WAREHOUSE CALLEBAUT (WDP)
The boost of e-commerce
International but still local
Did the coronavirus crisis give e-commerce (and, by extension, the logistics sector) a significant boost?
If the Antwerp-Brussels axis is overcrowded, don’t you have to look further and further afield to be able to accommodate logistics real estate?
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CEUSTERS
| Logistics: First of class asset
Christophe Wuyts: “Let’s just say that Belgium initially lagged behind a little – e-commerce had been a big thing internationally for a long time – and that the pandemic made us start to catch up. Even my parents are now also ordering online, for example.”
“Belgium initially lagged behind in terms of e-commerce. The pandemic made us start to catch up.” CW
WAREHOUSE ROGUE (WDP)
Kristof De Witte: “The pandemic has undeniably had a positive impact on the sector and set a lot of things in motion. Previously, there was the ‘Just In Time’ concept. Nowadays, we have ‘Just In Case’. People don’t want to run out of goods, so they want to have a decent stock. Take the current problems with regard to semiconductors in the automotive sector, for example. ‘Just In Case’ is a completely different vision on how to approach logistics as a company. People also have little patience and want things to be delivered very quickly.” But in order to deliver quickly, your warehouse shouldn’t be too far from your customers... Kristof De Witte: “This means that demand for a large central warehouse, in combination with various city hubs, is steadily increasing. Which in turn has an impact on the logistics real estate market. Because these kinds of city hubs don’t actually need to be all that large – 5,000m2 or so will do – but you do need the necessary space to accommodate all those trucks and vans. And as I said, there’s not that much land available around here…” Christophe Wuyts: “Just try finding space for a 5,000 m2 local hub on the edge of a central city. Well, actually, that’s our job. (laughs) In that sense, giving a brownfield business park a second life can be a smart option.”
Kristof De Witte: “The Antwerp-Brussels axis is the place to be if your company focuses on the Benelux. If your scope is wider, you’ve got more opportunities. Take Ghent, Genk or Laakdal, for example. At WDP, we naturally keep an eye on this evolution. We’re constantly scouting good locations, also outside the Benelux and France. Companies first look at logistics flows, then national borders. Only then will they examine how a certain location could affect their business operations. We’re now working with VID from Munich to see how we could anchor ourselves in North Rhine-Westphalia, for example. Our Bavarian colleagues have specific German knowledge of things like taxation, which we ourselves don’t have. What we do have is a network of companies from the Netherlands and Belgium that could be based in that specific region. A winwin situation, in other words.”
Christophe Wuyts: “You should look at the logistics real estate market on a micro, meso and macro level. That’s why Ceusters Industrial Agency evolved relatively quickly, from 2 to 9 employees who are active both locally as on the international market. It’s all about picking up on demands and matching these with the right location and the right player. The right location could therefore be in many different places. At least in theory, because in practice, pickings are slim. But no matter how international a company’s scope might be, in-depth local knowledge and anchoring remains essential. You need to properly analyse and understand the market. Just because a company should ideally settle in, say, Dubai, doesn’t mean that they will. If the company has always been based in Lokeren, it won’t easily move away. You need to take that kind of thing into account.”
Kristof De Witte: “Local knowledge is essential. At WDP, we’re constantly on the lookout for strategically situated locations. You need to think along with your clients. And anticipate things! Essentially, it’s all about putting together the pieces of the puzzle in a smart way. We strongly believe in the concept of cluster locations, for example. Companies looking to expand don’t really want to move beyond a radius of 15km, let alone 25km. After all, they want to retain their staff who are already so difficult to find. In that sense, a good location is also an essential part of the war for talent. So while it requires some additional investment at the start, we always choose to make new buildings divisible, to ensure expansion or reduction is possible at one and the same site.”
“We strongly believe in the concept of cluster locations.” KDW
