Retailing is giving way to e-commerce. The pandemic has undoubtedly changed consumer habits, stimulated the development of the online purchasing sector and has underlined new needs in logistics and warehousing. This means that the supply chain will need to be reorganized along with an increase in storage space and moving product location closer to the consumer. As the first warehouse developer in Poland, 7R is rapidly responding to new market realities by offering its tenants facilities of up to 12 meters high. This solution will significantly reduce the costs of storing goods and allow for more efficient use of warehouse space.
The European Union, excluding the UK, is the third-largest e-commerce market in the world, with total online retail sales of USD 412 billion per year. According to the latest RetailX report, Central Europe has about 69 percent of total online sales on the continent. According to forecasts, the growth rate of e-commerce in Poland in 2020 may hit 30 percent. The biggest driving force behind e-commerce is and will be the pandemic. What is more, new consumer habits will stay with us for longer and will have a direct impact on the direction the development of Poland’s warehouse market will take.
“We closely monitor the market and try to support our clients in the challenges they face. The situation of European economies is currently unprecedented. E-commerce and the shift towards strengthening internal supply chains are increasing the need to store more goods and tonnage in one location. In our new standard, which is a response to these new demands, we will be able to realize warehouses with a storage height of up to 12 m that are adapted to innovative technological solutions, for example in the fields of automation and robotization. These are the kind of facilities our customers need now,” says Maciej Krawiecki, Head of Leasing in 7R.
High standard, high buildings
The 12-metre high warehouses from 7R will have a reinforced floor load capacity, making it possible to install multi-level mezzanines. The taller industrial building means higher pallet capacity. System carts and induction loops will be perfect for such facilities and will optimize the width of racking alleys and thus increases the warehouse load capacity.
“We have been actively shaping the industrial real estate market in Poland for years. Our aim is to set higher standards and offer top quality for domestic tenants and foreign investors. In this way, we have created the country’s first chain of last-mile warehouses called 7R City Flex. At 7R, we believe that sustainable construction should become the norm. One element of construction sustainability is higher warehouses, thanks to which every square meter of flooring is optimally used. By building upwards, we guarantee flexibility in terms of adjusting the hall’s structure and the arrangement of racks to space which is to be used. In this way we enable our customers to store more diverse goods in the same storage space,” summarizes Maciej Krawiecki.
