Prologis: Sales Grow By 16% In 2014

20 February 2015 – Cinco Días

The logistics space developer recorded sales of €37 million in 2014 and increased its leasable area by 31%.

Prologis, the multinational developer of industrial land increased its turnover in Spain by 16% to €37 million in 2014. The company improved its sales after investing €124 million in the country in one year.

Gustavo Cardozo, Vice President of Prologis and Director of the subsidiary in Spain stresses that “2014 was a very positive year” in which, he considers “we exceeded all market expectations”. Cardozo argues that Spain is attracting interest due to the “improvement in its image and in its economy”.

The company has had a presence in Spain since the end of the 1990s. In the last three years alone, it has invested a total of €160 million and 2014 was its busiest year. According to Cardozo, the market has been boosted by an improvement in the trade balance. “Spain is no longer a country where the domestic market comes first”. Through these acquisitions, Prologis has increased its portfolio by 152,000 square metres, representing an increase of 31%.

Prologis’ main focus of activity has been along the A-2 corridor, with Madrid and Barcelona as the primary targets. Nevertheless, according to Cardozo, the company is going to begin operating in other areas, starting with the south of the capital and the north of the Catalunian city.

“We are open to investing in wherever we see has a future”, explains Cardozo, who does not put any limit on the acquisitions that his company may undertake. Nevertheless, he considers that it will be “very complicated” to repeat the investment volume achieved last year since that was “an extraordinary period”.

In the acquisition sphere, Cardozo sees “increased competition” following the arrival of overseas investment funds. He states that Prologis will focus on tailoring its properties to the specific needs of its clients in Spain, as it has done in previous transactions, such as the one undertaken with TNT Express at the end of last year.

Spain accounts for barely 1.7% of the multinational (group’s turnover), although Cardozo believes that “it will continue to grow”. Prologis has a strong presence in USA, Asia and Europe and generates global turnover of $1,700 million (approx. €1,500 million). Moreover, although the group’s total sales grew last year, “Spain outperformed the average”. The increase in the group’s turnover was driven by improved rental prices.

Prologis closed 2014 with an occupancy rate of 84.9% across the almost 900,000 square metres of space it owns (in Spain). The objective of the company is to close this year with an occupancy rate of 90%. To this end, the launch of the Prologis Park San Fernando in San Fernando de Henares (Madrid) will play an important role.

Original story: Cinco Días (by Diego Larrouy)

Translation: Carmel Drake