shortage of logistics space we are making plans to deliver these first two phases as quickly as possible. This warehousing has been designed with streamlined operation in mind. It will be high quality, sustainable and above all it will offer more choice to the many businesses that are expanding as a result of e-commerce and other sector growth.”
George Fraser-Harding, Fund Manager at Aviva Investors, said: “There is clear demand for new logistics space across the Nordics, with a number of immediate requirements alongside longer term opportunities for growth. With capacity for up to 150,000 sq m at E20 Park Copenhagen, we believe it is the right time to bring more space to the market.”

Verdion strengthens Nordics commitment with senior technical hires

Verdion has underscored its commitment to the Nordics region with two further senior technical team hires. The appointments are part of a Europe-wide move to reinforce the investor, developer and asset manager’s capability as its development and investment pipeline grows.
Jacob Rasmussen has been appointed as Technical Director – Denmark. Based at the firm’s Copenhagen office he is responsible for delivering all Verdion’s projects in the country, including E20 Park Copenhagen and iPark Copenhagen. Previously a Director with DS Flexhal A/S and Business Development Manager with Rizzani de Eccher S.p.A, he has worked across Denmark and Sweden with responsibility for delivering major turnkey production facilities with a focus on energy efficiency and security. As well as holding B.Sc. in Civil Engineering, Jacob has Postgraduate Diploma from Copenhagen Business School and an Executive MBA from Technical University of Denmark-Business (DTU-B).
Mani Hemmaty joins Verdion as Technical Director – Sweden. Previously Head of Operations for Sweden, then Norway, Denmark and Finland, with Logistics Contractor he has extensive experience of delivering major projects for developers, third party logistics providers and occupiers including DSV, DHL, Tata, Lidl and ICA. He will be based at the firm’s Gothenburg office and is responsible for the construction of Verdion’s projects in Sweden, including new speculative development in Rosersberg north of Stockholm.
These appointments follow additions to Verdion’s technical team in Germany earlier this year, with Alptug Taskin joining as Senior Technical Project Manager with responsibility for all technical areas of the company’s VELF1 fund in the country and Giancarlo Ciccotelli joining as Technical Project Lead – Cost Management to head Verdion’s construction tender processes.
All four new hires report to Verdion’s Chief Technical Officer Peter Peeters. He said: “Delivering new logistics opportunities with speed and precision is a cornerstone of our business. On the ground, that means highly experienced individuals with strong local networks and specific logistics technical know-how. In these new hires we have first-rate additions to the team who will be instrumental in executing our growing Nordics pipeline.”

Verdion boosts technical team with new senior hires

Verdion has strengthened its technical team in Germany with two senior hires. The appointments are part of a Europe-wide move to reinforce the investor, developer and asset manager’s design and construction capability as its project pipeline grows.
Alptug Taskin joins Verdion as Senior Technical Project Manager based at Verdion’s Frankfurt office. He will be responsible for all technical areas of the company’s VELF1 fund in Germany, which is focussed on high quality logistics assets with value-add potential. This role will include supporting the team in due diligence for new acquisitions and capex projects for existing buildings, as well as new VELF developments which he will lead through to completion. He has 28 years of professional experience, with previous roles including architect and technical manager for institutional investors such as Conren Land and Logicor, and a focus on improving the sustainability of projects throughout his career.
Giancarlo Ciccotelli joins as Technical Project Lead – Cost Management, based at the company’s Düsseldorf office. He has 14 years of experience in construction and project management, most recently heading up technical controlling and risk management at BAM Deutschland. He will lead all of Verdion’s construction tender processes, negotiating contracts with general contractors and subcontractors and driving efficiencies across this area of the business to ensure that programmes are delivered quickly and efficiently by best-in-class contractor and subcontractor teams.
André Banschus, Executive Director at Verdion, said: “We have some major, technically complex assets in the pipeline and in the current market it’s more important than ever that requirements for new space are delivered efficiently. These new team members have strong track records, great relationships across the sector and will significantly reinforce the technical expertise for which Verdion is known. We’re pleased to welcome them on board.”
Verdion’s technical specialists work across Germany, the Nordics and the UK, reporting to Chief Technical Officer Peter Peeters. In addition to these new recruits, the company is growing its team in the Nordics and new appointments in Denmark and Sweden are expected to be announced shortly.

Verdion secures first Nordics assets for VELF1 fund 

Verdion has acquired two Danish assets for its VELF1 fund. The deals represent €30 million of investment in Denmark and the fund’s first two Nordics assets.
VELF 1 is focused on high quality logistics assets with value-add potential in strategic locations across Northern Europe. Around half its €310 million capital is allocated to Germany, with the remainder centered on the Nordics, Benelux and opportunistic investments in CEE.
Details of the new assets are as follows:
In an off-market transaction, Verdion has acquired L’Oreal’s distribution centre in Greve, Greater Copenhagen, from AP Ejendomme (part of Danish pension fund AP Pension). The 17,176 sq m facility is L’Oreal’s hub for distributing products to retail outlets across the Nordics and the company is currently investing significant capital to improve operational efficiency as its growth in the region accelerates. Gottlieb+Partners acted for the seller. Verdion’s lawyer was Bruun &amp; Hjejle
In its second deal, Verdion has acquired a 10,925 sqm logistics facility in Frederikssund, northwest of Copenhagen, from Sydbank (on behalf of Ejendomsselskabet Frederikssund ApS). It is fully let to Haldor Topsøe, a global market leader in high-performance catalysts and proprietary technologies for chemical and refining industries. CBRE acted for the seller. Law firm Accura advised Verdion.
Simon Walter, Director of Asset Management at Verdion, said: “These deals underline our commitment to the Nordics and the investment opportunities this region presents. Complementing our development and asset management activity, they are the first in a  number of acquisitions we intend to make in the region over the coming months and years, with a priority on opportunities with strong covenants in strategic locations where there is potential for hands-on asset management.”
Verdion’s activity in the Nordics includes two major logistics parks close to Copenhagen. In September it announced plans to speculatively develop a €27.9 million logistics asset on the northern outskirts of Stockholm in partnership with Tritax EuroBox plc, which is set to complete in December 2022.

Verdion and Tritax EuroBox plc to partner on logistics development in Sweden

Verdion and Tritax EuroBox plc, which invests in high-quality, large, sustainable prime logistics real estate strategically located across Continental Europe, have today announced plans to develop a €27.9 million (SEK 284 million) logistics asset on the northern outskirts of Stockholm.
The 13,181 sq m (141,880 sq ft) facility will comprise two buildings of 8,204 sq m (88,308 sq ft) and 4,977 sq m (53,572 sq ft) respectively on a strategic site in Rosersberg, on the E4 motorway between Stockholm city centre and Stockholm Arlanda Airport. Both parties are attracted by the strategic location, with Roserberg’simportance as a logistics hub expected to increase further in coming years, and market rents currently amongst the highest in the country.
Tritax EuroBox will acquire the site and forward fund the development, with the purchase price reflecting a net initial yield of 4.2%. Verdion will develop the site and act as asset manager following leasing and completion.
It will be Tritax EuroBox’s 18th asset, and its second in Sweden. For Verdion, it is the latest in a growing number of Nordics projects, including two major logistics parks close to Copenhagen and a site for BMW’s Nordics distribution outside Malmö. It is also the third partnership for Verdion and Tritax EuroBox, following the completion in 2020 of a specialist food distribution facility for HAVI close to Hanover.
Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion, said: “The Nordics logistics market offers enormous potential, and this project is a significant step forward in our plans to invest and develop in the region. Urban logistics is a huge growth area and, alongside our strategic parks and specialist build to suit facilities, will be a major focus for our business over the coming years. We are very pleased to be working again with Tritax EuroBox, not only aligning our focus on the Swedish market but ensuring that ESG considerations are an important part of the emerging plans.”
Alina Iorgulescu , Assistant Fund Manager of Tritax EuroBox, commented: “We are delighted to acquire our second asset in Sweden, following the acquisition of the Gothenburg asset in June this year, building up our presence in this important market, which we expect to continue to perform well due to strong fundamentals. Tenant demand is strong and land supply is constrained in the prime markets in Sweden such as Stockholm and Gothenburg where we are investing.
“Acquiring assets using a forward funding structure is an effective way of accessing the best assets in the best locations at prices discounted to the market. We expect both assets to perform well and deliver good value to our shareholders.”
The site will be developed speculatively to a high technical specification to ensure maximum operational efficiency, low occupational costs and long-term durability. Both partners are committed to creating an asset with strong ESG credentials, with the development designed to target a minimum certification of BREEAM Very Good, including a range of energy saving initiatives and staff wellbeing measures.
Construction is expected to start in Q4 this year following the building permit process, and to complete in Q4 2022.

Verdion and Tritax EuroBox plc to partner on German logistics facility

Verdion and Tritax EuroBox plc, which invests in high-quality, large, sustainable, prime logistics real estate strategically located across Continental Europe, have today announced plans to speculatively develop a €29.9 million logistics asset in Germany’s Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.
The 23,346 sq m (291,256 sq ft) facility on a brownfield site between Essen and Duisburg will include 20,264 sq m (218,122 sq ft) of ground level logistics space with additional mezzanine and office accommodation that can be subdivided into four equal-sized units or let as a whole. Its location in Oberhausen offers easy access to national autobahns 3 and 42, with connections across the region as well as direct routes across Germany and into the Netherlands and Austria. Duisburg port, the largest inland port in the world, is only 15 minutes down the Ruhr river.
Tritax EuroBox will acquire the site and forward fund the development, while Verdion will develop the facility. It will be Tritax EuroBox’s 17th asset, and its eighth in Germany. For Verdion it is a further demonstration of its focus on German markets alongside activity in the Nordics, UK and CEE.
It is the companies’ second partnership aimed at bringing forward high quality logistics assets in strategic locations. In 2020 they completed a specialist food distribution facility for HAVI close to Hanover.
André Banschus, Executive Director at Verdion, said: “This is a site with considerable potential. Its location in the country’s largest conurbation with national and international transport links is a clear advantage, but it was the opportunity to draw on our team’s technical expertise to repurpose an underused site and create additional value that was particularly attractive. In Tritax EuroBox we have a partner that shares our commitment to high-performing logistics assets, and the new space we will bring to the market next year will be more efficient, more sustainable and better suited to occupiers’ requirements.”
Alina Iorgulescu, Assistant Fund Manager of Tritax EuroBox, commented: “We are delighted to continue to develop our relationship with Verdion, this being the second forward funded development we have worked on with them. We remain committed to building up a significant presence in prime areas of the German market which are characterised by strong tenant demand coupled with low vacancy levels and very limited land supply, leading to growing rents.
 “This development, a brownfield regeneration project, demonstrates our ESG policy of replacing redundant properties with modern, sustainable, energy efficient buildings with significantly improved environmental credentials. The completed building, situated in one of the best logistics locations in Europe, will add to our growing portfolio of similar assets where we continue to create value for shareholders.” 
The site will be developed speculatively to a high technical specification to ensure maximum operational efficiency, low occupational costs and long-term durability. Both partners are committed to creating an asset with strong ESG credentials, with the development designed to target a minimum certification of DGNB Gold, including a range of energy saving initiatives and staff wellbeing measures.
Construction is expected to start in the near term following the building permit process, and to complete in Q4 2022.

Verdion acquires new asset in Germany for €310 million VELF 1 fund

Verdion has added a further asset to its VELF 1 fund, purchasing a 10,200 sq m logistics opportunity south of Leipzig from wholesale business Franz Kerstin.
It is the sixth addition to the fund and part of an acquisition programme focused on value-add potential in strategic locations across Northern Europe. Around half its €310 million capital will be allocated to Germany, with the remainder covering the Nordics, Benelux and opportunistic investments in CEE.
The 40,000 sqm site at Patterken 11, 06686 Lützen, is located close to the key motorway A9. It currently accommodates two longstanding tenants in a 10,200 sq m building and offers potential to more than double the amount of industrial and warehouse space within the site boundary.
Starting later this year Verdion will construct a 12,000 sqm modern logistics facility on a speculative basis ready for completion in summer 2022. Verdion will additionally invest €10 million in the site for the speculative development as well as partially refurbishing the existing building.
Oliver Kemper, Senior Investment Manager at Verdion said: “This is another attractive acquisition for the fund as part of our ongoing investment programme. Last year Leipzig’s logistics market was the fourth largest in Germany and it is especially dynamic at the moment, due to the availability of labour and overall costs.
Florian Stöbe, Head of Investment – Germany, at Verdion said: “This leasing profile and capacity for additional development gives us the opportunity to capture potential rental growth in the medium term. At the same time, we are creating long-term value through this new development, which will be built speculatively in response to strong regional demand. The site fits well with the VELF1 strategy of adding value through active asset management as well as additional development, and its location balances other acquisitions in the north, west and centre of the country.”
The deal follows Verdion’s acquisition of a logistics park in Lohfelden near Kassel in February this year, which comprises 16,000 sq m of logistics and industrial and 3,850 sq m of office space across three properties offering potential for the development of a further 8,000 sq m of leasable space.
Earlier this month Verdion started on site with the latest development of a VELF1 asset in Gallin, near Hamburg, starting to create a 11,800 sq m state-of-the-art facility for fruit and vegetable producer organisation EO Mecklenburger Ernte that will be completed at the end of this year to BREEAM Very Good standard.
REC and GSK advised Verdion. Seller Franz Kerstin was advised by JLL and Rödl &amp; Partner.

