Verdion and Tritax EuroBox plc announce second speculative Swedish logistics project

Pan-European logistics specialists 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.
Alina Iorgulescu, Assistant Fund Manager of Tritax EuroBox, commented: “This investment 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.”
Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion, said: “The Nordic region is an important focus for Verdion, with a strong e-commerce led occupier market driving demand for new high grade urban logistics product. The greater Stockholm region is particularly interesting for us, with its fast growing resident population and important infrastructure improvements. Verdion will continue to pursue its various investment and development strategies across the wider Nordic region including strategic logistics parks, built to suit and value add acquisitions.  In Tritax EuroBox we have a partner that shares our commitment to these markets and to delivering on ESG principles and we are very pleased to be partnering again at this strategic location.”
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.

Grocery producer doubles capacity at Verdion value-add asset

Verdion has leased a second asset in Gallin to Erzeugerorganisation (EO) Mecklenburger Ernte, doubling the grocery producer organisation’s capacity close to its Hamburg markets.
EO Mecklenburger Ernte GmbH, an association of fruit and vegetable producers whose largest shareholder is a subsidiary of BEHR AG, originally signed a prelet for Unit 3 at Neu-Galliner-Ring 14-16 in July 2020. Its new 11,800 sq m facility is due to complete at the end of January, providing state-of-the-art warehousing and offices that will drive efficiency across the business, as well as social spaces, car and HGV parking.
In this new deal, EO Mecklenburger Ernte has now taken Unit 2 – a total of 10,595 sq m, which it was previously occupying on an interim basis – on a 10.5-year lease, effectively doubling its capacity at this location.
Verdion acquired the site in March 2019 for Verdion European Logistics Fund (VELF) 1, which is focussed on last mile and value-add logistics opportunities in Northern and Central Europe. In addition to Unit 1, let to DB Schenker, and Unit 2 which has now been leased long-term, its team identified the opportunity to intensify the site and deliver a third facility within the original footprint.
Valerie Setz, Asset Manager at Verdion, said: &#8220;With this new lease Mecklenburger Ernte can fully exploit the potential of this location, doubling its capacity and increasing efficiency within its supply chain. At the same time, the opportunity to secure an existing occupier for this sought-after asset has accelerated our plans, exceeding expectations for the fund.”
Florian Stöbe, Head of Investment – Germany at Verdion added: &#8220;This type of asset is exactly right for our focus on potential for value creation through technical innovation, development and active asset management. Reconfiguring, intensifying and improving brownfield sites for logistics requires deep sector experience if it is to be done well, but advantages not only for investors but for the local economy make it a very attractive focus.&#8221;
Gallin is one of eight assets secured for the €310 million fund. Earlier this year Verdion acquired a 10,200 sqm logistics property with significant expansion potential in Lützen, south of Leipzig, as well as its first two Danish assets with the acquisition of two logistics facilities in Greater Copenhagen totalling €30 million.

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.
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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.
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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.
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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;
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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“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.
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“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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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VELF 1 strategy: Logistics space with value-add potential
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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.
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“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.
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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.
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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>
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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.
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“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.”

Logistics developers must champion occupier requirements

Championing a ‘no size fits all’ approach, John Clements, Verdion’s European Development Director, put forward the case for prioritising clients’ requirements above dated institutional standards, speaking on warehouse design and specification at EG’s Industrial &amp; Logistics Summit on 21 November.
Verdion will only undertake a project having fully considered the location, size, characteristics and longevity of the scheme. Only then, he argued, can the developer deliver a project which best suits both the occupier and end investor. For this reason, Verdion offers both speculative development to cater for time critical occupier requirements and build-to-suit opportunities for more bespoke client needs.
Innovative technologies are already greatly improving the delivery time of client-side goods, and so the occupier is right to demand a service which has all of the latest technical benefits at its core.
Future proofing and derisking is also important – among other things Verdion always ensures there are readily available sources of electricity to power machinery and autonomous technology and broadband to deliver crucial connectivity and wherever possible two sources to deliver diversity of supply. And with automation set to make delivery more efficient throughout the industry, developers must keep an eye to the future if they’re to continue to react in a flexible and agile way to meet occupier requirements.
Verdion was joined on the panel by Peter Ward of United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) and Julie Barlatier-Prieuret of Barjane International Group.

