Can West Pomerania compete with the Big Five markets?

German and Scandinavian investors are attracted to the region by the geographical proximity of Poland and the long-term, successful business presence of other companies from their home countries. Infrastructure and a large pool of skilled labour are also important, contributing to the region’s success and boding well for further solid growth in the coming years,

comments Damian Kołata, Partner, Head of Industrial & Logistics Agency Poland, Head of E-Commerce CEE, Cushman & Wakefield.

This location is an absolute advantage for Western investors in locating projects in the region – further enhanced by access to all modes of transport supporting the movement of goods between the south of Europe and the Baltic Sea countries. West Pomerania lies at an intersection of international road, sea and rail routes providing direct access to the European network of motorways from Scandinavia to Southern and South-Eastern Europe and from Western Europe to the Baltic states and Asia,

says Adrian Semaan, Senior Research Consultant, Industrial & Logistics Agency, Cushman & Wakefield.

West Pomerania is a fast-growing industrial market. With warehouse stock of 1.15 million sq m at the end of 2022, it was the seventh-largest market in Poland. Of that total, 85% was delivered in the last six years and close to 35% in the years 2021-2022,

comments Paulina Machałowska, Associate, Industrial & Logistics Agency.

Developers’ willingness to build speculatively is a sign of the market maturing and their faith in the region’s further economic growth and stable demand for modern industrial and logistics space. As a result, developers and their business partners have secured land banks which will allow for the development of another 900,000 sq m of industrial space in the next few years,

adds Adrian Semaan.

New locations such as Koszalin, Kołbaskowo and Nowogard are also opening up, a direct result of further improvements to the transport infrastructure and the social and economic growth of the province’s subregions. According to Cushman & Wakefield, at the beginning of 2023, West Pomerania had 18 completed commercial industrial and logistics projects – or over 30 if those in the pipeline are included. The region’s potential is, however, far greater. Further infrastructure improvements will pave the way for more mini industrial and logistics hubs which will boost the growth of West Pomerania and help create new jobs,

concludes Damian Kołata.