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Gesvalt: Madrid’s Logistics Sector Grows For First Time Since 2009

13 February 2017 – Observatorio Inmobiliario

The leasing of industrial warehouses in the Community of Madrid increased in 2016 for the first time in eight years following a recession in the logistics sector. The evolution of the market in the region last year confirms the positive forecasts that experts predicted at the end of 2015. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that this increase in the volume of space leased in the logistics sector was mild and gradual over the whole period, according to the conclusions of the latest report from Gesvalt, a consultancy and asset valuation company.

Sandra Daza, Director General at Gesvalt, considers that “these are noteworthy figures because they are evidence of the reactivation of the sector, which will also undergo more changes over the next few years, due to the reactivation of consumption and the evolution of e-commerce”. In this sense, Daza forecasts that “we are going to see an increase in the supply of these types of industrial warehouses, especially in Madrid and Barcelona”.

In the province of Madrid, which has 43 industrial estate areas, the distribution of industrial space is divided as follows: 32% production, 22% storage, 12% logistics, 7% commercial and 27% business parks.

The extractive and manufacturing sectors are giving way to the drive from the storage and distribution sectors. Large firms dedicated to this activity are moving into the region and are demanding large surface areas, close to large populations and with access to fast roads. Nowadays, these types of assets are the star product in the logistics and industrial sector in Madrid. By contrast, investors have lost interest in smaller warehouses on old industrial estates and the few operations that are taking place are being closed at almost cost prices.

In 2017, the aforementioned change is expected to be consolidated, with slight increases in rents. Returns could reach 7% and a minimal increase is expected in the volume of operations.

Almost 50% of the investors that are operating in the industrial market in the region are domestic and international institutions, whilst the other half comprise Socimis and family offices. By contrast, large financial institutions are the main vendors of these types of products.

80% of the operations in the Community of Madrid in 2016 were located in the Corredor del Henares, although the volume of surface area leased was still low (150,000 m2).

The interest in the market for rental over sale, the scarcity of land in really attractive areas and the relative low rates of return (6%) confirm that although the recovery of the sector is underway, it still has a long way to go.

Within the Community of Madrid, the municipality with the greatest volume of industrial activity is Fuenlabrada, which accounts for 25% of the total and is home to 21 industrial estate areas.

The large Mercamadrid industrial estate, located in the industrial area of Villa de Vallecas, is the largest in the Community of Madrid (1,8000,000/2,000,0000 m²), followed by the Vicálvaro industrial estate, which is as big as the Cobo Calleja de Fuenlabrada estate (1,750,000/1,800,000 m²). (…).

Original story: Observatorio Inmobiliario

Translation: Carmel Drake