During the first half of 2023, Accolade continued its commitment to expanding the Polish warehouse sector by leasing 185,000 sqm of warehouse space, close to what they achieved in the same period last year. The number of new lease agreements remained at a similar level to the first half of 2022, with 103,500 sqm leased.
Among the most significant deals was a lease contract with Regesta for 32,900 sqm in the Ruda Śląska park and with KOSTAL Automobil Elektrik for 17,000 sqm in Świdnik, the location of the company’s latest project. Additionally, Accolade has doubled the size of its leased area by extending and prolongating agreements with existing tenants. In total, contracts for 81,500 sqm were renewed, including major deals with Tyco Electronics Polska, which occupies 56,000 sqm in Park Szczecin I, and with Iveco for 16,500 sqm in Park Zielona Góra. At the midpoint of 2023, Accolade’s total leased warehouse space reached 1.3 million sqm, across 26 Polish parks. The total value of the managed portfolio is over €1.3 billion.
“These results confirm that Accolade is not only a trusted investor but also an experienced asset manager. Despite the macroeconomic challenges and uncertainties during the first half of this year, our company, thanks to its local perspective and experience gained in both European and domestic markets, is actively investing and responding flexibly to the changing business environment. We believe in the potential of the Polish warehouse sector, which is why we are building on our success in creating modern, environmentally friendly warehouse parks that contribute to the country’s economic development and meet the demands of our tenants,” said Jarek Wnuk, Managing Director of Accolade in Poland.
Accolade continues to be a leader in several Polish regions. Its strong position is particularly apparent along the western border. The most significant region would be the West Pomeranian voivodeship, where the investor owns warehouse parks with a total area of almost 420,000 sqm in Szczecin, Goleniów, and Koszalin. The scale of investment in this region has led Accolade to open its first regional office in Szczecin, with the intention of active engagement with the local community and creating even better conditions for building business relationships, including companies operating in Szczecin and the surrounding area. Accolade is also active in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian voivodeship, where it owns parks with a total area of nearly 250,000 sqm in the Bydgoszcz area, as well as in the Lubuskie voivodeship, with parks in Zielona Góra covering 170,000 sqm.
“Poland is undoubtedly a leader in terms of newly constructed industrial facilities in our portfolio. Accolade, recognising the potential and significance of markets in this part of Europe, consistently invests in the Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and Slovakia, and we also plan to enter new markets soon. We believe that attractive locations, developed infrastructure, access to a skilled workforce, all supported by our commitment to sustainable development, are the foundations for dynamic growth and increasing demand for industrial-logistics spaces in Europe,” said Lukas Repal, the group’s Chief Operating Officer.
In Poland, the investor is not only focusing on expanding its portfolio through investments in new locations but is also expanding existing ones. An example would be the completion and full leasing of the second Białystok park. In total, Accolade owns 80,000 sqm in this location. The company’s investments have had a positive impact on the local economy and contributed to the creation of 12,500 new jobs throughout Poland.
A common theme of the parks is their environmental focus. Accolade has developed an investment assessment system that prioritises brownfield sites. These revitalised areas make up as much as 30 percent of the group`s portfolio. This commitment is evident through the BREEAM certification that all the parks have been awarded. The investor aims for new parks to attain at least the Excellent level of certification. Accolade’s Park Szczecin III received special recognition and was awarded the Outstanding level of BREEAM certification, making it the first industrial building in Poland to do so.