Verdion launches 180,000 sq ft fast track logistics space

iPort comprises 337 acres of net development land in total, with links to the M18, Great Yorkshire Way and the A1 as well as a strategic rail freight terminal nearing completion on site.
John Clements, European Development Director at Verdion, said: “This new space is designed to suit occupiers seeking highly-specified warehousing in a short time frame. With sustained demand for high quality buildings and Amazon, CEVA and Fellowes already committed to iPort, the time is right to look ahead to the next phase of development.
“iPort already has reserved matters consent, all its infrastructure is in place and land plots have been fully prepared for development, meaning construction work can start early in the new year and complete in Q3. Our current 195,000 sq ft unit is ready for occupation and build to suit opportunities are running in parallel too.”
With the completion of this new phase, iPort will cover 2.73 million sq ft of development with a remaining 3.27 million sq ft to be brought forward over the coming years. Build to suit opportunities are available from 50,000 sq ft to 1 million sq ft.

Multiple awards for iPORT German version

German version Verdion’s 6 million sq ft (557,000 sq m) multi-modal logistics scheme in Doncaster is now a multi-award winner having picked up three further industry awards this month.
The Strategic Rail Freight Interchange was awarded Best Overall Scheme – Logistics Park at the Industrial Agents Society Awards 2017 on the 28th September. On the same day, iPort also picked up two further trophies at the Yorkshire Insider Property Industry Awards, being awarded Development of the Year as well as Commercial Property Deal of the Year for the letting of 1.3 million s ft of logistics space to international retailer Amazon.
These awards follow the Game Changer Award 2017 honored to Verdion at the Yorkshire Property Awards in May for its work on  iPort. The Game Changer award recognises projects or deals which have had a material effect on the surrounding environment or on the market.
Michael Hughes, CEO of Verdion, comments: “It has been a fantastic year for iPort. We have secured occupiers for approximately 2.4 million square feet at the scheme – in the logistics centre of the UK – and there will be much more to come.”
For more information on iPort visit <a href="http://iportuk.com/">www.iportuk.com </a>

Strategic land position: Verdion acquires logistics development site at ECOPARK, EMSTEK

Verdion has secured a strategic logistics site on the ecopark industrial estate, near Emstek in Lower Saxony.
The site has capacity for around 25,000 sq m of warehouse accommodation to lease, with the potential to subdivide units if needed.
Verdion’s new 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.
André Banschus, Managing Director of Verdion in Germany, said:
“Demand for space in the region is growing, with a number of blue-chip international businesses already choosing to locate logistics hubs here.
“With the draw of excellent transport links to wider Northern European markets, occupiers are capitalising on favourable business conditions to increase their distribution networks, and Emstek is an exciting new opportunity for us to do the same.”
In addition to this site, work is underway on a new 12,500 sq m hazardous goods warehouse and 750 sq m of offices for sector specialist Imperial at Niedersachsenpark near Osnabrück, while earlier this year Verdion opened a new facility close to Hamburg – a 57,000 sq m distribution centre for global dairy equipment manufacturer DeLaval.

