Catalonia beats in 2018 its historic hiring record within the logistics sector

• Last year 665,000 m² of logistic surface area were hired, a 44.3% more than in 2017
• In 2019, the logistics sector forecasts the hiring of 272,546 m² more in Catalonia

On-line sales have triggered the hiring of logistic space in Catalonia by e-commerce operators. Last year 665,000 m² of logistic surface area were hired, a 44.3% more than in 2017. According to the assessment drawn up by real estate firm Savills Aguirre Newman, 63 operations were closed during 2018, whereas in 2017 they were 41.

The consultancy firm highlights that e-commerce operators have been key to the dynamization of the sector and they have definitively become established as one of the fundamental driving forces for the logistics market. Savills Aguirre Newman notes, as well, that the centre of Barcelona and its first ring are the areas with a higher degree of activity, with about 520,000 m² hired. This entails an increase of 55% with regard to 2017. In this sense, the availability rate for the centre of Barcelona and its first ring falls now under 3%.

Savills Aguirre Newman’s report also points out that more than 172,337 m² were hired in 11 operations that took place during the last quarter of 2018. In 2017, 145,601 m² were hired in 17 operations.

Among the operations closed during the last quarter, Savills Aguirre Newman highlighted Caprabo’s turnkey project at Port de Barcelona’s ZAL (25,000 m²), and the developments by Mercadona at Ripollet, Barcelona (15,400 m²), and of Global Talke at Tarragona (23,293 m²).

In 2019, the logistics sector forecasts the hiring of 272,546 m² more in Catalonia. From those, a total of 164,746 will be available for rent. It is foreseen an increase of a minimum of 68,500 m² in 2020. During 2018, the Catalonian logistics market added 459,112 m² of new surface area, which entails an increase in the general stocks of an 8% with regard to 2017.

[01/22/2019]