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After a long period of collaboration, both Menigo Foodservice AB in Strängnäs and Dustin AB i Rosersberg have reconfirmed their trust in Logicenters as a landlord. New leases have been signed for periods of seven and ten years, respectively. During 2020, Logicenters will further develop the properties to meet the tenants’ needs.
After several years of cooperation, Menigo Foodservice AB and Dustin AB have chosen to renew their leases with Logicenters. Menigo has signed a seven-year lease with Logicenters and will remain as a tenant in the Bussen 5 property in Strängnäs – a modern logistics facility. The property is located between Södertälje and Eskilstuna, which is an excellent logistics location in close proximity to Stockholm and the Mälaren region. The modern building has an area of 27,500 m² and has been adapted to handle refrigerated, frozen and dry goods.
Dustin continues to lease the property at Metallvägen 36 in Rosersberg, which is also located in one of the best logistics locations in Sweden alongside the E4 motorway and close to Stockholm, the Mälaren region and Arlanda Airport. Dustin has signed a ten-year lease with Logicenters and it will also invest in automation during the coming lease period. The logistics facility which Dustin will continue to lease meets all the criteria for a modern logistics operation. The leased area amounts to 22,500 m².
“It is very pleasing that our tenants are so happy with us that they are choosing to enter into long-term contracts. The fact that Menigo and Dustin are extending their contracts for seven and ten years respectively is confirmation to us that our properties are attractive and can support their growth journeys. At Logicenters, it is always our aim to offer high quality and flexible properties in locations which are strategically suitable for logistics and we look forward to continued good cooperation with our tenants,” says Jonas Kennerhed, Asset Manager at Logicenters.
The Menigo contract expires on 1 January 2021 and adaptations and improvements to the property will be carried out during 2020. The adaptations to the Rosersberg property will begin immediately and will be completed in 2020.
Nordic region’s largest roof-top solar cell plant, both in terms of area and capacity Logicenters will now build on the logistics property leased by Speed Group in Viared, outside Borås. The new solar plant will encompass 60,000 m² and have a capacity of 5 MWp. The solar cells are estimated to be capable of producing 4 GWh of electricity a year, corresponding to the electricity consumption for 800 homes.
In 2018, Logicenters began work on expanding the already 38,000 m² property to a total of 83,000 m² on behalf of Speed Group, a logistics operator owned by Ratos. The logistics facility is one of the largest in the Nordic region and is strategically located along the Swedish national road 40, just six kilometres from Göteborg. Logicenters will now further develop the environmentally-rated facility by installing a solar cell plant on the roof of the property.
“We are very proud to be working with Speed Group to take a major step forward in the transition to green energy. Building for a sustainable future is at the heart of our sustainability work and this project will enable us to prove that our buildings can actually be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem. And despite the fact that the tax on solar energy currently penalises large solar plants, we cannot postpone major and important climate investments in the future,” says Matthias Kettelhoit, Head of Logicenters.
The roof-top solar cell plant will have an electrical capacity of 5 MWp and a full area of 60,000 m². This will be the Nordic region’s largest roof-top solar cell plant, both in terms of area and capacity. The plant is scheduled for completion in 2020 and is expected to produce 4 GWh of electricity per year, which could supply around 800 standard homes with electricity for a full year.
“Ratos is convinced that there is a strong link between sustainability and long-term value creation. And we are now putting our money where our mouth is by working on the construction of a solar plant of this size. As recently stated, we do still maintain that taxing self-generated electricity which is used in-house is not the right way to go, but we cannot let this stop us from making the right choice in the long term,” says Christian Johansson Gebauer, Area Manager for Construction & Services at Ratos.
It is calculated that the new solar plant will produce 33 percent more electricity than is currently consumed by the property. Speed Group will use some of the electricity in its daily operations, but the surplus will be available to other users through the electricity grid.
“We are very pleased to have a solar cell plant of this calibre installed on the roof. This is the right way to go, both from a climate perspective and a market perspective, as we are finding that more and more customers want to work in properties powered by green electricity. The fact that a considerable amount of daily operations will be powered by self-generated green electricity from solar cells on our own roof is gratifying both for Speed Group, our customers and not least for the environment,” says Mats Johnson, CEO of Speed Group.
NREP Logicenters, a leading Nordic real estate investor and developer, and QHeat, a next-generation energy company, have completed their joint pilot project to build a deep geothermal well in Espoo, Finland. The pilot aims to provide a near zero-emission energy solution that can produce up to 40 times more heat energy than traditional ground heat.
NREP Logicenters and QHeat’s pilot project on a deep geothermal well has been completed at NREP Logicenters’ logistics property in Koskelonkuja, Espoo. The pilot is Finland’s first functional geothermal heating plant that can heat as well as cool large property complexes in a nearly emission-free manner.
