Automation, e-mobility and big data can completely change the game in logistics over the coming years. Martin Polák, Senior Vice President and Regional Head for CEE at Prologis talked to Property Forum about the future of European industrial and logistics markets.

Panattoni Europe will develop a manufacturing facility for Pilkington IGP. The project will take up more than 10,000 sqm at Panattoni Park Białystok. Production will be launched by early September this year, and at the initial stage of operations the plant will employ approx. 200 people.

In 2017 approx. 90% of the total investment volumes in the commercial real estate were recorded in retail and HTL on the Croatian market. Most of the investment and development activity came from the investors already present on the market. Newcomers were mostly focused on distressed/value-add or brownfield opportunities in the HTL sector. Retail and HTL will remain the most active sectors in terms of investment and development volumes in 2018, Colliers projects.

Business services companies remain core office tenants in Wrocław, setting new market trends and trying to attract top talent. Michał Grabikowski, Head of the Wrocław Office of Cresa Poland summarised the key strengths of Lower Silesia’s capital city.

Economic sentiment indicators are still pointing towards further expansion in CEE-6 investment volumes in 2018, over and above 2017’s cycle high of €12.9 billion. The current economic and real estate investment cycle might top out in 2019. Colliers International has published its investment outlook for the CEE-6 real estate markets for 2018.

2017 was a great year for the CEE property market and the scene is set for 2018 to be even better. However, there are always risks to be wary of. Andreas Ridder, Chairman CEE at CBRE revealed Property Forum his expectations for the CEE investment market in 2018.

The fourth quarter of 2017 was very strong for the office market in Prague. Demand significantly increased and annual gross demand reached a new record. Five new office buildings were completed and the vacancy rate decreased to 7.5 %, while prime headline rents grew, JLL reports.

Prologis announced its full-year 2017 activity for its business in Central and Eastern Europe. Last year the developer reached a record-breaking occupancy of 97.4 percent, leased of 1.6 million of space, delivered 15 buildings and launched 9 new developments.

Romanian developer One United Properties plans to launch a residential project (One Mircea Eliade) with 250 apartments and the construction of a 24,000 sqm office building (One Tower) next to Bucharest’s Floreasca Lake, on the site of the former Automatica site.

AFI Europe Romania has received the building permit that allows for construction works to begin on AFI City, the first residential project developed by the company in Romania. The building process has been divided into phases, the first one being scheduled to begin in the next 2 months.