The Goodman Group, a global expert in the development and management of logistics real estate, has signed an agreement to build the first Polish logistics center for Zalando, Europe’s leading online fashion platform. The 130,000 sqm facility will be located in Gryfino near Szczecin and will be one of the largest complexes in Poland occupied by a single client. The new center will be Zalando’s first logistics hub in Central and Eastern Europe and the fourth project carried out by Goodman for the company.
The new facility, which will be commissioned in the autumn of 2017, will allow Zalando to increase the potential of its logistics and distribution network.
– Zalando already has nearly 19 million customers across Europe. To meet growing demand and prepare for further growth, we plan to strengthen our European logistics network by building a new distribution center located in Gryfino. We are pleased to be able to work with Goodman again, who will support us in the implementation of this project – says David Schröder, Senior Vice President of Operations at Zalando.
Experience in the e-commerce industry
Over the last few years, Goodman has established its position as a leading developer of commercial space for the e-commerce sector, delivering over 1.5 million sqm of space for this industry since 2006. For Zalando alone, Goodman has built 390,000 sqm. Last year, Goodman and Zalando announced the construction of a 130,000 sqm logistics center in Lahr, Germany, to which the Polish center will be similar in terms of technical solutions.
Another joint project
The new logistics center in Gryfino is a continuation of the business partnership between Zalando and Goodman, which began in 2011 with the construction of the first of three logistics centers in Germany (located in Erfurt, Mönchengladbach, and Lahr).
– With the implementation of the new project in Gryfino, our cooperation with Zalando will cross the borders of Germany. This confirms the trust Zalando places in our industry experience – said Błażej Ciesielczak, Goodman’s Regional Director for Central and Eastern Europe. – Based on our many years of expertise in delivering projects for the e-commerce industry and our ability to cooperate well with local authorities, we will work closely with Zalando to ensure the timely completion of the project, which has a very tight schedule.
Strategic location
Gryfino, one of the youngest locations on the warehouse map of Poland, has direct access to an extensive transport network, which is essential for the e-commerce business model. The new logistics center will be located in the immediate vicinity of an interchange on the S3 expressway, which connects Gryfino with Szczecin, as well as Poznań, Warsaw, and Wrocław. The A6 motorway and the S6 route will be just 10 km away, providing road connections to Berlin and the DCT container terminal in Gdańsk. Zalando will also be able to use nearby rail connections and the Szczecin-Goleniów international airport.
– Logistics centers are developing dynamically in Western Pomerania, and warehouse space is increasing. Our efforts to include Western Pomerania in the network of trans-European transport corridors are yielding results. Logistics is a Western Pomeranian specialty, and our economic opportunity lies in the services of the future, including the e-commerce sector – said Olgierd Geblewicz, Marshal of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship.
– We are able to meet the requirements associated with the implementation of this important and complex project – declares Deputy Mayor of Gryfino, Tomasz Miler. – The new investment will be a significant economic stimulus for our community, primarily in terms of creating new jobs.