ELAD Investments, Kajima’s pan-European Logistics platform, is developing a 176,000m2 brownfield site in Bischweier, Germany, to create a new sustainable 130,000m2 build-to-suit warehouse for Mercedes-Benz AG (Mercedes).
The Bischweier site is strategically located to serve two existing Mercedes manufacturing plants in Rastatt and Kuppenheim, both within a ten-minute drive. The new warehouse will centralise various smaller logistics facilities Mercedes currently operates in the region. This consolidation will help reduce truck mileage by 18.9m kilometres and CO2 emissions by 16.5m tonnes annually, aligning with Mercedes' decarbonisation ambitions.
The building is designed to meet the highest standards of quality and sustainability. It will feature approximately 80,000m2 for a solar PV system with a capacity of up to 8MW, used to power the ICC and e-charging for trucks, cars, and bikes on site.
Mezzanine areas will be created for office and social spaces, with fossil-free heating provided by heat pumps and insulated by 40,000m2 of green roofing. The project aims to achieve DGNB Platinum certification, the most prestigious level awarded by the German Sustainable Building Council. The development underscores ELAD’s commitment to environmental excellence and becoming a climate-positive business.
The completion of the development is planned for mid-2025.
Lucas Kester, Senior Investment Manager for Kajima’s ELAD Investment Platform, said: “The Bischweier project cements our position in the German logistics market and marks a significant advancement in Kajima's growth strategy across Western Europe. Mercedes-Benz is an iconic business synonymous with Germany’s world-leading and innovative reputation in automobile manufacturing. The new Bischweier warehouse is strategically positioned and will be built to meet the highest sustainability standards, aligning with our ESG principles as a developer with Mercedes’ targets for climate protection in production. We continue actively seeking strategic development opportunities to expand our presence in existing markets and throughout Europe."
Image provided by Kajima.
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