The deep geothermal well, located on NREP Logicenters’ property, is approximately one kilometer deeper than a regular geothermal heat pump, which enables greater production of energy. The well, which was taken into use in January, is 1,300 meters deep and is estimated to produce more than 1,000 MWh of heat energy per year, which equals the heat consumption of approximately three apartment buildings. The well covers 60–80 percent of the 16,000 m2 logistic property’s heating. In addition, QHeat’s technology enables the property’s cooling during the summer.
“The heating of buildings represents approximately one fourth of the total energy consumption in Finland, and most of this energy is produced with fossil fuels. The only way we can reach our goal of using only renewable energy in our properties is to pilot and scale new solutions such as this one,” says Jani Nokkanen, CIO and partner at NREP.
The drilling of the deep geothermal well began at the end of July 2019, and the well’s heat production began in January 2020. The pilot is part of the Smart Otaniemi innovation ecosystem and received nearly half of its funding from Business Finland.
“We are excited to put into operation Finland’s first functional geothermal heating plant. We are grateful to Business Finland and NREP for funding this pilot. We believe that this technology has significant export potential as a solution to decrease emissions from heating and cooling,” says Miska Eriksson, QHeat’s CEO.
The energy production of NREP Logicenters’ deep geothermal well will be tested during spring and the company aims to utilize the technology also in its other properties.
“QHeat’s technology has great potential, as it enables emission-free geothermal heat also in densely built urban areas. We have already identified large projects in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area in which we would like to scale the technology,” Nokkanen continues.
Logicenters is now to expand its presence in Jönköping by developing a new logistics facility in Torsvik. The property is estimated to be 32,400 m2 in size. The development is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2020 and is expected to be completed in early 2021.
Having developed a number of logistics properties in Jönköping, Logicenters is continuing to strengthen its presence in the region. This 32,400 m2 logistics facility will be located on Möbelvägen in Torsvik. The property is to be built on speculation and must therefore be developed to suit both a single tenant as well as several different ones. The development is scheduled to begin in March and is expected to be completed in early 2021. As with Logicenters’ other new developments, the property will have a clear environmental profile and will be prepared for the installation of solar cells on the roof.
“This development will further strengthen our business offering and will enable us to meet customers who value rapid access to logistics properties, something that we notice is in increasing demand. We see tremendous potential in the area and are therefore very pleased to strengthen our presence in Torsvik. The region is one of the country’s most important logistics hubs,” says Matthias Kettelhoit, Head of Logicenters.
Logicenters has been active in the Jönköping region for many years. The company’s tenants in the area include Babyshop, Bring and Kitron. The new development will take place on an attractive site in the area, near IKEA and Elgiganten, and directly adjacent to the property where Kitron is the tenant.
Logicenters and Qvana Invest are jointly developing another logistics facility at the Stigamo Logistics Park, Jönköping. The tenant will be a company within AD Sverige which is already leasing Logicenters’ neighbouring property and is now seeking to expand to another facility. Moving in to the 25,000 m² facility is scheduled for the end of 2020.
Logicenters is continuing to consolidate its presence at important logistics hubs. The company is now cooperating with Qvana Invest to once again develop a logistics property at the Stigamo Logistics Park, south of Jönköping. The new development will be a detached building measuring approximately 25,000 m². It will be constructed in connection with an already existing facility currently leased by AD Sweden at the Stigamo Logistics Park. A subsidiary of AD Sverige will become the tenant at the new property, thereby expanding its presence in the area, as Logicenters is doing.
“We are delighted with our continued successful collaboration with Qvana Invest and AD Sverige. Stigamo Logistics Park has an ideal strategic location for logistics and the selected site is among the best in the area with clear visibility from the passing E4 motorway. The building has been designed in accordance with our standard model for modern logistics facilities and we are also planning to be able to install solar panels on the roof in line with our focus on sustainability,” says Matthias Kettelhoit, Head of Logicenters.
The new facility is strategically located on Norra Stigamovägen and is being built as per Logicenters’ standard specification adapted for modern logistics operations. The property is being prepared in line with Logicenters’ strong focus on sustainability, including the installation of solar cells on the roof.
“We are delighted that Qvana Invest and Logicenters are developing a new property in Stigamo because our previous good cooperation left us wanting more. Like us, Logicenters prioritises modern logistics properties with sustainable options such as solar cell plants. We hope that AD Sverige will thrive at its new property,” says Jonas Andersson of Qvana Invest.
“It is both pleasing and important that we will have access to additional storage space in Jönköping. Furthermore, the fact that this facility is being constructed in direct connection with our current central warehouse, and in an area where we are thriving, is something we are very positive about. Our previous experience of working with Logicenters and Qvana Invest has been outstanding and we look forward to expanding and moving into our new modern warehouse,” says Adam Källberg of AD Sverige AB.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new logistics facility in Bålsta has now taken place. The property being built and owned in the long term by Logicenters will become environmentally certified. With an area of 104,000 m2, it will be one of Europe’s largest and most modern logistics facilities. Logicenters and Axfood’s purchasing and logistics company Dagab previously signed a contract for the development and leasing of a property scheduled to come into operation in 2023.