Development starts at E20 Park Copenhagen 

Verdion and Aviva Investors have given the green light for development to start at E20 Park Copenhagen, bringing new warehouse space to the region ready for Q2 next year.
E20 Park Copenhagen is one of Denmark’s largest logistics developments, offering a wide range of unit sizes on its 38-ha site 35 minutes away from the city centre. Over 40% of the Danish population lives within an hour’s drive of the site.
In the first phase of development, approximately 12,000 sqm of warehouse space will be constructed speculatively to meet immediate demand for modern, well-located space.
Construction will start on site in August with completion expected by April 2022 (although earlier access may be possible). The main contractor is Dansk Hal.
This first phase offers energy efficient storage space, offices and mezzanines for up to four businesses, with unit sizes from approx. 2,500 sqm, with 10.2m headroom, 4 dock level doors, car parking and a 34m deep fenced yard. It can accommodate a total of 10,854 pallet spaces in a wide aisle configuration, with all mains services already connected and available. Lease terms are available from retained agents CBRE.
Longer term, the park has capacity for 150,000 sq m of logistics space on the fully zoned 38ha site, with the ability to accommodate very large scale, technically complex buildings in response to growing national and international demand alongside these smaller units.
John Clements, Executive Director of Verdion, said: “The growth in ecommerce is continuing to impact all markets and we’re seeing huge demand for space at E20 Park from businesses keen for immediate occupation. This decision to start speculatively should help meet pressing requirements, and the site is already primed for development so new occupiers will have certainty of rapid delivery as well as energy efficient new space.”
George Fraser-Harding, Fund Manager at Aviva Investors, said: “‘The decision to develop speculatively underlines our confidence in the park. We are continuing to see strong occupier demand across most markets in Europe and Copenhagen is no exception. Our partners will build some of the best quality space available in Denmark to strong sustainability standards, providing appropriate units for businesses in the area. This is an exciting step in our long-term commitment to the area.”

Verdion hands over new German production and research facility to Xylem

Following only 12 months of construction, pan-European logistics real estate specialist Verdion has handed over a 15,000 sq m specialist production and research facility at the Achalaich business park in Weilheim, southern Germany, to global water technology company Xylem.
&nbsp;
The built-to-suit project for Xylem encompasses four integrated buildings, with 9,663 sq m of production, storage and distribution space, 1,065 sq m for research and development and 4,144 sq m of office and social space – which includes a roof terrace for employees and guests with a spectacular view of the Bavarian Alps. A solar power station above the storage area will deliver 790,000 kWh of electricity each year and a solar heat facility on the office building, which also includes a number of other sustainability features, heats water on site. Verdion aims to achieve a DGNB Gold sustainability accreditation for the property.
&nbsp;
Xylem Analytics will produce technical equipment for the analysis of water, wastewater, marine and coastal water bodies, food, beverages, the environment, chemistry and pharmaceuticals on the site. The company, which has been active in Weilheim since 1954, will move its 400 employees to the new location following handover.
&nbsp;
Ulrich Schwab, Managing Director of Xylem Analytics Germany and Site Manager Weilheim, says: &#8220;The handover of keys to the new site is a milestone in our company&#8217;s 75-year history. We are looking forward to working in a modern building with excellent facilities and space for further growth. We are thus able to massively strengthen our core competence, water analysis, and also offer our employees a secure future in Weilheim.&#8221;
&nbsp;
André Banschus, Executive Director of Verdion, adds: “This new location for Xylem creates more space for operations and is precisely tailored to its needs. Working closely with Xylem, we have designed the new facility around its business processes and corporate ethos – from clearly separating offices and social space from more sensitive production and research areas to adding a rainwater recycling facility that reflects Xylem’s corporate goal of handling water resources sustainably.”
&nbsp;
The full investment volume of the project amounts to over €25 million. Verdion acted in partnership with Canadian pension fund Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) as part of a long-term partnership on the financing, development and management of logistics properties across Europe. Xylem has leased the building from HOOPP for 15 years, with Verdion managing the asset during this time. CBRE acted as a broker on both the site acquisition and the lease agreement.
&nbsp;
Weilheim is located around 50 km south-west of Munich, close to both Lake Ammer and Lake Starnberg. The Achalaich business park is linked to the B2, Germany’s longest federal highway which links Berlin with Munich, and further South with Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Weilheim is also located along the Munich-Garmisch-Partenkirchen train line.

Verdion to spec 700,000 sq ft in Doncaster

Verdion in partnership with the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) is to speculatively develop 680,000 sq ft of new warehouse space at its iPort multimodal logistics hub in Doncaster.
&nbsp;
It will deliver four buildings ranging from 116,000 sq ft to 260,000 sq ft by Q3 2022. All will benefit from best-in-class specification, and highly energy efficient design. The first building – a total of 173,500 sq ft – is expected to complete before Christmas this year.
&nbsp;
The decision comes after Verdion’s previous speculative phase was completed in March this year, with the final two units going to Woodland Group and luxury homeware retailer Dusk.
&nbsp;
iPort’s remaining 1.7 million sq ft includes capacity for specialist buildings of up to 800,000 sq ft sitting alongside its phased speculative space.
&nbsp;
iPort is the UK’s most advanced multimodal logistics hub, with capacity for a total of 6 million sq ft of 24/7 of logistics and light industrial accommodation surrounded by green space close to Junction 3 of the M18 and the East Coast Main Line. Other occupiers include Amazon, Ceva, Fellowes, Lidl, Maritime Transport and Kingsbury Press.
&nbsp;
Its on-site rail freight terminal, iPort Rail, is increasingly being used by companies based on-site and across the region looking to cut carbon across their supply chains, with daily services to/from Southampton, Felixstowe and Teesport and more routes across the UK planned. iPort Rail has also become the UK’s first Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SFRI) to be given government approval for an on-site customs area, meaning businesses can now clear customs in South Yorkshire and move goods through the Channel Tunnel by rail in both directions, avoiding UK road congestion and sea port disruption.
&nbsp;
John Clements, Executive Director of Verdion, said: “This is an extraordinary market, with no high-quality new space above 100,000 sq ft currently available in South or West Yorkshire and occupier demand remaining strong.
&nbsp;
“This development programme steps up the pace and will deliver a range of new warehousing throughout the park designed to meet requirements across a number of size bands. Although many businesses will be driven by ecommerce sector growth and employment opportunities, we’re also expecting others drawn by the significant power available and opportunity to move into rail freight.
&nbsp;
“Speed is going to be important, but these sites are already prepared for development with services installed and materials pre-ordered so we’re in a position to move quickly.”
&nbsp;
Further details are available from leasing agents Gent Visick, Colliers and CBRE.

Verdion‘s VELF 1 fund taps into extension potential

Verdion has started construction of a new 11,800 sq m extension to its logistics centre in Gallin near Hamburg.
&nbsp;
The building is located on a site acquired by Verdion in March 2019 as part of the €310 million ongoing investment programme for its discretionary fund “Verdion European Logistics Fund (VELF) 1”. The new extension is already pre-let to grocery production organisation Mecklenburger Ernte GmbH.
&nbsp;
The Secretary of Agriculture of the federal state of Mecklenburg West-Pomerania Dr Till Backhaus, District Administrator of Ludwigslust-Parchim Stefan Stenberg, and further representatives from local politics and authorities, Verdion, the general contractor List Bau Nordhorn as well as the tenant took part in the groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday afternoon.
&nbsp;
EO Mecklenburger Ernte, an organisation of fruit and vegetable producers whose largest shareholder is Behr AG, has signed a 12-year lease for the new building. It will occupy 11,000 sq m of warehouse and 800 sq m of office and social space at Neu-Galliner-Ring 14-16 following completion at the end of this year.  Verdion is targeting the sustainability rating BREEAM Very Good for the entire building complex as part of the extension works.
&nbsp;
Marc Haverkamp, Technical Director – Strategic Land and Investment, at Verdion, says: “This new space has been designed specifically for the needs of EO Mecklenburger Ernte, which will prepare freshly harvested goods on site for further transport. Vacuum cooling systems are central to the building’s design as almost half of the total space will be temperature-controlled, and with 30 HGV parking spaces there is ample space for loading and onward journeys, even during the peak times harvest season.”
&nbsp;
Until completion of its new facility, EO Mecklenburger Ernte has leased 10,600 sq m of existing space at the site joining logistics service provider DB Schenker.
&nbsp;
VELF 1 strategy: Logistics space with value-add potential
&nbsp;
Florian Stöbe, Head of Investment – Germany at Verdion, says: “With a transitional lease, EO Mecklenburger Ernte was able to expand its footprint immediately while new space specifically tailored to its long-term needs is being created. This project in Gallin is a prime example of our fund strategy in action: investing in existing assets with modernisation needs, vacancies or extension potential, and adding value to through technical innovation, development and active asset management.”
&nbsp;
Verdion is continuing to acquire new assets for VELF 1, focusing on value-add and core-plus assets in Germany, the Nordics, Benelux and other select European countries. The fund has acquired five investments in Germany, the Netherlands and the Czechia so far. In Germany, its most recent acquisition is a logistics park in Lohfelden near Kassel with 16,046 sq m of storage and 3,852 sq m of office space across three properties offering potential for the development of a further 8,000 sq m of leasable space.
&nbsp;
In the same region, Verdion has also been selected by Boeing to build a major new specialist warehouse for in Henstedt-Ulzburg, north of Hamburg, that will become its European distribution hub for chemical and specialty materials. The 20,000 sqm facility, which is designed to meet the DGNB Gold environmental accreditation, is currently under construction with completion expected in Q2 2022.

Verdion boosts London asset management team

Verdion has appointed Jamie Young as Asset Manager to assist in the running of its €1.5 billion European portfolio.
&nbsp;
Jamie joins the business from CBRE where he was a Transaction Manager, working with financial and banking clients across the EMEA region developing their property strategy and overseeing the execution of transactions across their real estate portfolios. He is a member of the RICS.
&nbsp;
Based at Verdion’s London headquarters, he will work closely with Director of Asset Management Simon Walter and Executive Director John Clements on VELF1, Verdion’s €310 million discretionary fund focussed on assets with potential for value add across Germany, the Nordics and other Northern European locations, and the management of iPort – its 800-acre UK multimodal logistics hub being developed in partnership with the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP).
&nbsp;
Simon Walter, Director of Asset Management at Verdion, said: “With appetite for logistics investment continuing at pace, selecting the right opportunities is crucial for performance. Jamie will be a great addition to our team, both in managing key assets and identifying new additions to our growing portfolio.”

