Catalonia expects to match logistics leasing record in 2016

• In 2015, a record-breaking 587,000 m² were leased in the logistics sector
• A significant number of these leases are taken out by companies in the e-commerce sector

Last year, leases in the logistics sector in Catalonia hit the highest level in the past seven years. Specifically, these figures were up 90% from the previous year for a record 587,000 m² leased. This data has been provided by real estate consultancy Estrada & Partners.

In 2016, the figures for the year so far lead us to believe that we will see similar leasing figures. The sector is optimistic and helped out by noteworthy operations including that of Amazon, which finalized its purchase of a 150,000 m² plot in El Prat de Llobregat before the summer. The company will use this land to build a logistics center serving southern Europe. It must be noted that a very significant number of all logistics leases are taken up by companies with ties to the e-commerce sector, which highly values the quality of transport connections and access to facilities.

According to data from JLL consultancy, over the first three quarters of the year the logistics market has closed operations on a total of 418,287 m². According to the consultancy’s sources, this figure looks set to match the record set in 2015, as demand remains very high despite the limited availability of space. In this regard, the options for closing deals right now on spaces of more than 10,000 m² are extremely scarce.

Catalonia is the main logistic center in southern Europe and the Mediterranean region, with a full network of facilities and companies devoted to transport and logistics. The Barcelona Catalonia initiative is made up of a series of projects in the metropolitan area, as well as the most important logistics offering along the Mediterranean Corridor, and aims to consolidate Barcelona and Catalonia as the logistics hub of southern Europe.