In July 2019, Logicenters and Dagab, Axfood’s purchasing and logistics company, signed an agreement to make Dagab a long-term tenant at the logistics property in Bålsta. Yesterday, on the 25th of November, construction began on the facility which will be one of Europe’s largest. The property will be environmentally certified in accordance with BREEAM-SE, including modern specifications such as temperature zones and a high degree of automation.
“I am delighted that the day has arrived for construction to commence on what will become one of Europe’s largest and most modern logistics facilities. This means that we are now expanding our property portfolio with the addition of a large, environmentally certified property in an excellent location. Receiving this confidence from a major tenant is something Logicenters values strongly and we are convinced that it will flourish here. We also want to take the opportunity to thank Axfood and Dagab for a very rewarding collaboration,” says Matthias Kettelhoit, Head of Logicenters.
The property is being built at Håbo Lundby 2:8, just outside Bålsta, northwest of Stockholm. The site is strategically important for logistics, with its proximity to both the E18 motorway and Stockholm. The facility is scheduled to become operational in 2023.
In addition to representatives from Logicenters, Dagab and Axfood, also present at the ceremony were the mayor of Håbo municipality, Liselotte Grahn Elg, Agneta Hägglund, opposition councillor, and Tobias Arvidsson, head of local government at Håbo municipality.
“We are very happy that ground has now been broken for our highly automated logistics facility. The new logistics centre will enable us to meet tomorrow’s challenges and consumer needs, creating a flexible, efficient and sustainable logistics chain for both retail and e-commerce customers. We are looking forward to moving in,” says Nicholas Pettersson, CEO Dagab Purchasing & Logistics.
Motek AS has become a new tenant in Logicenters’ property at Fjellbovegen 9 in the attractive Berger area of Oslo. Moving in is scheduled to begin in early 2020 and the company will lease an area of 12,571 m2.
Logicenters has signed a lease agreement with Motek AS. The contract covers an area of approximately 12,571 m2, which means that the property is now fully let. The logistics facility is located on Fjellbovegen 9 in Berger, outside Oslo. The previous tenant was Bertel O Steen which had the opportunity to move out before its contract expires in April 2020. Motek AS will move in during the first part of 2020 and will lease all parts of the property.
“It feels great to announce that we have signed an agreement with Motek AS, which will be the new tenant at Fjellbovegen 9. Following planned tenant improvements on the property at the end of 2019, we look forward to Motek AS moving in at the beginning of 2020. Berger is an area attractive to tenants and Logicenters has focused on finding a tenant able to lease the entire property, something we have now succeeded in doing,” says Jørgen Bråten Nordby, Commercial Manager, Logicenters Norway.
The property is ideally situated at Fjellbovegen 9. Of a very high standard, it has a spacious loading yard including 18 loading docks. Berger is considered to be the most attractive logistics location along Oslo’s northern logistics corridor. Logicenters’ property is located in close proximity to the E6 motorway, which extends from Oslo to Gardemoen airport and further into Norway. Its proximity to the Alnabru terminal, which is Oslo’s main terminal for cargo handling and transport, increases the attractiveness of the area even more.
For the past two years, Logicenters has invested heavily in its project development department, more than doubling the number of employees. Under the leadership of the company’s Head of Development, Eva Sterner, the department will expand further and scale up initiatives in both area efficiency and environmental work. However, Eva Sterner would also like to attract more women to a male-dominated industry.
With a PhD under her belt and a background as Technical Director Due Diligence at WSP and Managing Director at Watts, Eva began working at Logicenters seven years ago. According to Eva, it is the growth journey, a steady flow of interesting projects, and above all, her colleagues who have been significant reasons behind her becoming a long-term presence at Logicenters. In recent years, both Logicenters and her own department have grown significantly. According to her, this is both because the organisation is flexible and has great ambitions, but also because Logicenters is comprised of people who are driven to do things in new and innovative ways.
Eva Sterner is currently head of Logicenters’ project development department, which has expanded from two to eight people since 2017, with further recruitments planned. Central to this future development is the continued ability to attract talent, with Eva particularly wishing to encourage more women and girls to apply to the logistics industry. An industry which has until now been male dominated.
“I am proud to work for a company with such great ambitions and which allows all its employees to grow. As I personally had no female role models in the logistics industry, I would like to be a role model for girls wanting to work at smart logistics properties. For this to be possible, female employees must be both encouraged and promoted. I believe that Logicenters does this every day, which is something I see as both modern and important,” says Eva Sterner, Head of Development at Logicenters.