HRH The Princess Royal opens iPort Rail

HRH The Princess Royal has officially opened the iPort Rail strategic rail freight terminal in Doncaster.
Her Royal Highness was met by local dignitaries and escorted around the site by Verdion CEO Michael Hughes, who presented members of the iPort Rail team, wider iPort development team, funder HOOPP (Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan), businesses based at iPort and representatives of the iPort Academy.
iPort Rail is a state-of-the-art multimodal rail terminal, which is designed to open up the Yorkshire region with new road, rail and air connections for national and international freight transport.
Located on a 30-acre site within the 337-acre iPort logistics hub, iPort Rail is able to accommodate the UK’s longest trains up to six times a day. It has storage capacity for 1,500 TEUs and is operated by reach stackers which can each lift a 115-tonne load.
iPort connects to the electrified East Coast Main Line and is located next to the M18, close to Doncaster Sheffield Airport and within two hours of the East Coast’s deep-water ports. 
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, upon unveiling the plaque to mark the opening of the facility, said: “This is a huge project, not just for Doncaster but for the wider region. It already sets the standard for logistics development and there is more to come. Congratulations on what you have achieved so far.”
Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion, which developed iPort and is running iPort Rail as an independent operation, said: “This day has been 15 years in the making and is a proud moment for everyone involved.
“Putting a rail freight hub at the heart of the site is part of the reason this is the UK’s most advanced multimodal logistics hub.
“This is the perfect location. 87% of the UK’s population is within a four-hour drive time and there are excellent connections to and from the site by road, rail and air, while the East Coast deep water port are only two hours away.
“We have worked very closely with Doncaster Council, the Sheffield-Doncaster Region and many other local stakeholders every step of the way – as well as with our funding partner HOOPP. We could not have asked for more creative and positive working relationships – strong private and public sector cooperation has been essential.”
iPort itself will bring up to 5,000 new jobs to the area. Over 2 million sq ft (184,800 sq m) has already been committed to Fellowes, CEVA, Lidl and Amazon and Verdion has created a large area enhancement to landscape and ecology habitats in partnership with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.
Steve Freeman, Managing Director for iPort Rail, said: “The connectivity and quality of our facility at iPort Rail is genuinely unique, and businesses taking space here can take advantage of the major benefits that better access to rail freight offers. Occupiers at iPort are already to use the rail freight facility on-site, but we are also open to businesses across the country, even if they’re not already based here.
“Following the official opening, from next week we will be running up to six trains a day, six days a week with a 24 operation during those times We are already seeing very promising demand from the industry, particularly because of the benefits rail freight can provide when the road haulage industry is increasingly stretched.”
Cllr Bill Mordue, Cabinet Member for Business, Skills and Economic Development at Doncaster Council, said: “The growth at iPort has been astonishing. The site has already welcomed globally recognised tenants and the opening of its rail freight facility is another big step forward for Verdion’s ambitious plans. It was our forward-thinking vision to create Great Yorkshire Way which has seen iPort develop at such a rapid rate boosting our growing economy. iPort is a huge success story for Doncaster and the wider region.”

Speculative development hat trick completes at Doncaster's iPort

Verdion has completed the final letting in its current round of speculative development at its iPort multimodal logistics hub in Doncaster.
A luxury homeware retailer has taken the 119,060 sq ft (11,061 sq m) warehouse iP2g, which offers space for up to 12,194 pallets with 12.5 m clear headroom and a 55 m deep yard.
This deal is the third and final unit in Verdion’s most recent tranche of speculative development at iPort. iP2c was let to local printing specialists Kingsbury Press, while iP2e was let to one of the UK’s largest, privately owned logistics companies Woodland Group. Other occupiers that also call the logistics hub home include CEVA, Fellowes, Lidl, Maritime Group and Amazon.
iPort is the UK’s most advanced multimodal facility, spanning 800 acres with 52 MVA power, close to junction 3 of the M18 in Doncaster. iPort Rail, its on-site rail freight terminal, takes daily services to/from Southampton, Felixstowe and Teesport, with more routes across the UK being planned.
Alongside its programme of speculatively developed space at iPort, Verdion’s masterplan also includes development-ready sites for units of up to 800,000 sq ft that can be built to suit specific occupier requirements.
John Clements, Executive Director at Verdion, said: “We’re pleased to welcome our newest tenant to iPort and mark the completion of our latest phase of speculative development. With demand for space continuing to increase, driven by our demographics as well as widespread demand for logistics, we’re also seeing much greater interest in build to suit opportunities too. Demand for our phase two development-ready sites is increasing which means we can offer speed to market as well as opportunities for specialist uses including ecommerce.”
<a href="http://www.iportuk.com/">www.iportuk.com</a>
<a href="http://www.iportrail.com/">www.iportrail.com</a>

Verdion secures RAF Air Base in Western Germany for €500 million strategic logistics park

Verdion and the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) have secured the former RAF Brüggen site on the German-Dutch border for the creation of a 177-hectare logistics park. It was acquired from local development company “Energie- und Gewerbepark Elmpt” mbH (EGE). Over €500 million will now be invested in the project to create a strategic regional logistics hub.
The site – to be known as Javelin Park – is the latest in Verdion’s strategic site development programme, which sits alongside the firm’s investment management and specialist industrial and logistics development activity. It has already established the €580+ million (£500+ million) iPort logistics hub and rail freight terminal in Doncaster, UK, with HOOPP; and recently launched the €200 million E20 Park Copenhagen on Denmark’s main Germany-Sweden road corridor.
Javelin Park will be located directly on Germany’s A52 motorway, which connects the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region with Roermond in the Netherlands. The deep-water ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam can both be reached in two hours.
Around 567,000 sq m of logistics, business and light industrial space is planned over a 10–15-year period, with sustainability and energy efficiency central to the emerging concept designs and all new buildings targeting the DGNB Gold certification.
Preserving the site’s history is also a priority. Located in Niederkrüchten-Elmpt, RAF Brüggen served for many years as an important British air base in Germany, with several units stationed there between 1953 and 2001. In 2002 it was transferred to the British Army and renamed Javelin Barracks. It was finally vacated in December 2015 as the last remaining British forces withdrew from Germany, and has been out of use ever since.
Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion, said: “This is a major strategic opportunity, and the €500 million investment planned represents our biggest single investment in Germany to date. As part of Verdion’s pan-European programme for large scale park developments, Javelin Park will become one of the best business environments of its kind in Germany, one that will generate considerable opportunity and growth prospects both locally and regionally.
“Our objective is a high-quality, flexible and sustainable design concept that meets the needs of all potential occupiers, both large and small. We’re looking forward to working with the local community to bring the site through the zoning process and back into economic use, and will do so in a way that respects its rich history.”
Dr Andreas Coenen, District Administrator and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of EGE, commented: “One of the most important economic projects in the region is out of the starting blocks today. The business park will contribute positively to the economic and social development of the county over the coming decades.” Karl-Heinz Wassong, Mayor of Niederkrüchten, added: “The business park is a double opportunity: It attracts new companies to Niederkrüchten and offers those in the region new growth potential.”
Javelin Park is being funded by Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP), one of Canada’s largest pension funds and one of Verdion’s longstanding funding partners. Over the past seven years the partnership has created a specialist logistics portfolio valued at over €1.2 billion.

Major industrial development near Hamburg: Boeing expands footprint in Germany

Major industrial development near Hamburg: Boeing expands footprint in Germany
In cooperation with the municipality of Henstedt-Ulzburg as well as Warburg-HIH Invest and logistics real estate specialist Verdion, Boeing is expanding its activities in Germany creating the new European hub for chemical and specialty material support for its aftermarket services customers.
Located in one of Germany’s top logistics hubs and major centre for the aviation industry, the real estate project marks a significant industrial development for the Hamburg region. The strategic investment will enable Boeing to build out its capacity and product portfolio, further strengthening its value proposition and growth strategy in the highly competitive aerospace market. With the construction work starting in March, the facility is expected to be operational by Q2 2022.
The 34,347 m² site is situated within a short driving distance from Hamburg and Hamburg Airport, offering an ideal location to supply a variety of global customers. The 19,254 m² building will include a 15,352 m² warehouse space with areas especially designed for Boeing’s needs as well as 153 parking spaces. 3,251 m² of office space will be connected to the warehouse facility. For the development, the project partners are targeting the Gold-level certification issued by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) in line with their commitment to minimise the environmental impact.
“This new facility underlines our continued commitment to further strengthen and support the German aviation sector and consolidates our leading position in the European distribution services market. While the aerospace industry is facing challenging times, we want to build on our presence in Germany to ensure long-term growth,” said Dr. Michael Haidinger, President, Boeing Deutschland.
John Clements, Executive Director of Verdion, commented: “This facility combines state-of-the-art storage, distribution and offices, setting the standard for Boeing’s regional distribution centre and making clear its commitment to the sector. It successfully addresses the twin challenges of secure storage for sensitive goods and ready access to the company’s locations across northern Germany from a growing logistics hotspot that offers an alternative to Hamburg’s undersupplied market.”
Warburg-HIH Invest financed the project and will lease the building to Boeing. “With the purchase of the property, we achieve an even broader geographical and tenant diversification of our portfolio,” said Hans-Joachim Lehmann, Managing Director of Warburg-HIH Invest. “In addition, we are further expanding the fund’s core orientation with the property, which is leased for the long term.”
“We are very happy that Boeing chose Henstedt-Ulzburg as its location,” said Mayor Ulrike Schmidt. “The company is already present in the region so that important skilled labour will be retained. The 15-year location guarantee underline Boeing’s plans to stay in Henstedt-Ulzburg for the long term and expand its presence here.”
Dr. Bernd Bösche, Managing Director of the Business Development and Technology Transfer Corporation of Schleswig-Holstein (WTSH), concluded: “Boeing’s decision to select Henstedt-Ulzburg as its location is proof of Schleswig-Holstein’s site advantages for international companies. In addition to a good transport infrastructure and the proximity to Hamburg Airport, the availability of qualified specialists is a particularly important location factor. We are pleased that we were able to support Boeing in finding the perfect business venue in Henstedt-Ulzburg. A warm welcome and good luck.”

Verdion strengthens Nordics focus with senior investment and development hires

Verdion is significantly strengthening its commitment to the Nordics, with two senior appointments charged with increasing the business’s investment and development activity across the region.  
Since 2013 Verdion has created a €1.5 billion European logistics portfolio comprising new build and value-add redevelopment projects across Germany, the UK, the Nordics, Benelux and the Czech Republic. Highlights in the Nordics include specialist facilities for BMW and a pharmaceutical client of DHL as well as E20 Park Copenhagen, a €200m new logistics park development, which sits on the main Germany-Sweden artery south of the city. 
In addition to increasing this development pipeline, Verdion will be deploying substantial capital in support of its €300 million Verdion European Logistics Fund 1. VELF 1 held its final close in September 2020 and is focussed on core plus and value add urban logistics assets in edge-of-town or infill locations to fulfil last-mile requirements.
Head of Investment – Nordics: Peter Michael Tetzlaff has joined Verdion as Head of Investment – Nordics, following several years with CBRE’s Capital Markets Team in Copenhagen. Focussed on overseeing and growing Verdion’s investment management business across the region, his role will include identifying and acquiring investment opportunities and overseeing the execution of associated leasing and development activities for both VELF 1 and the wider Verdion business. He will join Verdion’s Investment Committee, alongside CEO Michael Hughes, CFO Paul Clarke, Director – Asset Management Simon Walter, and Florian Stöbe, Head of Investment – Germany. Peter is based at Verdion’s new offices in Copenhagen. 
Head of Business Development – Nordics: Johan Nihlmark today joins Verdion as Head of Business Development – Nordics after an eight-year career with Prologis in Gothenburg. He will lead on all Verdion’s leasing activities in the region, including build to suit and speculative development projects, and is focussed on developing the business’s pipeline – drawing on his strong network of brokers and occupiers to source and deliver new opportunities, primarily in Sweden and Denmark. He will be based at Verdion’s new offices in Gothenburg. 
Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion, said: “The Nordics presents significant opportunities for growth, with a marked disparity between consumers’ expectations and the standard and volume of logistics stock currently available – especially in the ecommerce arena. Strong occupier demand for more space is complemented by institutional investor appetite for high quality logistics assets for long-term management.
“We will be targeting a wide range of opportunities as a result – from strategic sites for longer term park development to core plus and value-add assets that can be repurposed quickly to meet market demand. 
“Not only will these appointments provide an active presence in our primary targets of Denmark and Sweden, but Peter and Johan’s experience will be an enormous benefit to our business as a whole, linking into our teams in the UK and Germany to provide a broader perspective on the sector as it continues to accelerate.”

Verdion secures BAS warehousing for strategic Netherlands site

Verdion has leased 9,000 sq m at its newly-acquired site in Roosendaal in the Netherlands to Bas Warehousing for hazardous goods storage.
Verdion acquired the site for €17 million in an off-market deal in 2020 – its first asset in the Netherlands and part of a €300m investment programme focused on last mile opportunities in Northern Europe for its Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF 1).
The site already includes a facility for Imperial Group and an adjacent land plot with permission for a further 10,000 sq m of new build warehouse space, which Verdion will start developing speculatively later this year.
De Lobel &amp; Partners advised Verdion.

