Industrial property group Panattoni has opened an office in Paris to oversee its entry to the French market in the latest expansion of its activities across Europe.
The Paris office will be headed by Salvi Cals, who previously spent more than 10 years at Prologis and has 15 years’ experience in commercial real estate in France.
‘France represents an essential market for our customers. Located in the heart of Western Europe, it is the gateway to many of the European countries in which we are already present as well as markets that we wish to expand into. The services offered by its port, airport and road infrastructure are a key differentiator for the country,’ explained Robert Dobrzycki, CEO of Panattoni Europe.
According to research from CBRE, take-up in the French logistics market reached 1.7 million m2 in the first half of 2021 and demand remains strong.
The strength and potential of the French market are the main reasons for Panattoni’s expansion, Dobrzycki said ‘As in other European countries, the global pandemic had no negative impact on warehouse demand. 3PL and retailer resilience, new consumer trends, in particular the rapid growth of e-commerce, have given us the positive signals we need to start building an experienced team of professionals in France right now.’
In recent years, Warsaw-headquartered Panattoni has expanded its focus to markets in Western and Southern Europe, including Germany, the UK, Netherlands, and Spain.