DÜRKOP signs up to Airpark Berlin

Verdion, Europe’s specialist logistics developer and Rockspring Property Investment Managers LLP (“Rockspring”) have secured the first pre-let in phase 2 of their €90 million Verdion Airpark development in Berlin. The letting is to the German based business DÜRKOP GmbH.
The multi-brand car-trading group has taken half of the phase 2 space, leasing a 9,065 sq m logistics unit, with approximately 1,395 sq m of office and ancillary space.
Phase 1 of Airpark Berlin, totalling 29,500 sq m, has already been successfully let to Bringmeister (Edeka Group), Dachser SE &amp; PUK.
Verdion’s CEO Michael Hughes comments: “The success in letting the partially speculative first phase encouraged us to build the second phase completely speculatively and this has paid off. Demand for high-quality logistics space in this excellent location remains unbroken.”
Stuart Reid, Rockspring Partner overseeing Germany, said: “Following the successful letting to DÜRKOP, some 75% of the first two phases have been pre-let. We now look forward to further lettings and developing the rest of Airpark out.”
Verdion Airpark Berlin is located in close proximity to Berlin’s city centre and is within two kilometres of the Berlin Brandenburg Airport site and adjacent to key road and rail infrastructure. The 92,000 sq m park is being delivered in phases, with both speculative and built-to-suit opportunities for warehousing units ranging from 5,000 sq m to 20,000 sq m. The units have been flexibly designed to the highest specification to meet the strong market demand from 3PLs, retailers and e-tailers seeking urban logistics space. The development has an expected end investment value exceeding €90 million.

Verdion erweitert das nordische Portfolio um eine Logistikprojektentwicklung in Kopenhagen im Wert von 45 Mio. Euro

Vorvermietung von 12.000 m² und Baubeginn
Verdion, Europas führender, auf den Logistikbereich spezialisierter Projektentwickler, Investor und Asset Manager, hat im iPark Kopenhagen 12.000 m² Büro- und Logistikfläche an den weltweit größten Logistikdienstleister vorvermietet und mit dem Bau der neuen, 45 Mio. Euro teuren Projektentwicklung in Kopenhagen, Dänemark, begonnen.
Der insgesamt 36.000 m² große, aus mehreren Bauabschnitten bestehende Logistikpark befindet sich angrenzend zur Autobahn 16, knapp 20 km nördlich von Kopenhagen, bietet eine schnelle und direkte Anbindung in südlicher Richtung nach Kopenhagen und in nördlicher Richtung an die wichtige Transportroute nach Helsingør mit Fährverbindung nach Helsingborg in Schweden.
Auf der Lager- und Bürofläche wird nach Fertigstellung der Dienstleistungsvertrag des Nutzers mit einem der weltweit größten Unternehmen der Gesundheitsbranche bzw. dem kapitalstärksten Unternehmen des nordischen Markts abgewickelt. Dies ist die zweite von Verdion entwickelte Lagerfläche für einen Logistikanbieter in Dänemark. Die erste Anlage, ebenfalls ein Medikamentenlager, wurde im Jahr 2015 in Greve, in der Nähe von Kopenhagen errichtet.
Die Fertigstellung der Flächen ist für das 2. Quartal 2018 geplant.
Die Expansion von Verdion in die nordischen Länder schreitet weiter voran. Im Mai dieses Jahres hatte das Unternehmen für BMW ein 20 Mio. Euro teures Lager für Autoteile in Malmö fertiggestellt.
Michael Hughes, CEO von Verdion, sagt: „Der Verdion iPark Kopenhagen wurde konzipiert, um die wachsende Nachfrage nach Logistikimmobilien sowohl in Kopenhagen als auch in der benachbarten schwedischen Region Schonen befriedigen zu können. Die Projektentwicklung wurde off market akquiriert und konzipiert. Die strategische Lage zusammen mit der hohen Qualität und Liefergeschwindigkeit von Verdion wird sich für Logistikunternehmen als äußert attraktiv erweisen. Wir gehen davon aus, dass wir im Laufe des Jahres weitere Vermietungen bekannt geben können.”

The latest updates on our people, projects and partnerships

Verdion and Tritax EuroBox plc announce second speculative Swedish logistics project

Verdion and Tritax EuroBox plc announce second speculative Swedish logistics project

Verdion and Aviva Investors ramp up development at E20 Park Copenhagen

Grocery producer doubles capacity at Verdion value-add asset

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

Verdion strengthens Nordics commitment with senior technical hires

Verdion boosts technical team with new senior hires