Goodman Group, a leading global owner, developer and manager of industrial real estate, continues to expand its presence with a second development this year in the Port of Duisburg, one of the most important logistics centres in Central Europe. The Group is developing a circa 23,000 m² logistics facility for the automotive supplier NGK Spark Plug Europe at the Kasslerfeld location. A 10,500 m² speculative unit will also be developed on the same site. Goodman is investing a total of €28m for its current projects in the port.
The new project is due for completion in late 2016 and is being constructed near the recently announced new development of a 31,000 m² logistics property for Fressnapf, the European market leader for pet supplies. Once all ongoing developments are complete, Goodman will manage approximately 85,000 m² of logistics space in the Port of Duisburg, which also includes a 20,600 m² logistics centre for Volkswagen.
Increasing capacity for international automotive supplier NGK is a leading global manufacturer of spark plugs, glow plugs and lambda sensors. Headquartered in Japan, the company started its European operations in 1979 and has been growing ever since. Today, there is almost no automobile manufacturer that does not use NGK products. With its head office near Düsseldorf, NGK Spark Plug Europe was searching for a new modern grade-A warehouse in a strategic location to enhance its overall storage capacity.
Erich Staake, Chairman of the Board of Duisburger Hafen AG: “We are pleased, in NGK, to have been able to gain another strong company from the automotive industry. Our full service approach, in combination with transport networks that are perfectly coordinated for the flow of goods, has once again demonstrated how attractive the Port of Duisburg logistics hub is for the automotive industry. With 400 trains per week to over 80 direct destinations in Europe and Asia, the port offers NGK an ideal starting position to supply vehicle manufacturers and the after-sales market all over Europe.”
Facility enables efficient processes
The new facility for NGK Spark Plug Europe comprises 21,000 m² of storage space, approximately 900 m² for office and social areas as well as a 900 m² canopy, which provides increased flexibility for car parts handling. The hall height of 12 m allows NGK to optimise the storage of its broad range of components and 22 extra-large load bridges ensure efficient cargo handling. The entire warehouse, as well as the exterior areas, are equipped with energy-saving LED lighting. On completion, the property will aim for a gold certificate from the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB).
“Suppliers and manufacturers in the automotive industry are dependent on maximum efficiency to achieve strong economic profitability in their global supply networks,” said Jordan Corynen, Goodman Regional Director for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. “With our state-of-the-art facilities, we support commercial efficiency and in this way contribute to the success of our customers.”