Verdion brings Woodlands Group to iPort

One of the UK’s largest, privately-owned logistics companies Woodland Group, has taken a 195,000 sq ft warehouse at iPort, Verdion’s multimodal logistics hub in Doncaster.
The new fulfilment and distribution facility will be the latest addition to Woodland Group’s existing footprint across five locations in Yorkshire and enables its growth of employment in the Yorkshire region by 35%. It is part of a strategic move to service the growing needs of existing and recently won new business in the packaging industry, will offer Woodland’s carbon-conscious supply chain solutions and deliver access across the UK and direct services into Europe.
iPort is the UK’s most advanced multimodal facility, spanning 800 acres with 52 MVA power, close to junction 3 of the M18 in Doncaster. Already home to CEVA Fellowes, Lidl, Kingsbury Press and Amazon, its on-site rail freight terminal takes daily services to/from Southampton, Felixstowe and Teesport with more routes across the UK being planned.
Alongside its programme of speculatively-developed space at iPort, Verdion’s masterplan also includes development-ready sites for units of up to 800,000 sq ft that can be built to suit specific occupier requirements.
John Clements, Executive Director at Verdion, said: “The combination of high-quality warehousing and on-site rail services is increasingly attractive to businesses like Woodland Group, who are successfully building their businesses while focussing on environmentally-conscious supply chains. Demand for well-connected, well-resourced logistics space continues to grow and the ability to make road and rail connections across the country and into Europe from this central hub is increasingly attractive.”
Kevin Stevens, CEO of Woodland Group, commented: “Our new Doncaster site represents our great commitment to Yorkshire and the surrounding area and our continued investment into environmental supply chain solutions to aid our clients in cutting cost and carbon footprint. Its fantastic location makes it an ideal international hub plugging into our global supply chain offering as well as a solid addition to our full domestic operations through our own sites and equipment across the UK. Our Doncaster facility boasts state-of-the-art technology and our full digital offering alongside its conscious and innovative solutions to domestic and international fulfilment and distribution, thus offering both UK and overseas clients full access to the vast opportunities emerging in the UK and surrounding markets post Brexit.”

Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 acquires strategic Kassel logistics park

Equity Estate Group has sold a strategic logistics park on the outskirts of the German town of Kassel to Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF1) for EUR 28 million. The park is situated in the Lohfelden logistics hotspot just outside Kassel, strategically located on the  A7 highway in Central Germany – the country’s longest autobahn and an important north-south route.
The property was held by Equity Estate Group for almost 15 years, forming part of the Queristics portfolio which was raised in 2005. In 2018 Equity Estate recapitalised the portfolio. In 2019 a property in the Netherlands was sold, followed by the second divestment of a logistics building in Willebroek, Belgium in 2020. With the sale of the Lohfelden property the recapitalisation of 2018 will be fully repaid.
This transaction is the fifth and largest acquisition so far for Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF1) SCSp, which held its final close in September 2020 and is focussed on urban logistics assets in edge-of-town or infill locations that facilitate swift product delivery to major cities/towns, meeting the last-mile requirements. It is targeting value-add/core-plus investments in Germany, the Nordics, Benelux and other select markets across Europe.
The 58,307 sqm plot currently comprises 16,046 sqm of warehousing and 3,852 sqm office/ commercial spaces in three buildings. Two are leased for a commercial vehicle parts centre, agricultural dealership and central warehouse. The other tenant specializes in thermoplastic extrusion. The acquisition also includes additional land with potential for a new warehouse of around  6,000 sqm plus 500 sqm office space and a 1,228 sqm mezzanine creating a total lettable area of 7,920 sqm in line with current zoning plans.
Florian Stöbe, Verdion Head of Investment – Germany said: “This asset is exactly in line with our value-add/core+ strategy: a site with great potential in one of the country’s most important logistics hotspots, combined with long term commitments from existing tenants. The intention now is to commence speculative development to meet continuing demand for high quality space from ecommerce occupiers in particular– an approach the fund is adopting across other invested locations.”
CBRE and Baker McKenzie advised Equity Estate Group in this transaction. Verdion was advised by REC Partners and GSK Stockmann.

Verdion supports South Yorkshire Freeport Bid

Verdion is supporting the South Yorkshire Freeport bid, aiming to make the area the largest advanced manufacturing hub in Europe and putting it at the heart of world-class innovation.
If the bid – which was submitted on 5 February – is successful, South Yorkshire will become one of ten new freeports across the UK. Once established, the freeport would help build on South Yorkshire’s longstanding reputation for innovation and excellence, and further establish the region as a hub for global trade and investment.
The Freeport, backed by key industry figures and politicians, centres around Doncaster Sheffield Airport and Verdion’s iPort logistics hub – which have substantial plans for growth – major manufacturers including Sheffield Forgemasters and Liberty Steel, and more than 360 hectares of land primed for development (at GatewayEast, Junction36 and iPort).
New modelling suggests a Freeport in the South Yorkshire would:
<ul>
<li>Create 28,700 new jobs</li>
<li>Increase wages by at least east 19% (due to a focus on advanced manufacturing)</li>
<li>Add £169m to the South Yorkshire economy every year</li>
<li>Boost imports by £306m and exports by £410m</li>
<li>Unlock or accelerate over £500m of investment</li>
<li>Transform the Sheffield City Region into a net exporter of goods by 2029</li>
</ul>
Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion – which is responsible for Doncaster’s iPort logistics hub – commented: “A inland freeport in South Yorkshire would be a huge boost – for trade, development, investment and jobs. Its location at the heart of the country with so much critical infrastructure and space for future growth already in place offers enormous potential.”
Robert Hough, Chair of Peel Airports Group which includes Doncaster Sheffield Airport said: “Ports and airports are well known as hubs for global trade and investment., Freeport status would only enhance that. By bringing together the UK’s first strategic rail port for a decade at iPort and one of the longest runways in the UK with capacity to grow at Doncaster Sheffield Airport. Peel, Harworth and Verdion have proven track records in delivering transformational projects, helping to create jobs and opportunities for local people.”
Sheffield City Region Mayor Dan Jarvis said: “Establishing a freeport will help our region’s businesses and universities export ideas, goods and services across the world, supporting our ambitions for a new era of prosperity and a stronger, greener and fairer economy for South Yorkshire after the coronavirus pandemic. It will help to unlock our region’s potential and create opportunities for people, places and businesses.
“Our region has incredible strengths in research and innovation and businesses capable of substantial growth. Government must now back our bid to establish a freeport to generate the jobs, training and investment needed to deliver prosperity for people and businesses across the region and the North.
“This is an opportunity for government to show its commitment to levelling up and unlock South Yorkshire’s potential.”
South Yorkshire Freeport’s backers
Sheffield Forgemasters
Liberty Steel
McLaren Automotive
Hird Group
Peel L&amp;P
Doncaster Sheffield Airport
iPort
Verdion
Hird Group
Advanced Manufacturing Park
Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley &amp; Rotherham Chambers of Commerce
Harworth Group
Sheffield City Region Mayoral Combined Authority
Sheffield City Region LEP
Doncaster and Barnsley Councils
South Yorkshire International Trade Forum

Verdion expands Asset Management team to support growing portfolio

Verdion has appointed Valerie Setz as Asset Manager to assist in managing its growing portfolio of real estate  assets. Setz joins from VGP where she was a property manager, and prior to that worked for Postcon Service GmbH.
Since 2013 Verdion has created a €1.5 billion European logistics portfolio comprising new build and value-add redevelopment projects across Germany, the UK, the Nordics, Benelux and the Czech Republic.
Based at Verdion’s new Düsseldorf office, Setz will manage assets across all these territories, excluding the UK, and report to Director – Asset Management, Simon Walter. Her role will include working closely with Verdion team members – from incorporating new assets into the firm’s portfolio through acquisition or transition of completed developments; to day-to-day business planning, management and reporting; rent renewals, lease renewals and regears, and overseeing larger projects.
Simon Walter, Director – Asset Management, at Verdion said: “The challenge of managing a diverse and growing portfolio such as this is the range of skills needed maximise investment returns. A thorough grounding in technical management, driving cash flow and reporting is essential, but we also place great importance on good relationships with our occupiers and value people who can see the bigger picture and the value of larger capital projects to this process. Valerie’s experience makes her a great fit for our business as it continues to grow and we’re delighted to welcome her to the team.”

Derby Cycle chooses Verdion for new North German Headquarters and plant

Verdion has been chosen by bicycle manufacturer Derby Cycle as the developer for its new 32,230 sq m headquarters and plant which will expand the company’s presence in northern Germany.
The new facility will be funded and developed under a venture between Verdion and Canadian pension fund Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP).
It will be located on a 63,000 sq m plot in the Ecopark Emstek industrial estate and open its doors in 2022, offering state-of-the-art production facilities as well as an inspiring work environment with open offices and working spaces.
Another highlight will be the new Kalkhoff brand world, where Germany’s leading e-bike brand will showcase new models directly at the factory with advice, test drives on a dedicated test track on site and information about the brand and history.
The new building will provide 26,500 sq m of production and storage, 5,730 sq.m. of office and communal accommodation and 510 parking spaces. Verdion is targeting a DGNB Gold sustainability certification for the building on completion. It will link to Derby Cycle’s existing 25,000 sq.m. logistics facility on the adjacent plot, which Verdion completed in 2015. Work has recently started on site.
André Banschus, Executive Director of Verdion, adds: “Even before COVID-19, bicycle manufacturers were looking for more ways to respond to demand. The global sustainability movement has accelerated green city infrastructure projects and sales have significantly increased in recent years.
“We are pleased to be delivering a second project for Derby Cycle, not only demonstrating our development expertise in complex manufacturing, but working closely with our partners to put in place the funding and lease structures needed to help Derby Cycle exploit this opportunity for growth.”
Ecopark Emstek is located directly on the A1 motorway linking the Baltic Sea to the French border near Saarbrücken via several North Sea ports as well as the Rhine Ruhr metropolitan area. The municipality of Emstek borders Cloppenburg, the county capital with over 35,000 inhabitants. It is located 60 kilometres south-west of the Hanseatic city of Bremen.
Verdion and HOOPP regularly partner on the financing, development and management of specialist logistics and production facilities across Europe, with a portfolio of over €1.2 billion GAV created over the last seven years.
On completion of the building, Verdion will continue to work with Derby Cycle as HOOPP’s asset manager. List Bau is the general contractor, Phase 5 the project architect.

Verdion Airpark Berlin changes hands

In a deal confirmed this week, Verdion AirPark Berlin has been sold by Patrizia to CBRE Global Investors following strong bidding from a number of parties keen to acquire this outstanding logistics park.
Since the site was acquired in January 2015 three phases of logistics facilities have been completed and leased, with businesses attracted by the location 30 minutes from Central Berlin and the high quality warehousing Verdion has developed and managed on Patrizia’s behalf.
Phase 1 of the park was completed in 2016, with a total of 317,500 sq ft (29,500 sq m) occupied by food delivery service Bringmeister, metalworking company PUK, and international logistics group Dachser SE.
Phase 2 – 238,500 sq ft (22,150 sq m) – was completed in 2018, with half of the space leased to DÜRKOP GmbH, an auto repair parts supplier for many leading car brands, and the other half leased to Streiff &amp; Helmold, a railroad services provider.
More recently Verdion leased a second building on the park to Dachser SE, a 107,500-sq-ft (10,000 sq m) logistics facility, and the final phase of development is now complete with four new buildings brought forward speculatively, each offering 54,000 sq ft (5,000 sq m) of space.
Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion, said: “Against a backdrop of significant e-commerce sector growth, the fundamentals that originally made this site an attractive development opportunity still hold true. At the same time, Airpark offers very high-quality buildings designed to meet occupier requirements for years to come. The park’s potential is reflected in the pricing achieved, with the outcome for our partners Patrizia significantly exceeding expectations.”

Verdion and LIST Group hand over new Dachser warehouse in Hof

The project partnership between pan-European logistics specialist Verdion and German LIST Group has handed over a new warehouse facility in Hof, south-eastern Germany, to international freight company Dachser SE.
The 42,600 sq.m. plot on Hermann-und-Bertl-Müller-Strasse accommodates 21,600 sq.m. of logistics space as well as a three-storey building providing 900 sq.m. of office space.
LIST Bau Nordhorn started construction in January this year and the team delivered the project on schedule in October 2020. In April, the asset was sold for €18.5 million in a forward deal to Hamburg-based investment manager HANSAINVEST Real Assets. It now becomes part of the HANSA Europe Logistics Fund.
From Hof, Dachser services SME companies working in construction, grocery and industry as well as garden centres. The new building, which offers space for 39,000 pallets, is located next to an existing 25,000 sq.m. Dachser logistics centre. With this second lease, the company has expanded its local presence and now employs 500 people in Hof. Another 300, including seasonal workers or independent carriers, regularly work for Dachser on site.
“With this built-to-suit project, we have further strengthened our successful partnership with international logistics company Dachser,” says André Banschus, Executive Director of Verdion. “Sustainability was a particularly important focus in our design approach, with important details incorporated throughout the building, including an impressive roof structure completely made of wood,” he added. Verdion has leased two new warehouses to Dachser at Verdion Airpark Berlin in addition to this project.
Klaus Nebing, General Manager of the Dachser logistics centre in Hof, comments: “Even in challenging times such as during the current Corona pandemic, Dachser in Hof is a reliable partner for its clients and partners. We are looking forward to implementing a sustainable, growth-oriented logistics concept on site. That is how we are keeping our clients’ global commodity flow running.”

