Industrial space developer Panattoni celebrated 15 years on the Czech market this year with a number of records. It managed to complete 6 industrial halls with a total area of over 243,000 sqm, where over 2,400 new jobs were created. 18 contracts were signed with new clients, which will bring at least another 3,500 jobs. At the same time, the company currently has 11 new halls under construction, occupying a record 545,000 sqm, making Panattoni the most active industrial developer with the largest market share in the Czech Republic. The Amazon fulfillment centre in Kojetín, which stands out for its state-of-the-art technology and significant environmental sustainability, has become the largest completed construction.
"The situation on the domestic market was hectic this year. Due to disrupted supply chains in the building materials sector, times have been tough even for our main suppliers. The year 2022, when we celebrate 15 years on the Czech market, was nevertheless marked by a number of records and successes. We have managed to create conditions for the expansion of companies from both manufacturing and logistics, bring completely new entities to the Czech Republic and complete projects that have won numerous industry awards," says Pavel Sovička, Panattoni's General Manager for the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Panattoni is currently building projects with a total leasable area of over 545,000 sqm, which puts it in first place in terms of construction in the Czech Republic. In addition, the company manages to lease industrial real estate space before completion and in many cases even before the start of construction works or build-to-suit (BTS) according to tenants' requirements. This is also the case of the hall in Panattoni Park Chomutov North, which will be occupied by Jungheinrich, a manufacturer of modern forklifts, which will build its most modern European production plant there. Other major companies such as Autodoc, Dachser, Shipmonk, Maersk and Ball, which will produce 100% recyclable beverage packaging at its automated plant in Pilsen, have already chosen and contracted space in other halls across the Czech Republic.
"The vacancy rate of industrial real estate is at an all-time low in the modern history of the Czech Republic. Despite the fact that we have concluded a record number of new lease contracts, we are not able to fully satisfy the demand of our clients. The potential of the Czech economy remains untapped," comments Jiří Zita, Panattoni's Sales Director.
This year, the Amazon fulfillment centre in Kojetín can boast the title of the largest completed and handed over construction. The 52,000 sqm building, which offers a record 187,000 sqm of lettable space on four floors, uses the most modern technology in today's logistics industry. Robotic units work here to assist employees with order processing, thereby significantly increasing the speed of the entire work process. In addition, the building is energy-efficient - photovoltaic panels have been installed on the roof of the hall, the output of which (4 MWp) is consumed directly by the tenant. In addition, heat production is provided by heat pumps without the need for fossil fuels. The hall in Kojetín has won numerous industry awards and was also a winner in the prestigious Estate Awards competition, where it won the title of Industrial Project of the Year 2022.
This year Panattoni also completed halls at Panattoni Park Ostrov, Panattoni Park Týniště, Panattoni Park Stříbro, Panattoni Park Zdice, Panattoni Park Cheb South and Panattoni Park Teplice South. "We are striving for a long-term improvement in the quality of the delivered halls, especially focusing on the use of new technologies in the field of sustainability and energy saving. We are constantly looking for new approaches and opportunities for tenants to save as much as possible on operating costs," adds Jan Andrejco, Panattoni's Technical Director.
Panattoni confirms its position as a leader in sustainable development and the use of modern technologies also this year. It is the first industrial property builder to target all its projects at the Excellent level of the BREEAM New Construction certification, which guarantees high environmental sustainability of buildings. In 2022, it has obtained 4 certificates at the Excellent level for projects with a total area of 85,500 sqm and another 15 industrial halls with a total area of over 626,000 sqm are currently undergoing the certification process. Four buildings are even targeting the Outstanding certification level. Panattoni currently has a total of over 679,000 m2 of certified buildings in the Czech Republic.
"Sustainability and eco-friendly construction are among our company's core values. That's why we focus on building on brownfield sites where we can apply environmental features from the very beginning while maintaining accessibility for our clients. Thanks to revitalization, we can breathe new life back into areas that have not served their original purpose for years and are a burden for municipalities and cities for several factors. A beautiful example of successful revitalisation is the fulfillment centre in Kojetín, which was built on the site of the former settling tanks of the Kojetín sugar factory, or the industrial zone in Nýřany, which is currently being built on the site of former coal mines and a concrete plant," concludes Pavel Sovička.
