Accolade Group, which invests in modern industrial and manufacturing properties across Europe, is continuing its foreign expansion. The group has added Croatia to its portfolio, becoming its seventh European territory, with further ambitious plans for Southern Europe. Accolade has acquired a building permit for its first industrial building north of Zagreb, boasting a total area of around 50,000 sqm. The group is also simultaneously working on several other locations suitable for the development of industrial zones.
“The modern industrial infrastructure market in Croatia has only recently started to develop in recent years. At present, there are only a handful of modern industrial sites and yet this is a country with considerable potential, this year joining the Eurozone and Schengen Area. Moreover, Croatia possesses a broad base of experienced and technically qualified workers, whilst also benefiting from a dense motorway network and several important ports. This investment is therefore in line with our strategic goal to expand into regions with strong demand and the potential for further growth, as we see it. Just as in other territories, we want to uncover interesting locations and unleash their untapped potential,” said Milan Kratina, Accolade CEO.
The project is situated in the Donja Bistra region, just north of Zagreb. The advantage of this location is its proximity to the motorway, with excellent access to Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, and northern Italy, as well as east to Belgrade in Serbia and through to Istanbul. It is also a notable industrial centre, with a large domestic electric sports car manufacturer, Rimac, located nearby. It is expected that there will be a high demand for modern industrial spaces in this region. The industrial park will be suitable for all three key segments – light manufacturing, logistics, and e-commerce.
The new park will be built following the strict principles of modern, sustainable buildings and will be looking to obtain the highest level of BREEAM sustainability certification. Buildings of this type often feature excellent thermal insulation, monitoring of utilities to avoid any leakage, roof photovoltaic power systems, modern LED lighting, and dimming blinds, whilst the surrounding area is equipped with new local trees and bushes for local habitats including retention tanks, bug hotels, lizard habitats, and also charging stations for electric bikes and cars.
Besides Zagreb, other significant Croatian locations include the port of Rijeka, with excellent links to northern Italy, Varaždin near the border between Slovenia and Hungary, Split in central Dalmatia, and Osijek in the eastern part of Croatia. The acquisition of the first building permit should act as a springboard for Accolade to gradually expand into other regions across the country. Just as in other countries, the group is aiming for a long-term presence and sustainable investment. In alignment with this vision, Accolade has already established a Croatian team and plans to inaugurate a new office in Zagreb soon.