Verdion leases 11,100 sq m of logistics space at Verdion Airpark Berlin

Verdion leases 11,100 sq m of logistics space at Verdion Airpark Berlin
Verdion has leased two logistics properties with a combined 11,100 sq m of space at Verdion Airpark Berlin. Two thirds of the speculatively built space in this final phase of the logistics park near the German are now leased.
&nbsp;
Walter Schulze GmbH took out a ten-year lease on a 5,778 sq m logistics property. The company will be processing its online wholesale business with printable merchandising such as t-shirts, mugs or sheeting on site. In a second property with 5,329 sq m of space, HOCO Online GmbH will be handling its online delivery business for bicycles and spare parts, also on a ten-year lease. Two further properties with around 5,000 sq m each are still available.
&nbsp;
“With Walter Schulze and HOCO Online, we attracted two Berlin SMEs with growing space needs for their online businesses to the Verdion Airpark Berlin,” says Stephan Dalbeck, Business Development and Portfolio Director at Verdion. “The remaining space is also ideal for SMEs or start-ups whose distribution activities have grown beyond the capacities of the office post room or the garage. Pharma or fresh food logistics companies, which are seeking a quick route into Berlin’s inner city, will also profit from the location. There is currently no other logistics development closer to CBD.” Berlin’s central Mitte district can be reached within 30 minutes from Verdion Airpark Berlin.
&nbsp;
Verdion Airpark Berlin
Verdion Airpark Berlin offers excellent access to Berlin’s major motorways. The facility is located directly on the B96a, a major road connecting in just two kilometres to the inner and outer orbitals (A10 and A100). Berlin’s Schönefeld Airport and the new Berlin-Brandenburg Airport are both within a ten-kilometre radius and the site is easily accessible by public transport.
&nbsp;
A 10,000 sq m logistics property has already been completed as part of the third building phase of Verdion Airpark Berlin. It is leased to logistics company DACHSER SE. In total, the park has an area of 80,000 sq m, with other tenants including the food delivery service Bringmeister, metal industry company PUK, DÜRKOP GmbH, a spare parts supplier for branded garages, and Streiff &amp; Helmold, a rail transport service provider.
The pan-European property investment manager PATRIZIA AG is financing Verdion Airpark Berlin.
<a href="https://verdionairpark.com/">verdionairpark.com</a>

Verdion boosts investment team to step up acquisition activity

Verdion has appointed Oliver Kemper as Senior Investment Manager.
Kemper (34) will focus on identifying, sourcing, analysing, negotiating and executing investment opportunities, transactions, acquisitions and disposals for Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 (VELF 1). He is based at the firm’s Frankfurt office and reports to Florian Stöbe, Verdion’s Head of Investment for Germany who joined in June this year.
He joins from KanAm Grund in Frankfurt where he was an Investment Manager, and before that spent time at Logicor where his focus was value add logistics investments across Germany. He began his career at JLL.
VELF 1 is focussed on acquiring urban logistics assets in edge-of-town or infill locations in strategic locations in Northern Europe. It recently held its final close with total equity commitments of €137 million.
Florian Stöbe, Head of Investment for Germany, at Verdion said: “While VELF 1 has already made acquisitions across Germany, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic, our focus remains on sourcing and acquiring additional assets at a faster pace in strategic corridors across Northern Europe.
“What sets Verdion apart in this very active market is our focus on sites with value-add potential. It is the opportunity to redevelop, regenerate or regear assets that drives our strategy and Oliver’s appointment to the team.”

Verdion closes first European logistics fund

On September 9, 2020, Verdion European Logistics Fund 1 SCSp held its final close with total equity commitments of €158 million. Utilising targeted gearing of 50%, the fund seeks to acquire urban logistics assets in edge-of-town or in-fill locations that facilitate swift product delivery to major cities/towns, meeting the last-mile requirements of today’s economy.
Verdion formed the fund to execute a new investment strategy, targeting value-add/core-plus investments in Germany, the Nordics, Benelux and other select markets across Europe, seeking to generate a 12-13% net IRR for its investors, as well as a 5% portfolio-level distributable yield. To date, it has made four investments across Germany, the Netherlands and Czechia.
<a href="https://www.verdion.com/velf1/">VELF 1</a> attracted capital from several new top-tier, institutional investor relationships. Investors include foundations, public and corporate pension funds and other institutional investors from Europe and the United States.
“As demand for online shopping accelerates, we see continued opportunity to acquire urban logistics assets in key corridor locations throughout Northern and Central Europe at an attractive entry basis not discernible to less technically knowledgeable buyers,” said Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion. “By focusing our sector specific knowledge to the execution of this investment strategy we firmly believe that stronger performance is still to come.”

Verdion and Xylem celebrate foundation stone laying

Verdion and the global water technology company Xylem have celebrated the laying of the foundation stone for a new production and research facility for water analysis devices in the Achalaich business park in Weilheim in Upper Bavaria.
In addition to representatives from Xylem and Verdion, the mayor of Weilheim, Markus Loth, as well as the District Administrator (Landrätin) Andrea Jochner-Weiss took part in the event.
“WTW, which was rebranded as Xylem in 2016, has been active in Weilheim since 1954 and is therefore firmly rooted locally,” said Ulrich Schwab, Managing Director of Germany at Xylem, Analytics. “Accordingly, we are very happy that we were able to secure a new location in the city with our project partner Verdion for the urgently needed expansion space. The new building enables us to modernise production and increase efficiency and opens up further growth opportunities.” Xylem currently employs around 400 people at its existing location.
“A tailor-made concept for the versatile new location of Xylem will be created at Achalaich in the next few months,” said André Banschus, Executive Director of Verdion. “It covers 15,000 sq m in four parts of the building: a production facility, a distribution centre, a research laboratory, and offices/common areas. When building the production plant in which measuring devices, sensors and accessories are manufactured, we draw on our many years of expertise in the field of delivering state of the art facilities for manufacturing and industrial clients with complex technical requirements.”
The total volume of the project is over €20 million. It is funded by the Canadian Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP), which partners with Verdion to finance, develop and manage logistics projects across Europe. After completion at the end of 2020, the property will continue to be held for the institutional investor and will be managed by Verdion. Xylem has signed a 15-year lease.
Xylem’s Analytics business unit manufactures physico-chemical analysis devices for applications in the areas of water, wastewater, marine and coastal waters, food, beverages, the environment, chemistry and pharmacy. It is moving from the existing location on Dr Karl-Slevogt-Strasse to the modern, needs-based facility.
Weilheim is located about 50 km southwest of Munich, near the Ammersee and the Starnberger See. The Achalaich industrial area is connected to the B2, which, as Germany’s longest federal highway, connects Berlin via Munich with Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Weilheim is also on the Munich – Garmisch-Partenkirchen railway line.

Verdion secures grocery business Mecklenburger Ernte GMBH for North German logistics scheme

Verdion has secured fruit and vegetable producer organisation Mecklenburger Ernte for its latest project in Gallin, east of Hamburg.
The grocery business, whose majority shareholder is Behr AG, has signed a prelet for a new, 11,357 sq m development of warehousing, office and social space as well as car and HGV parking on the site at Neu-Galliner-Ring 14-16. Construction will start early next year with handover expected at the end of 2021.
In the interim, Mecklenburger Ernte has taken the existing Unit 2 at the site – a total of 10,595 sq m – while the new third unit is being constructed. Mecklenburger Ernte’s 12-year lease will transfer across to the new building on handover. BNP acted as intermediary in this deal. Unit 1 is let to DB Schenker.
Verdion acquired the asset in March 2019 as part of an ongoing £300 million investment programme for its discretionary fund, Verdion European Logistics Fund (VELF) 1. The fund is focussed on last mile and value-add logistics opportunities in Northern and Central Europe with potential for value creation through technical innovation, development and asset management activity.
<ul>
<li>Last month Verdion acquired a 24,000 sq m warehouse in Roosendaal on the Dutch-Belgian border for €17 million in an off-market deal for the same fund. Located in an established logistics area between Rotterdam and Antwerp the building includes 18,000 sq m let to specialist logistics company Imperial Group, together with further space for occupation and an adjacent land plot with permission for a further 10,000 sq m of new build warehouse space.</li>
<li>In Germany, it acquired a 10,000 sq m logistics building the Lower Rhine region town of Nettetal also for VELF 1. Under a three-year sale and leaseback deal with French logistics firm Egetra, the property is ideally situated for last mile logistics occupiers with potential for an additional 6,000 sq m of new development.</li>
<li>These deals follow on from Verdion’s first investment for the fund in the Czech Republic, with the completion of a €17 million forward funding of a major project for UPS in Prague, consolidating three of the company’s fulfilment centres to create a 13,600 sq m national HQ and logistics hub on land adjacent to the City Airport.</li>
</ul>
Florian Stöbe, Head of Investment Germany at Verdion, says: “Being able to provide existing space as well as launching a new strategic development on the same site showcases our skill of investing in locations that require experienced asset managers. With the transitional lease, we enabled Mecklenburger Ernte to operate and expand their business immediately from existing space while lining up a bespoke new building next door for longer-term occupation.
“Strategic locations like this one are the focus of the new fund. We are increasingly registering a rise in demand both in the stationary grocery sector as well as in online delivery, which we intend to leverage in the coming months with further investments by VELF1.”

Verdion commences €60M Hanover speculative development

Verdion has commenced the speculative development of the remaining space its ExpoPark site in Hanover, northern Germany.
Verdion ExpoPark Hanover will bring 46,706 sq m (502,743 sq ft) of Grade A distribution, mezzanine and office space to the south-eastern edge of the city centre, with completion planned for early summer 2021.
The accommodation will be available as one unit or subdivided into four smaller units of 9,200 sq m to 10,500 sq m (99,029 sq ft to 113,022 sq ft) together with ancillary offices and mezzanine space, 40 docking positions and parking for cars and HGVs.
The site is located on the south-eastern edge of Hanover city centre, close to the Hannover Messe exhibition venue and next to a 59,821 sq m (643,913 sq ft) built to suit logistics facility already developed by Verdion for Arvato Bertelsmann.
It sits at the intersection of the city’s most important north-south and east-west autobahn connections with the BAB 2, BAB 7, BAB 37, BAB 352 and nine other routes near to the site. Five minutes’ walk away is the Stockholmer Allee tram stop which connects into the city centre and other bus and rail services.
The building is being constructed to a highly specified, energy efficient design aiming for DGNB Gold certification on completion. Verdion will continue to manage the building long-term.
BNP Paribas and CBRE are brokers for the scheme.

Verdion appoints new Head of Investment for Germany

Verdion has appointed Florian Stöbe as its new Head of Investment for German markets, based at the firm’s Frankfurt office.
Stöbe (34) joins from Deka Immobilien Investment where he was Senior Investment Manager – Logistics, responsible for the acquisition of logistics assets and project developments in Germany, Benelux and France.  Before Deka, he held a senior logistics transaction role at Catella and previously worked with CBRE.
Michael Hughes, CEO at Verdion, said: “Institutional appetite for European logistics space continues to strengthen, with growing occupational demand further buoyed by a significant increase in online shopping during the worst of Covid-19 – especially in the grocery sector. Demand for urban logistics real estate as a long-term asset is accelerating.
“Verdion is expecting to deploy substantial further investment capital in response, particularly in Germany, Benelux and the Nordics, and this is the first of a number of senior appointments designed to strengthen our team across these key markets. Value-add investment strategies require deep, sector specific expertise, combining high technical competence and strong commercial networks. Florian has an excellent track record and will be a great asset to the team.”
As a result of these changes Verdion’s investment committee will be expanded to include the new Heads of Investment for each key territory, chaired by Verdion’s CEO. At the same time, each investment head and their teams will work closely with Verdion’s development, asset management and technical specialists across its network of European offices.

