During the Live Studios of Transportmedia at the Transport & Logistics Antwerp fair, Andreas Vermost, Head of Development at WDP, and Bart Vanderhoydonck, partner at Cushman & Wakefield, discussed the future of logistics real estate. And they gave some concrete tips for tenants.
“Make a thorough analysis of your own activities before deciding what to rent and where,” says Bart Vanderhoydonck. “Since a classic rental contract in Belgium usually runs for nine years, the decision you make today determines how your company can develop in the coming years. Companies must think carefully about how their logistics processes evolve and what role multimodality plays in this. If you want to organize goods flows multimodally, choose a location that supports this. If not, do not unnecessarily invest in an expensive multimodal site. Think ahead and choose a building and a partner who thinks along with you in the long term.”
Andreas Vermost adds that an in-depth internal and external analysis is essential. “Companies should not only look at their internal efficiency, but also at what banks, governments and the environment will expect to further expand their activities,” he says. “It is also important to think from a ‘total cost of ownership’ concept. “Look beyond the rental price: also consider energy management, sustainability, operational efficiency and location. Only in this way can you make well-founded choices and achieve your long-term goals.”
You can watch the full report of the panel discussion with Bart Vanderhoydonck and Andreas Vermost via the video.
