Eight years since Amazon announced its entry into the Czech Republic, the world’s number one e-commerce company has announced its expansion into Moravia. Panattoni, an industrial zones builder, will construct a robotic fulfilment centre for Amazon on a brownfield site, formerly used for a sugar factory settling tanks, near Kojetín in the Přerov region. It will be the first fully-fledged multi-storey logistics building with state-of-the-art technological equipment in the Czech Republic. The zone was developed by the Accolade Group, which is also the investor and owner of the industrial park.
Amazon will be able to take advantage of the direct connection to the D1 motorway for freight transport and the rail corridor, which will allow low-emission transport of employees beyond bus transport. The 52,000 sqm facility will offer four floors of a record-breaking nearly 190,000 sqm of lettable area (including 13,000 sqm of office space and technical facilities). Up to 2,000 people are expected to work here during peak operation. The building will be handed over for use in 2022.
“I am extremely proud that we have finally managed to beat the competition from Polish and German regions and that we will be able to use the rich experience from the construction of the first hall near Dobrovíz in Central Bohemia. This is a huge opportunity for the whole region, especially in terms of investment and a high number of new jobs. The Dobrovíz project was imbued with modern technologies, but the current project will be several generations further ahead, and it will also take advantage of the unique logistical possibilities offered by the multi-storey layout. Last but not least, I am delighted that the hall will be realised by revitalising a brownfield site and will aspire to achieve an exceptionally high BREEAM environmental certification score,” says Pavel Sovička, Panattoni’s Managing Director CZ&SK.
“Thank you to our team for preparing this amazing project and to Panattoni for another excellent cooperation in winning a tenant. We will become the first Czech investor to have Amazon in its portfolio. However, the prestige of a well-known global brand should not obscure the other benefits – the revitalization of a large brownfield site, the creation of jobs and, above all, a huge boost to the economy of the entire region. This is one of the highest investments in the history of our country, even compared to the major manufacturing companies that have come here in recent decades. The level of automation and robotization of the hall is high and we look forward to this investment bringing a rise in the standard of living of the residents and further business opportunities in these difficult post-covid times,” explained Milan Kratina, CEO of Accolade.
“From the very beginning, I consider the planned construction of the park to be a great opportunity for Kojetín. In recent years, like other small towns, we have been facing an outflow of young people who are leaving in search of better economic conditions. We expect the new complex to offer skilled jobs for all age groups. A pleasant bonus is a location behind the town by the motorway and the minimal use of arable land, which is particularly pleasing for us in Haná,” said Leoš Ptáček, Mayor of Kojetín.
“The distribution centre will be very different from the traditional idea of a warehouse. Employees will work alongside innovative technologies, including Amazon Robotics drive units which will support the day-to-day handling of customer orders and more efficient use of warehouse space. These specialized robots slide under shelves stocked with products, lift them and move them around the fulfilment centre, helping speed up order processing times. In Kojetín, we will offer job opportunities with high added value for skilled employees,” explains Michal Šmíd, Amazon’s General Manager for the Czech Republic.
“We are very pleased to have helped Amazon find a suitable location for their new fulfilment centre. This is the company’s second major investment in the Czech Republic, this time in the Olomouc region. Brownfield in Kojetín in the Přerov region won over competing bids thanks to a well-prepared project from Panattoni and Accolade, which met strict criteria, especially the above-standard building height and availability of the workforce,” commented Tomáš Pícha, Land Acquisition Specialist at real estate consultancy CBRE.
The industrial estate will fulfil Panattoni’s long-term ‘Go Earthwise’ strategy. The building will aim to achieve an ‘Excellent’ rating under the prestigious ‘BREEAM New Construction’ environmental certification following the latest standards. It will be the first Panattoni and Accolade facility to install photovoltaics on as much of the available roof area as possible. The construction will be carried out in accordance with the most stringent sustainability requirements. This will include, for example, the environmentally friendly disposal of asbestos from the demolition of the original buildings, the on-site recycling of construction waste, and the use of rail transport for the prefabricated parts of the building.