Verdion acquires first Netherlands asset with €17M last mile logistics deal

Verdion has acquired its first asset in the Netherlands as part of a €300 million investment programme focussed on last mile opportunities in Northern Europe.
The company has acquired a 24,000 sq m warehouse in Roosendaal on the Dutch-Belgian border for €17 million in an off-market deal. Located in an established logistics area between Rotterdam and Antwerp the building includes 18,000 sq m let to specialist logistics company Imperial Group, together with further space for occupation and an adjacent land plot with permission for a further 10,000 sq m of new build warehouse space.
The deal follows on from Verdion’s first investment in the Czech Republic, with the completion of a €17 million forward funding of a major project for UPS in Prague, consolidating three of the company’s fulfilment centres to create a 13,600 sq m national HQ and logistics hub on land adjacent to the City Airport.
Other acquisitions include a 21,000 sq m property in Gallin, east of Hamburg, with 10,500 sq m let to DB Schenker on a 5-year lease with the remainder let to the same business shorter term. The property has capacity for a further 10,500 sq m of additional logistics space, which is under offer to a major grocery-related group with a planned construction programme aimed at a 2021 handover.
Also in Germany, Verdion has acquired a 10,000 sq m logistics building the Lower Rhine region town of Nettetal. Under a three-year sale and leaseback deal with French logistics firm Egetra, the property is ideally situated for last mile logistics occupiers with potential for an additional 6,000 sq m of new development.
Simon Walter, Director of Asset Management at Verdion, said: “Alongside our built to suit and logistics park activity, last mile logistics is an important investment focus for Verdion.  Online retail has never been more important, and this trend is set to continue for the long term.
“These investments, around €70 million in total so far, demonstrate our commitment to this market sector. We are particularly pleased to complete our first deal in the Netherlands: a key target alongside Germany and the Nordics. We will be deploying further capital in the coming months – investing where we can best leverage our development expertise and focus on technical innovation.”

HAINSAINVEST Real Assets acquires Verdion's 22,450 M² HOF logistics project

HANSAINVEST Real Assets GmbH has purchased a logistics building in Hof in northern Bavaria for HANSA Europe Logistic Fund. The built-to-suit property was sold by a joint venture between Verdion and the LIST Group.
The real estate is currently under construction and scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2020. DACHSER SE, a German family-owned logistics company headquartered in Kempten (Allgäu), has been acquired as the tenant for the entire logistics building. Dachser plans to utilise the real estate as a multi-user logistics property, among other things also for a key account from the DIY / construction and garden centre industry. The purchase price amounts to a total of approx. 18.5 million euros.
The property has a total leasable area of about 22,450 square metres, characterised above all by the logistics section with 20,800 square metres and a three-storey office and social area covering ca. 900 square metres. In addition there is an area of some 750 square metres in the warehouse complex for hazardous materials. The site in Hof in the Nuremberg metropolitan region is conveniently located for traffic close to the A9 autobahn halfway between Frankfurt and Prague as well as between Munich and Berlin. Local public transport is easily reached on foot, with the journey to the city centre and Hof central station taking less than 20 minutes.
“With this successful purchase our HANSA Europe Logistic Fund has already acquired the fifth logistics property and the first piece of real estate in Germany in a very short space of time. Dachser as a longterm tenant suits the site in an ideal manner and also our investment approach,” comments Philipp Middendorp, Head of Logistics Acquisitions HANSAINVEST Real Assets.
“This modern, customised built-to-suit project, coupled with a strong tenant such as Dachser, provides true added value for every core portfolio,” says André Banschus, Executive Director of Verdion GmbH. “In addition there is a focus on sustainability. One example: the supporting structure for the roof is made entirely of wood, and thus from a renewable raw material, which also binds CO2. The project is running to schedule and will be completed in the fourth quarter.”
The seller was advised on the transaction by KPMG Law; the buyer was advised by GSK Stockmann and REC Partners GmbH. The transaction was brokered by Colliers International.

Verdion restructures Technical Team in Germany: Marc Haverkamp returns as Technical Director

Verdion has restructured its technical team in Germany, with the reappointment of Marc Haverkamp as Technical Director.
Haverkamp previously worked with Verdion from 2013 to 2019 managing complex development projects including a production site for Siemens in Chemnitz, the new European logistics hub for DeLaval in Gallin and two hazardous goods warehouses for Imperial. He was also responsible for delivering a 110,000 sq m regional distribution centre for Amazon near Dortmund, which was completed early in the lead-in to 2017 Christmas trading. Before joining Verdion Marc was a technical real estate project manager for large projects at the REWE Group.
In his new senior role, Marc will focus on the company’s investment portfolio and other development initiatives, enabling the business to expand both its ‘value-add’ and new build programmes.
Marc will work alongside Marco Rauch who joined Verdion in August 2019 and now heads up delivery of the company’s build-to-suit investment and development programme. Verdion has recently handed over a new facility for HAVI near Hanover and started work for Dachser on a sustainable distribution centre in the Bavarian town of Hof. It is also bringing forward a production and research facility for Xylem Analytics in Bavaria, which is set to complete in spring 2021.
Marek Kubica will continue his responsibilities as Technical Director for the UK and the Nordics, including overseeing Verdion’s €600 million UK rail-connected iPort project in Doncaster, where major tenants, including Amazon, have to date taken over 350,000 sq m of new logistics space.
André Banschus, Executive Director at Verdion, commented: “With an increasing pipeline of development and investment activity in Germany, Benelux and the Nordics, Verdion has restructured its technical team, meaning Marco Rauch can now fully lead our build-to-suit business while Marc Haverkamp can focus on our investment work, with an emphasis on ‘value-add’ investing and land development strategies.
“Technical expertise remains one of Verdion’s core principles. These changes enable us to continue our programme of investment and development to the highest possible standards.”

Speculative development begins on Verdion Airpark Berlin final phase

Verdion has started work on the third and final phase of Verdion Airpark Berlin – its largest logistics park development in Germany. Four new buildings are being brought forward speculatively, each offering 54,000 sq ft (5,000 sq m) of space. Completion is planned for the second quarter of 2020.
Located 30 minutes from Central Berlin and close to Schönefeld Airport, each new building will be highly energy-efficient, as well as offering five loading bays, a floor load capacity of 50 kN/sq m, office space, and common areas. The space can be configured flexibly to suit tenants’ needs.
Phase 1 of the park originally completed in 2016, with a total of 317,500 sq ft
(29,500 sq m) occupied by food delivery service Bringmeister, metalworking company PUK, and international logistics group DACHSER SE. Phase 2 – 238,500 sq ft (22,150 sq m) – was completed in 2018, with half of the space leased to DÜRKOP GmbH, an auto repair parts supplier for many leading car brands, and the other half leased to Streiff &amp; Helmold, a railroad services provider. Most recently Verdion has leased a second building on the park, a 107,500-sq-ft (10,000-sq-m) logistics facility, to Dachser SE.
“Urban logistics facilities are in demand as never before,” says Stephan Dalbeck, Business and Portfolio Director at Verdion. “Whether for online retailers promising same-day delivery, perishable products, or time-sensitive pharmaceuticals: when it comes to offering close-range access to the Berlin market, there is currently no other logistics development that is closer to the city centre.
“The space is particularly suited to Berlin’s many smaller companies and rapidly growing start-ups. Because speed to market is increasingly essential for so many companies, we have undertaken this development project on a speculative basis. At the same time, the buildings have been designed to offer flexibility so that each one can be configured each individual occupier’s needs.”
Construction is being managed by LIST Bau Nordhorn as general contractor. Other key partners in the project are tricer management GmbH as project manager and Architekturbüro Kühling as project architect.

Verdion and LIST Group bring forward new logistics centre for Dachser in Hof

The LIST Group and Verdion have agreed to bring forward a new facility for logistics firm Dachser SE at Hof in the German state of Bavaria.
The 231,964 sq ft (21,550 sq m) logistics facility, which will offer space for around 39,000 pallets and includes a three-storey office building, is being built on a 458,546 sq ft (42,600 sq m) site on Hermann-and-Bertl-Müller-Strasse, close to an existing 269,100 sq ft (25,000 sq m) Dachser logistics centre.
From Hof, Dachser serves medium-sized customers from the DIY and garden centre sectors as well as from the industrial goods and food sectors. The company is expanding its presence in Hof and will employ around 500 people here once the project is complete. In addition, around 300 people work regularly for Dachser at the site through independent transport companies or as seasonal workers.
Verdion is developing the project with LIST Develop Commercial. Contractor LIST Bau Nordhorn is constructing the new logistics property on a turnkey basis.
André Banschus, Executive Director of Verdion, said: “We are pleased to be working with Dachser once again and bringing forward this project with the LIST Group to the highest standards. In addition to storage space, the new property also offers space for packaging and thus ideally complements the existing Dachser portfolio.”
Michael Garstka, Managing Director of LIST Develop Commercial added: “We are happy to have a modern property here in Hof with experienced partners like Verdion and LIST Bau Nordhorn at our side to realise this project for Dachser.”
“With the expansion, we are taking the next important step with one of our large DIY customers from the DIY sector in the region,” says Alexander Tonn, Managing Director European Logistics Germany, who is responsible for the German business with industrial goods at Dachser. “Together we are implementing a future-oriented, growth-oriented logistics concept in Hof.”
Sustainability is a key feature of the project with sustainably-sourced wood playing an important role, in the construction of the building’s roof structure. “Wood has a much better carbon footprint than concrete. Each cubic metre of laminated timber binds about one ton of CO2 and removes it from the atmosphere. The roof structure will absorb 1,198 tons of CO2 in the Hof facility. That’s as much as around 108 Germans emit in a year,” explains Andreas Brockhaus, Managing Director of LIST Bau Nordhorn. The wood that is used for the construction comes from sustainably-cultivated German forests.
Completion is expected in autumn 2020.

Early handover for Verdion and Tritax EuroBox's HAVI development

Verdion and London-listed Tritax EuroBox plc have today handed over a specialist cold storage and logistics facility in Wunstorf near Hanover, Germany, to occupier HAVI Logistics GmbH.
The property on Adolf-Oesterheld-Strasse includes a 9,000 sq m (96,876 sq ft) cold storage facility for groceries, 6,000 sq m (645,584 sq ft) of logistics space and 1,000 sq m (10,764 sq ft) of office and community space.
Verdion started work on the asset eleven months ago and has handed the project over four weeks early.
Duisburg-based HAVI Logistics, a subsidiary of US-headquartered The HAVI Group, took out a 15-year lease on the asset. The food service logistics firm serves restaurants and convenience stores, with clients including McDonald’s, KFC, Nordsee and Vapiano. It will employ around 200 people at the site.
“A major focus of the development was the technical expertise needed to meet HAVI’s sustainability requirements,” said Stephan Dalbeck, Business Development Director at Verdion. “In addition to a low-energy and sustainable building design, we implemented the spatial and technical requirements for CO2-neutral cooling systems and waste heat recovery, for example, harnessing our longstanding experience in the built-to-suit market.”
The property received a sustainability certificate in Gold from DGNB, the German Sustainable Building Council.
Roland Schmidt, Chairman of the Board of HAVI Logistics Germany, added: “This distribution center is not only HAVI’s first location in Lower Saxony but also represents a major milestone in our sustainability strategy.” Verdion and HAVI also installed a liquefied natural gas filling station at the site to serve HAVI’s growing LNG-fueled truck fleet. The company plans to reduce carbon emission per ton delivered by 40 percent until 2030.
Tritax EuroBox bought this asset in a pre-let forward funded deal for EUR 27.5m at the end of last year. Nick Preston, Fund Manager at Tritax EuroBox said: “A core strand of our investment strategy is to focus on acquiring high-quality, sustainable logistics assets strategically located in established prime logistics locations in Europe. Let to the strong tenant Havi Logistics for the next fifteen years, we believe that this investment will generate an attractive income return for our investors.”
KLEBL GmbH acted as general contractor, tricer management GmbH as project manager and Büro Kühling as architect in the development. JLL acted as broker for the site and the project.

Dascher takes 10,000m² of logistics space at Verdion Airpark Berlin

Verdion has leased a further 10,000 sq m distribution centre at <a href="https://verdionairpark.com/">Verdion Airpark</a> Berlin to logistics company Dachser SE.
The deal allows Dachser to expand its food and industrial logistics warehousing capacity in the Berlin-Brandenburg region and follows the company’s decision to take around 5,000 sq m of new space in 2016 as part of Verdion Airpark Berlin’s first phase.
The speculatively-built distribution centre is highly energy-efficient. It has nine loading bays, a floor load capacity of 50 kN/m² and office and communal areas.
André Banschus, Managing Director of Verdion in Germany, said: “We are very pleased to be able to further expand our collaboration with our partner Dachser. Verdion Airpark Berlin’s location is a particular draw for occupiers – at the moment there is no logistics development closer to the city centre, and being within 30 minutes of Central Berlin is an enormous advantage.”
In total, the park has an area of 80,000 sq m, with other tenants including the food delivery service Bringmeister; metal industry company PUK; DÜRKOP GmbH, a spare parts supplier for branded garages, and Streiff &amp; Helmold, a rail transport service provider.
Verdion Airpark Berlin is located directly on the B96a. Access to the A113 Autobahn, which connects the Berliner Stadtring (A110) and the Berliner Ring (A10), is only two kilometres away. Schönefeld and Berlin-Brandenburg Airports are both within a ten-kilometre radius.

