Goodman has signed a deal with the Mousquetaires Group, the largest franchising chain in the category of grocery and “DIY” supermarkets to build a new central warehouse and office facility in Poznań. In addition, Goodman will acquire its existing storage and office properties. The overall transaction covers a total of 127,885 sqm of logistics and office space and will enable the efficient exchange of the Mousquetaires Group’s current properties for modern, higher quality facilities.
Goodman will build a 73,872 sqm food storage and distribution facility for the Mousquetaires Group, alongside a new 8,513 sqm two storey office which will become the company’s new headquarters; construction is scheduled to commence in March 2014. The storage area, which includes freezing and cooling facilities, will be handed over in January 2015, with the office building following two months later. The lease agreement will be for 10 years.
Goodman will also buy from The Mousquetaires Group properties at ul. Janikowska in Poznan, comprising the Mousquetaires Group’s current 45,500 sqm storage and office facilities. Goodman will refurbish and redevelop these properties after delivering the new storage and office space to the Mousquetaires Group.
“Flexibility was the key factor in selecting a partner for this investment, and through its decision to acquire our existing properties, Goodman came out on top. Of equal importance was Goodman’s highly skilled team, who supported us with their technical knowledge throughout our work together. The facility will be used to store food, which from a technical viewpoint means that the project is far from simple,” said Philippe Jammes, General Director of ITM Polska, the society that represents the Mousquetaires Group in Poland.
The new Mousquetaires Group’s warehouse will be situated in Swadzim, 15km from the centre of Poznan. Its location, with direct access to the S11 expressway and 10km to the A2 motorway, provides the site with ideal road transport connections.
“Our co-operation with the Mousquetaires Group is a unique example of a complex transaction between a property developer and investor and its customer. As a Group with a strong capital base, we are capable of taking part in such bespoke transactions and satisfying our customers’ most specialised requirements,” said Błażej Ciesielczak, Regional Director Goodman Central and Eastern Europe.
Colliers International acted as agent for the transaction. “The Goodman/ the Mousquetaires Group deal is by far the largest and most complex agreement signed in 2013. The Mousquetaires Group was looking for new, high quality storage and office facilities, which would increase its scale of operations. Goodman was the perfect fit for these requirements, offering a great location and having the financial strength and flexibility to buy Mousquetaires Group’s current headquarters, which the company was no longer planning to use,” said Tomasz Kasperowicz, Director of Industrial and Logistics Agency, Colliers International.
