An international investor is believed to be in the running to create a new logistics platform centred on €1.8 bn of assets in the Czech Republic.

An international investor is believed to be in the running to create a new logistics platform centred on €1.8 bn of assets in the Czech Republic.

The assets comprise the total Czech logistics portfolio developed and owned by local developer CTP, PropertyEU has learned.

Last year CTP signalled it was ready to sell its entire Czech portfolio and PropertyEU understands that talks with an international buyer are now at an advanced stage. The transaction will likely be finalised before the end of Q2.

A strategic alliance between an international buyer and CTP would create a new logistics development platform that could use the existing Czech portfolio as a springboard to expand into neighbouring markets.

This strategy would mirror what has happened across the European logistics development sector in recent years as big equity players have teamed up with specialist developer-owners. Examples include Prologis' PELP fund in Europe which has financial backing from Norway's Government Pension Fund Global; P3 Logistic Parks which was acquired by TPG and Ivanhoe Cambridge; Gazeley which was taken over by Brookfield Property Partners, and Sydney-listed Goodman Group which acquired European developer Eurinpro and is itself backed by sovereign wealth equity.

Another emerging logistics player is Logicor, which is backed by US alternative asset manager Blackstone.