Verdion to develop new research and production facility for Xylem in Bavaria

Verdion has agreed a deal with global water technology company Xylem to develop a research and production facility for water analysis equipment at a site in Weilheim, Southern Germany.
Verdion has acquired a 290,628 sq ft (27,000 sq m) plot in the new Achalaich industrial park in Weilheim in Upper Bavaria from the City of Weilheim. The total investment volume of the project amounts to over 20m euros.
The property with a total GLA of 141,640 sq ft (15,000 sq m) will consist of four elements: a production plant, in which measuring instruments, sensors and accessories are to be manufactured; a distribution centre; a research laboratory; offices and community space. Xylem has signed a 15-year lease for the facility.
The company’s analytics business manufactures physicochemical analysis equipment for applications in the fields of water, wastewater, marine and coastal waters, food, beverages, environment, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The company will move from its existing location in Dr.-Karl-Slevogt-Strasse in Weilheim to this modern, bespoke facility.
Xylem employs around 400 people in Weilheim. The company has been at its current location since 1954 and has an urgent need for more space due to its steady growth. “The new property enables us to significantly modernise and increase efficiency as well as realise growth opportunities,” says Ulrich Schwab, Managing Director of Xylem’s analytics business in Germany.
“We were very pleased to present Xylem with a compelling, tailor-made concept for this versatile new location,” says André Banschus, Managing Director of Verdion Germany. “Another decisive factor was our expertise in the light industrial sector.”
Last year, for example, Verdion completed an office and production building for high-performance alloys for Materion Advanced Materials Germany in Alzenau, Northern Bavaria.
Construction for Xylem is expected to start at the end of this or the beginning of next year. Weilheim is located about 50 km southwest of Munich, near Lake Ammer and Lake Starnberg. The Achalaich industrial estate is connected to the B2, Germany’s longest federal highway, which connects Berlin via Munich with Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Weilheim is also on the Munich-Garmisch-Partenkirchen railway line.
The project development is financed by the Canadian pension fund Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP), with which Verdion maintains a partnership for the financing, development and management of logistics properties throughout Europe. The property will remain part of the institutional investor’s portfolio after planned completion at the end of 2020 and will be managed by Verdion.

Marco Rauch appointed as Verdion's Technical Director for German projects

Verdion has appointed Marco Rauch as Technical Director, responsible for the technical project management of all new German developments.
Rauch (45) has been working as a construction and project manager for more than 15 years. He moves over from GSE Deutschland GmbH, where he was responsible for the development of commercial properties with a total GLA of around 70,000 sq m. Before that, the civil engineer was responsible for projects in Frankfurt and the Netherlands, including logistics buildings with a total GLA of 100,000 sq m, for Goldbeck. Between 2004 and 2014, Rauch developed offices, hospitals and schools at Peter Gross Bau GmbH in the Rhine-Main region with a total investment volume of around 150m euros.
“With Marco Rauch, we are delighted to add such a versatile and experienced new colleague to our team,” says André Banschus, Executive Director of Verdion in Germany. “We develop complex logistics and corporate real estate for which experience in building across a wide range of asset classes is a great advantage.”
Verdion’s build-to-suit approach is characterised by a high degree of flexibility and creativity. “We listen carefully to our clients’ needs and develop tailor-made real estate concepts for them,” says Banschus. “This ranges from office and logistics space to clean rooms, refrigerated or hazardous goods warehouses.”

iPort rail wins rail industry innovation award

We’re delighted to report that our first rail freight terminal development <a href="http://www.iportrail.com/">iPort Rail in Doncaster</a> has won the Major Project of the Year category at this year’s Rail Industry Innovation Awards.
This is the first inland rail freight terminal to be open and operation for a decade – a major milestone for Verdion and the whole team involved. Congratulations to everyone and to the other winners and nominees at Friday’s event.
Progress in the last twelve months has been significant. Our first rail service started in September, a week after iPort Rail’s formal opening by HRH The Princess Royal. Since then, routes to and from Felixstowe have started and <a href="https://www.pdports.co.uk/news-media/2019/06/18/teesport-rail-service-drives-environmental-benefits-ikea/">PD Ports has confirmed a third service – to and from Teesport</a>. More routes are expected to follow by the end of the year too.
iPort Rail sits at the heart of <a href="http://www.iportuk.com/">iPort</a>, Verdion’s UK flagship development, which is already home to Amazon, CEVA, Fellowes and Lidl in an established logistics location supported by a strong local workforce. Further build-to-suit opportunities are accompanied by a speculative development programme, with smaller units available in rapid timeframes for those focussed on speed to market.
Intermodality is a major part of the terminal’s success to date. 87% of the mainland UK population is located within a four-hour drivetime. The East Coast ports are less than one hour away, and the country’s deep-water ports can all be reached in around seven hours. The M18, A1, M1 and <a href="http://flydsa.co.uk/">Doncaster Sheffield Airport</a> are all in easy reach.
“This is a state-of-the-art facility, capable of handling the UK’s longest trains, and a central part of iPort’s success,” said Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion.
“With the logistics sector thriving, rail freight is rightly getting more attention – not least because each freight train journey takes at least 70 HGVs off our road network with many fewer harmful emissions.
“From this great start, we’re expecting iPort Rail to go from strength to strength as more businesses regionally and nationally see the difference it can make to their supply chains.”

Verdion celebrates topping-out ceremony of new HAVI site in Wunstorf

The construction of the 15,000 sq m distribution center for HAVI Logistics is progressing rapidly and on schedule. On 11 June 2019, pan-European logistics real estate specialist Verdion, tenant HAVI, investor Tritax EuroBox, broker Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) and construction company Klebl celebrated the topping-out ceremony. The state-of-the-art distribution centre will be handed over by Verdion as planned at the beginning of 2020.
The roofing of the 64,000 sq m site has now been completed. The office building and the cold-storage area are currently under construction. The floor slab will then be cast in a few weeks‘ time. “We are pleased that the construction work on the logistics property is progressing very quickly. Work on the adjacent roundabout and the new access road will also be completed soon. HAVI will have a new modern distribution centre and our town will continue to develop as a dynamic business location, something we are very pleased about,” commented Mayor Rolf-Axel Eberhardt.
Close cooperation between all partners
The rapid progress of construction is made possible above all by “the close, partnership-based exchange with both the Verdion project development team and the tenant HAVI. The cooperation provides for a smooth construction process in which we are meeting all site requirements,” says Andreas Rupp, project manager of the general contractor Klebl GmbH.
With its plans for the property, Verdion – together with Tritax EuroBox – had won the nationwide investor tender. “Verdion simply delivered the best mix of functionality and economy,” says Michael Starre, Director Business Development Industrial Agency at JLL. The real estate service provider carried out the search for investor and location on behalf of the future tenant.
Stephan Dalbeck, Business and Portfolio Director of Verdion, emphasised: “The project in Wunstorf is highly exciting due to its complexity and is characterised above all by the excellent teamwork. We continue to look forward to the very good cooperation and the success of the project.”
Nick Preston, Fund Manager of Tritax EuroBox, added: “Tritax EuroBox only invests in the best prime logistics locations in Europe and with tenants that have strong reputations in the market. So the combination of Wunstorf, with its strategic position on the outskirts of Hanover and at the centre of the main transport routes in northern Germany, and Havi, a leading global provider of supply chain solutions, was too good an opportunity to miss. We look forward to a long and productive working relationship with Havi as they grow their business from this location.  Our recent successful equity raise means Tritax EuroBox will be looking for similar winning investment combinations to Wunstorf, in Germany, and across western European markets, in coming months.”
LNG filling station for Wunstorf
The next major milestone of the project will be the set-up of the LNG filling station, the second in the HAVI network after Duisburg. “This is certainly an advantage for the city of Wunstorf, as LNG trucks create significantly less noise and particulate matter than conventional diesel trucks,” explained Torsten Oldhues, Managing Director Operations at HAVI Logistics GmbH.

Major milestone for Verdion and Tritax EuroBox Hanover development

Verdion today broke ground on a cold storage and logistics facility in Wunstorf near Hanover, Germany. London-listed Tritax EuroBox plc bought the pre-let asset in a forward deal for EUR 27.5m at the end of last year. The development marks the first project collaboration between the two companies.
The property on Adolf-Oesterheld-Strasse includes a 9,000 sq m (96,876 sq ft) cold storage facility for groceries, 6,000 sq m (645,584 sq ft) of logistics space and 1,000 sq m (10,764 sq ft) of office and community space. Verdion seeks to achieve a DGNB sustainability certificate in Gold for the project.
Duisburg-based HAVI Logistics GmbH, a subsidiary of US-headquartered The HAVI Group, has taken out a 15-year lease on the asset. The food service logistics firm serves restaurants and convenience stores, with clients including McDonald’s, IKEA, Pizza Hut, Subway, Costa Coffee and Vapiano.
“Being selected by HAVI to deliver its new distribution centre is a testament to our team’s skills, knowledge and track record in developing technology-based logistics facilities,” said Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion. “This is an important milestone in our first collaboration with Tritax EuroBox and we are on track for completion of the development in early 2020.”
Nick Preston, Fund Manager at Tritax EuroBox said: “A core strand of EuroBox’s investment strategy is to focus on established prime logistics locations in Europe and partner with the best developers, such as Verdion, to deliver high quality logistics assets leased to market-leading occupiers such as HAVI.
&nbsp;
“This new, high specification primary distribution facility in Wunstorf meets all of these requirements generating an attractive income return for the next fifteen years and is a valuable addition to our expanding logistics portfolio.”
Preston added: “The dynamic growth in European logistics markets in recent years is being driven by strong and growing demand for large, modern well-located logistics assets as occupiers seek to improve their operational efficiency and meet the requirements of a fast-evolving retail market. We believe that there is significant expansion potential in the German market, and across Continental Europe, for this ‘next generation’ type of modern logistics facility.”
KLEBL GmbH is acting as general contractor, tricer management GmbH as project manager and Büro Kühling as architect in the development. JLL acted as broker for the site and the project.

Verdion appoints Jonathan Harris as Non-Executive Director

Verdion has appointed former Macquarie Capital Senior Managing Director<a href="https://www.verdion.com/about/executive-team/jonathan-harris/"> Jonathan Harris</a> to the role of Non-Executive Director.
Jonathan is an experienced real estate advisor and principal investor who has led over £30 billion of corporate and asset level transactions, capital raising and financings across both private and public capital markets.
Working across the UK, Europe and Australia for more than 20 years with the Macquarie Group and active in the logistics sector since 2002, Jonathan was a key adviser to the Goodman Group supporting its growth in Australia/NZ and then in UK/Europe from 2007 onwards. Jonathan went on to co-found PLP (formerly Peel Logistics) in 2016 during his time as Macquarie Capital Head of European Real Estate.
In 2018 he formed Tall Trees Advisors Limited to continue serving public and private property companies, banks and investment managers, as well as pension, insurance and sovereign fund investors globally.
Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion, said: “Jonathan brings his considerable expertise in our key markets to the Verdion Board.
“Over the next year Verdion will increase focus on investment and asset management, alongside its strong development portfolio, and see a greater European reach – capitalising on a growing appetite for high quality logistics space in strategically important locations – and the exciting opportunities that the revolution in technologies and consumer trends will bring. Jonathan’s European and global experience will be of enormous benefit to the Verdion business as it continues this next stage of growth.”
Roger Mann has resigned from his position as Non-Executive Director following more than five years in the role. Adrian de Morgan continues as Verdion’s other Non-Executive Director.
Michael Hughes added: “At the same time, the whole team must thank Roger Mann for his commitment to Verdion and the valuable insight that has helped bring the business to where we are today. It has been appreciated enormously.”

Verdion A1 Emstek

Verdion has secured a strategic logistics site on the ecopark industrial estate, near Emstek in Lower Saxony.
To beknown as Verdion A1 Emstek, the site offers new, high quality logistics space located directly adjacent to the A1 motorway within easy reach of Cloppenburg, Bremen, Osnabrück and other major cities in northern Germany and the Netherlands.
The site has capacity for around 25,000 sq m of warehouse accommodation to lease, with the potential to subdivide units if needed. A building permit is ready to be submitted, with road infrastructure and utilities already in place.

