Panattoni, the leading project developer for industrial and logistics properties in Europe, handed over the new logistics site in Neuruppin to the Fressnapf Group on 18 August 2023. The celebratory handover of the 47,500 m² build-to-suit (BTS) property in Brandenburg was attended by the Major of Neuruppin, Nico Ruhle, the District Administrator of the District of Ostprignitz-Ruppin, Ralf Reinhardt, the CEO of the Fressnapf Group, Christian Kümmel, by the Managing Director at Panattoni Germany, Daniel Oetjen, and other representatives of Fressnapf and Panattoni.
The Fressnapf Group, founded in 1990 and incorporated in Krefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, is the leading specialist retail chain for pet supplies in Europe. It owns around 1,900 Fressnapf and Maxi Zoo stores in 11 countries and holds stakes in companies in Croatia and Italy. The Krefeld-based corporate group is a trading company that offers products like pet food and accessories and, in particular, services that make communal life between humans and animals easier, better and happier on all relevant customer channels. The new logistics site in Neuruppin is the eighth, in total, in Europe and will act as a further regional warehouse in the future with which the specialist retail chain is expanding its business activities.
Panattoni is erecting the user-specific, build-to-suit (BTS) property on a site with an area measuring around 83,000 m². The total usable area is around 47,500 m², of which approx. 31,700 m² are storage/technology space, 13,800 m² are mezzanine storage space and 1,700 m² are office/social space. The building was developed as a cross-dock, measures 12.20 m to the bottom of the girders and is equipped with more than 100 levellers. In addition, 24 m-deep mezzanine floors are available on both sides as mezzanine storage space which act as additional picking and work areas for additional services (value added services). With a block storage space and a rack storage system which offer combined capacity for 3,500 articles and around 23,000 pallets, the property has adequate space to store cans, bags of food and snacks.
“We are happy in Neuruppin. We already introduced ourselves to the residents at the May Day and Harbor Festivals and via other meeting formats. As a new employer in the region, we want to awaken interest in the exciting jobs we offer here: From the new site, we will supply markets in Northern and Eastern Germany as well as throughout Poland and Scandinavia and thus make communal life between humans and animals better. We look forward to moving into the new property and quickly putting it into use,” says Christian Buschmann, Vice President Logistics Engineering & Real Estate at the Fressnapf Group, about the handover.
The new site is located in the established commercial and industrial district, Treskow I, which is equipped with a direct connection to the city centre and is only a few minutes from the A24 federal motorway, near the Berlin motorway ring. Fressnapf benefits from a strategically favourable location for the delivery of more than 400 markets in Northern and Eastern Germany as well as throughout Poland and Scandinavia.
In the framework of the development, Fressnapf and Panattoni focussed particularly on the aspect of sustainability. Thus, the aim is to obtain certification in accordance with the DGNB platinum standard. To this end, Panattoni worked closely with the future user to realize comprehensive measures in the areas of ecology and social affairs which, among other things, include a static, pre-fitting for a photovoltaics system (PV) and rainwater cisterns for use as industrial water and to irrigate the exterior premises. Modern VRF technology also takes the energy revolution into account and ensures that the entire building is heated without the use of fossil fuels. Moreover, nesting boxes for birds were installed and well-being areas with meadow orchards and flower meadows were created for the employees. Charging stations for electric cars were also installed. Last, but not least, the installed intelligent building systems, like digital metres (smart metering) or motion and dimming functions for the LED systems in the interior areas and some exterior areas ensure optimized energy consumption.
The project was developed in close cooperation with the City of Neuruppin, local authorities and the district’s Lower Nature Conservation Authority. The focus of the preliminary planning was on, among other things, the resettlement of sand lizards, the creation of a new replacement habitat and renaturation of an earth wall.
“The establishment of companies like the Fressnapf Group is in precise alignment with Neuruppin’s strategy as an economic location. We particularly welcome the fact that around 150 new jobs will be created. Residents of Neuruppin and people new to Neuruppin will benefit from, among other things, a direct connection to the federal motorway and railway network as well as a good and continuously growing offer in the areas of culture, education and social affairs,” says Nico Ruhle, Mayor of the Fontane City, Neuruppin.
Ralf Reinhardt, District Administrator of the District of Ostprignitz-Ruppin, also welcomes the new establishment: “We welcome the fact that, with the Fressnapf Group, a company that is active throughout Europe is establishing a site in the District of Ostprignitz-Ruppin. That is evidence of how attractive our economic region is. We offer excellent development opportunities and a strategically favourable location between Berlin, Hamburg and Rostock. In addition to small and medium-sized enterprises, large companies have also learned to appreciate the advantages we have to offer.”
“With the development of the new logistics site in Neuruppin, we have built a new structure that meets Fressnapf’s requirements. This enables the company to drive its growth forward in Europe and simultaneously fulfils high sustainability standards. Upon conclusion of the project, we would like to once again highlight the excellent cooperation and say thank you very much to all of the parties involved for the smooth cooperation,” says Fred-Markus Bohne, Managing Partner at Panattoni Germany and Austria.