The project development department has a great responsibility regarding procurement, contact with tenants, property development and the contractual parts of the works contract. The department is constantly striving to find newer, smarter ways to develop modern properties, where 30-metre high-bay warehouses and energy audits exemplify innovative initiatives from Logicenters. With regard to energy efficiency, Eva plays an important role in Logicenters’ work to reduce its carbon footprint. Something which she finds customers are appreciating more and more.
“I am finding that there is increasing focus on the environment within the industry, something which I am very pleased about. We often coach our customers on issues regarding reduced energy consumption, not least by conducting energy audits, and we are finding that we are being listened to. It is my ambition to continue to drive this development forwards in order that we can offer even smarter and more energy-efficient logistics properties with as low a carbon footprint as possible. Being able to lead this development in an organisation where both colleagues and management support my ambitions is something of which I am very proud and something that makes Logicenters an attractive workplace and company,” concludes Eva Sterner.
Logicenters has now received the European Real Estate Brand Book 2019, containing the results of the competition Real Estate Brand Award that was decided earlier this year. The competition ranks more than 1,600 brands within the European real estate industry. In the category “Real Estate Developers Logistics”, the award for the strongest brand among developers of logistics properties goes to Logicenters in first place. Logicenters is also placed on the top ten list for all logistics developers in Europe.
The Real Estate Brand Awards was arranged for the tenth year in succession this year. The participating brands compete in various industry-specific categories, with one category consisting of Nordic region brands. Among the Nordic brands in the segment “Real Estate Developers Logistics”, Logicenters is ranked as the strongest brand among developers of logistics properties and has now received the European Real Estate Brand Book 2019 with the result. Logicenters is also placed on the top ten list for all logistics developers in Europe.
The European Real Estate Institute is hosting the Real Estate Brand Awards. Factors that, according to the institute, lie behind Logicenters’ high ranking include the special character of the company, the quality of its implementation and its precision with regard to adherence to deadlines. The value of all of the factors that companies are ranked by is then totalled to a weighted index, the Brand Value. Logicenters achieved a Brand Value score of as high as 88.42, with 100 being the highest value, ahead of the no. 2 company, which scored 86.73.
“We are very proud to have won this award, which is an acknowledgement that all our hard and careful work has been noticed in international circles. It does not, however, mean that we can rest on our laurels, on the contrary, we must now increase our efforts to offer our clients even smarter and more user-friendly logistics solutions. We would also like to thank the European Real Estate Brand Institute for the prestigious award,” says Matthias Kettelhoit, Head of Logicenters.
The survey is largest of its type and is made up of a survey, in which more than 91,000 industry experts are asked about the more than 1,600 participating real estate brands.
For additional information regarding Real Estate Brand Awards:
https://www.reb.institute/en/rankings2019/nordics/developers-logistics/
Working in collaboration with ÅF-Infrastructure, Logicenters conducted an energy audit of 13 of Logicenters’ properties. The energy audit shows that the logistics facilities can save up to 30 percent of their total energy consumption. Moreover,
most of the actions appear to involve relatively small investments.
Last winter, Logicenters commissioned ÅF-Infrastructure to initiate a project to help Logicenters’ tenants improve energy efficiency and to reduce their environmental impact. In total, 13 of Logicenters’ logistics facilities have undergone an energy review with the results showing great potential for saving. By streamlining energy consumption in the properties, it is possible to reduce energy costs by one third. In total, this means savings of SEK 500,000 annually – for each property.
“Our energy review shows that a great deal of energy is being wasted. The result indicates that there is greater potential for savings than we believed, especially considering that the properties which were inspected are modern facilities. The cooperation with ÅF is an important step for Logicenters in our efforts to improve the energy efficiency of our properties and to reduce our carbon footprint,” says Matthias Kettelhoit, Head of Logicenters.
Energy-efficient actions in the 13 facilities can reduce CO2 emissions by a total of more than 1 000 tonnes per year. For the properties which underwent the energy review, the proposed measures to save 30 percent would mean a repayment term of 7.5 years. When introducing minor measures, which essentially do not involve any monetary investments, the savings potential is still 6 percent.
“Energy efficiency may seem expensive, but we want to use this project to demonstrate that it does not have to cost a fortune to lower costs. It may mean training the staff in the efficient handling of machines or introducing timed lighting on the premises. Certain investments have a longer repayment period than others, but in the long run, both the bank account and the environment benefit from introducing smart, energy-efficient measures,” says Björn Rinde, energy consultant at ÅF-Infrastructure.
The work is now continuing to carry out energy audits at more facilities in Logicenters’ property portfolio. In total, it is estimated that the properties could reduce their CO2 emissions by as much as 6 400 tonnes a year through the introduction of more energy-efficient measures.
List of tips for how to improve energy efficiency at logistics properties:
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