Verdion at EXPO REAL 2018

Our teams from Düsseldorf and Frankfurt are looking forward to a visit at EXPO REAL in Munich from 8.-10.10.2018 at stand B1.134 (LogReal.Campus).
Please contact Janine Ogon <a href="mailto:ogon@verdion.com">ogon@verdion.com</a> for an appointment.

Verdion appoints Benelux Business Development Director

Verdion has appointed Frank Drummen as Business Development Director for the Benelux area.
Responsible for increasing Verdion’s activity in the region, he will be working with occupiers to identify opportunities for bespoke logistics projects, as well as building up Verdion’s land position with strategic acquisitions.
Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion, commented: “Frank is an important addition to the team as we seek more opportunities in the Benelux area – complementing our work in Germany, the Nordics and the UK.
“With a background as a project director for various logistics and industrial companies and, before that, as Managing Director at construction and installation companies, Frank has a detailed knowledge of logistics development.
“He understands what companies need and how to deliver it as effectively as possible with the expertise for which Verdion has become known.”

HRH the Princess Royal to officially open iPort rail terminal

Verdion is excited to announce that, this week, iPort will play host to one of the members of the British Royal Family. On 12 September 2018, iPort will welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to open the iPort Rail terminal.
Her Royal Highness will be escorted around the site by Verdion CEO Michael Hughes, who will introduce her to members of the iPort Rail team, wider iPort development team, funder HOOPP (Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan), and the iPort Academy, to name a few.
iPort Rail is a state-of-the-art strategic rail freight terminal, which is designed to open up the Yorkshire region with new road, rail and air connections for national and international freight transport.
Following the opening on 12 September, commercial services at iPort Rail will run up to six times a day, six days a week.
Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion said: “This is an historic moment for iPort. We are delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to the iPort site and see our operations first hand and meet the teams behind its success.
“iPort Rail is the first inland rail freight terminal to open for ten years, and we are honoured that The Princess Royal is coming to open the site.”

Proudly supporting HOOPP’S annual conference

Verdion was a proud attendee of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) fourth annual conference bringing together sustainability leaders and senior management to share experiences, challenges and best practices. This year’s theme Adaptation: Embracing Change, focused on how real estate owners and managers are adapting to change throughout the business chain to manage risk and identify new business opportunities. The Toronto-based event was followed by the seventh annual LEAP sustainability awards.
“HOOPP is recognised as good stewards for the environment and a leader in sustainability,” <a href="https://hoopp.com/about-hoopp/pension-leadership/president-ceo">said Jim Keohane, President and CEO</a>. “The annual LEAP events bring together property managers from around the world to discuss and innovate on industry leading practices and we recognise their innovation through our LEAP awards.”
The C$70 billion AUM fund provides financial backing for Verdion development projects across Europe.
Michael Hughes, Chief Executive of Verdion, said: “Sometimes it’s not enough to take a Europe-wide approach. We develop, invest and manage assets for the long term and to do that as successfully as possible, a global view is essential.
“It was good to be able to share some of our own news too. iPort Rail especially was of great interest to the conference attendees. The environmental benefits of rail freight are well established, of course, but the way that the facility is integrated into the wider iPort logistics hub and our decision to operate it independently was something that stood out.”

Verdion launches second phase of Copenhagen logistics park

Verdion has launched the second phase of its latest development near Copenhagen.
Verdion iPark Copenhagen offers new, high quality logistics space 20 minutes from Central Copenhagen.
A total of 26,000 sq m of warehouse accommodation including office space is newly available to lease, with the potential to subdivide units if required.
New occupiers will join DHL, which has taken a new 12,000 sq m state-of-the-art facility to support its contract with one of the world’s largest healthcare companies. Construction of its building is due to complete this month.
Project Highlights:
<ul>
<li>26,000 sq m of modern warehouse and ancillary office space</li>
<li>Unit sizes of 5,000 sq m – 26,000 sq m</li>
<li>Located directly on Highway 16, Junction 11 Allerød S</li>
<li>Fast journey time to Central Copenhagen</li>
<li>Good public transport connections and access to labour</li>
<li>Road infrastructure, utilities and zoning in place</li>
<li>Highly specified energy efficient design as standard</li>
<li>Flexible building layout and specification options</li>
<li>Excellent value, flexible lease options available</li>
</ul>
Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion, comments: “We see a huge amount of opportunity in the Copenhagen region. There are very low vacancy rates, a limited amount of existing modern warehouse facilities and growing demand from occupiers.
“This is the only zoned and developable land north of Copenhagen capable of delivering warehouse buildings of over 5,000 sq m and the infrastructure to support development is already in place.
“The site’s location in Allerød Kommune has the major benefit of having fast travel times to central Copenhagen as well as close proximity to the industries located in northern Zealand, most notably the large pharmaceutical sector.”
Andersen Ehrverv are the leasing agents for Verdion.

The future's bright for Logistics. Industry insights from Property Week’s Industrial and Logistics Conference 2018

Verdion was pleased to sponsor this year’s Industrial and Logistics Conference. Attended by occupiers, developers, investors, local government and consultants, keynote and breakout sessions offered insight about the future of the sector, highlighted opportunities, areas for improvement and gave advice for undertaking successful development.
While the occupier base for warehouse space has always been diverse, Michael Hughes, Verdion’s CEO, predicted that end-users needs are very quickly evolving, becoming more specific, complex and technology-focused. This is resulting in a variety of exciting opportunities for those investors and developers that are significantly agile and technically focused.
Michael Hughes said: “The landscape isn’t the same as before. Industrial developers are moving into realms they wouldn’t have thought possible 10 years ago.”
Verdion’s Chief Technical Officer, Peter Peeters, talked about the trend towards bespoke logistics space. He explained that warehouses of the future will be technologically advanced and will provide solutions to keep up with increasing consumer demand.
He said: “UK developers need to learn from their counterparts in Europe, which utilise smart energy saving strategies and time efficient systems to benefit the occupier.
“Tenants will also play an increasingly prevalent role in the design process, determining exactly what they want from their warehouse.”
During the ‘Transport infrastructure’ breakout session, Michael Hughes pointed to Verdion’s iPort Rail site in Doncaster as an exciting outcome of the boom in rail freight and a truly multi-modal logistics offering for the UK. He and his fellow panellists recognised the need for Government to invest in better infrastructure to enable more rail freight. They also openly encouraged the creation of more hubs like iPort Rail. The consensus was that there was no reason why different providers couldn’t work together to ensure an increasingly efficient service for customers everywhere.
The overall take-out from the two-day event was that it’s never been a better time for those in the industrial and logistics sector. We need to keep an eye on Brexit and be ready to adapt, we need to stay abreast of changes in the retail sector and consumer demand, and we need to be agile and responsive to occupier needs.

Verdion lays foundation stone for Imperial's hazardous goods warehouse in Rieste

Verdion has laid the foundation stone for Imperial Logistics’ new hazardous goods warehouse at the Niedersachsenpark industrial park in the municipality of Rieste near Osnabrück. A 12,500 sq m hazardous goods warehouse as well as 750 sq m of office space are currently being built on site.
Development of this multi-million euro project, has been financed by Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP), one of Verdion’s partners for financing, development and management of logistics properties across Europe. The Niedersachsenpark asset will remain part of the portfolio managed by Verdion on behalf of the institutional investor.
Imperial Logistics specialises in hazardous substance storage. The start of operations of this built-to-suit property is scheduled for the beginning of December this year.
Stephan Dalbeck, Business and Portfolio Director for Verdion, says: “The Niedersachsenpark project our second specialist building for Imperial Logistics. Last year, we completed a hazardous goods warehouse for the chemical specialist in the Hansa-BusinessPark in Münster. In both projects, Verdion drew on its long-standing experience, for instance in the legal framework of the development of properties for hazardous substance storage, to ensure the efficient delivery of the buildings to the tenant’s specialist requirements.
“As future tenants, we were able to rely completely on Verdion’s expertise, following our good experiences with the first project in the Hansa-BusinessPark”, Michael Pohl, Director Warehousing &amp; Distribution for Imperial Logistics, added.
Kögel &amp; Nunne acted as general contractor, Tricer as project manager and Büro Kühling as architects in the project.

Verdion begins next iPORT speculative phase

Verdion has commenced the next phase of speculative development at iPort Doncaster, its 6 million sq ft logistics and rail freight hub in South Yorkshire. Construction has started on two units of 120,000 sq ft and 60,000 sq ft, which are scheduled for completion in Q3 2018. These units will complement an existing 195,000 sq ft which is complete and ready for immediate occupation.
iPort comprises 337 acres of net development land, which links directly to the M18. iPort Rail, the UK’s newest intermodal inland rail freight hub, is also now fully open and operational, welcoming its first train last month.
Both units will be delivered to a very high specification. Designed and built to a European standard, they will offer 12.5 m internal clear height, comprise steel portal frames and metal sheet roofs, and will be insulated using profile metal sheeting. Single storey, high-quality ancillary office units will also be delivered as part of the overall offering for both units. The 120,000 sq ft unit will offer nine standard dock level doors, 19 HGV parking bays and a 55 m deep yard. The 60,000 sq ft unit will offer three standard dock level doors, 13 HGV parking bays and a 55 m deep yard.
John Clements, European Development Director at Verdion, said: “These latest developments at iPort will enable us to satisfy a broad range of occupier requirements by delivering a variety of different sized, highly-specified warehouses with exceptional connectivity. Sustained demand for space at iPort has already seen Amazon, CEVA, Fellowes and Lidl take occupancy, and we’re extremely confident these new units will be in equally high demand.”
Following the completion of this new phase, iPort will cover 2.73 million sq ft of development. A further 3 million sq ft of planned development will be brought forward on the balance of the land. Build to suit opportunities are available from 50,000 sq ft to 1 million sq ft.
CBRE, Colliers International and Gent Visick are advising Verdion.

iPORT rail now open and operational

<a href="https://www.iportrail.com/">iPort Rail</a>, the UK’s newest intermodal inland rail freight hub, is now open and fully operational, welcoming its first train this week.
Developed and operated by Verdion, iPort Rail is a state-of-the-art rail freight facility able to accommodate the UK’s longest trains up to six times a day. It has storage capacity for 1,500 TEUs and a reach stacker operation with a 115-tonne front axle load.
The site connects to the East Coast Main Line and is located next to the M18, close to Doncaster Sheffield Airport and within two hours of the East Coast’s deep water ports.
Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion, said: “iPort Rail has been years in the making but it is now open and fully operational.
“Sitting within the wider iPort logistics hub, iPort Rail is a state-of-the-art rail terminal designed to serve the Yorkshire region with excellent road, rail and air connections for national and international freight transport.
“We have an experienced team already in place and everything is designed to help companies move goods quickly and minimise supply chain downtime.
“The demand we are seeing, even at this early stage, is already proving that the case for more integrated rail freight is overwhelming.”
<a href="http://www.iportrail.com/">www.iportrail.com</a>
<a href="http://www.iportuk.com/">www.iportuk.com</a>

Verdion stellt Distributionszentrum für Amazon in Werne frühzeitig fertig

European logistics property specialist Verdion has completed and handed over new Amazon regional distribution centre DTM1, part of the Wahrbrink-West industrial area in Werne, close to Dortmund Airport in the Rhine-Ruhr area.
The €100 million state-of-the-art facility extends to 104,000 sq m, including a 6,400 sq m office element. It is located close to the A1, A2 and A44 motorways providing easy access to the country’s key north-south and east-west routes.
Amazon employs around 1,700 people on the site.
Marc Haverkamp, Technical Director for Germany at Verdion, said: “With Amazon’s need to quickly upgrade to a new state-of-the-art facility in the area, we developed a 56-week programme to deliver its building as quickly as possible – and managed to hand it over a fortnight early because everything ran so smoothly.
“Our experience developing other Amazon facilities across Europe – including a 93,000 sq m mega-shed at our iPort logistics hub in Doncaster – helped us make the process as efficient as possible. It also meant we could suggest small refinements to the original plans that would help improve day-to-day operations without compromising delivery.”

The latest updates on our people, projects and partnerships

Verdion secures Södertälje site for urban logistics

Verdion secures Södertälje site for urban logistics

Verdion profits from UPS Prague logistics sale

Verdion announces 1.75 million sq ft development plans at iPort, Doncaster

Verdion hands over state-of-the-art Derby Cycle e-bike factory in Emstek

Verdion secures major Berlin urban logistics opportunity

Verdion and Aviva Investors ramp up development at E20 Park Copenhagen