© Copyright NREP 2021 All rights reserved.
Logicenters is beginning 2021 with increasing of pace and strengthening the development team through key recruitment. The logistics property company has recruited Sanna Vikström in the role of Development Manager for Logicenters in Finland. Sanna has substantial experience in project development, having most recently worked as a construction project director at Sitowise Oy. Logicenters has also recruited for several posts to the Swedish office.
Logicenters has high ambitions and is kick-starting 2021 with key recruitment. During the past year, Logicenters in Finland has implemented new developments in Kurikantie, Pirkkala, and now has a number of projects in the start-up phase. In order to support the high rate of growth, the logistics property company has recruited Sanna Vikström as Development Manager in Finland. Sanna has a wide range of experience in project development, having most recently worked as a construction project director at Sitowise Oy. She will now become a key member of Logicenters’ team, continuing to promote the investments in Finland.
“The demand for modern logistics properties are growing and we are constantly looking for experienced people to join us. This is why Sanna is a very valuable recruit. With her extensive experience in project development, she will form an important piece of the puzzle in our future expansion. I would therefore like to warmly welcome Sanna and I look forward to working with her to take Logicenters forward,” says Eva Sterner, Head of Development at Logicenters.
Sanna will be responsible for Logicenters’ development team in Finland. This covers everything from dialogues with the municipalities regarding local management plans and building permits, identifying land for potential new development projects to being responsible for procurement. An important part of the work will also involve maintaining an active dialogue with Logicenters’ tenants.
“Joining such a successful and leading company as Logicenters is something I am very pleased and proud of. Logicenters’ expansive development is an indication that it is an ambitious company that is rapidly expanding its market share and growing. I am therefore very much looking forward to working with my new team to continue promoting Logicenters’ project development,” says Sanna Vikström, Development Manager, Logicenters Finland.
In addition to Sanna in Finland, Logicenters has also made three other important recruitments in Sweden, which is also a rapidly growing market. Rebecca Axelsson joins the Swedish office as an architect together with Peter Zekovic and Johan Bäcklund, who will both be assistant project managers.
Logicenters has continued to strengthen its portfolio in the e-commerce sector by signing an agreement with e-retailer Finnish Design Shop. The agreement includes the construction of a new logistics facility in Turku, Finland. The property will be 12,000 m2 in size and ready for occupancy in 2021.
Logicenters is continuing to establish itself as the obvious partner for e-commerce companies in the Nordic region. Most recently, the logistics property company has signed an agreement with Finnish Design Shop. The agreement includes the development of a new, modern 12,000 m2 logistics facility in Turku, Finland, which is expected to be completed in late summer 2021. Logicenters will develop the property in line with the e-retailer’s specific needs. Included in the agreement with Finnish Design Shop is the development of a modern high-quality office, which also incorporates a showroom.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome another e-commerce company to our properties. The fact that it is such an established player as Finnish Design Shop is, of course, a real feather in our cap. We are constantly striving to be as flexible as possible and to adapt our properties to our customers’ specific needs, something which we are certainly achieving this time. We pride ourselves as being present throughout the customer’s onward journey, both before and after they move in,” says Jarkko Äikää, Commercial Director Logicenters Finland.
The facility will also focus significantly on sustainability, with geothermal energy being used to heat the property. There will also be an option to use self-generated solar power. During construction, Logicenters has also committed to preserving as much of the forest adjacent to the property as possible.
“It is really exciting to have finally concluded an agreement with Logicenters. We look forward to moving into our new facility that has been well adapted to our needs and will enable us to conduct our fast-growing business as optimally as possible. We would like to thank Logicenters for their outstanding collaboration and focus on sustainability, which is so important to us,” says Teemu Kiiski, CEO, Finnish Design Shop.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the property being developed by Logicenters in Kurikantie, Pirkkala took place on 23 October. The modern 4600 m² sorting facility will be leased to PostNord Oy, with which the logistics property company signed a lease earlier this year. Logicenters is also planning to develop an additional 7000 m2 warehouse onsite.
This summer, Logicenters announced that they had signed a lease with PostNord Oy in Pirkkala, Finland. The agreement involved the construction of a 4600 m² sorting facility which is to be ready for occupancy in the early summer of 2021. And now the groundbreaking ceremony for the new property has taken place. In addition to the sorting facility’s modern specifications, it will also be heated using geothermal energy, with the electricity being provided by solar power.
“We are very proud that development of the sorting facility for PostNord Oy is now under way. The building will be equipped with specifications which meet all of PostNord Oy’s needs. Logicenters is at the forefront when it comes to developing properties with a high environmental performance, as will be clearly demonstrated by this facility,” says Jarkko Äikää, Commercial Director Logicenters Finland.
The facility will also be prepared for further development with a 2000 m² extension. Logicenters will also develop a 7000 m² detached warehouse onsite.
“It is gratifying that the groundbreaking ceremony for our new sorting facility has now taken place. The facility will form part of our investment in delivering more quickly and responsibly throughout Finland. We can’t wait to move into the finished facility as this will strengthen our competitiveness and flexibility,” says Jani Ståhlhammar, COO at PostNord Oy in Finland.
Present at the groundbreaking ceremony were Marko Määttä (Logicenters), Ville Hilmola (PostNord), Jaakko Hermikoski (PostNord), Jani Ståhlhammar (PostNord) and Jarkko Äikää (Logicenters).
Logicenters is experiencing a strong expansion phase and is in the process of strengthening its team significantly. To support the logistics property company’s continued growth and ambitious goals, Logicenters has acquired six new employees. These include a Sustainability Manager in order to further strengthen Logicenters’ work on sustainability.
Logicenters is today the leading developer and long-term owner of modern and sustainable logistics properties in the Nordic region. Over the past decade, Logicenters has been the most active developer of logistics properties with more than 25 completed projects and over 600,000 square metres of logistics space. Logicenters is now a Nordic team with offices in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.
The flourishing e-commerce sector over recent years is just one of the reasons why Logicenters has enjoyed a continued increase in its real estate holdings and strong organisational growth. In order to keep pace with this rate of growth, Logicenters is now reinforcing its team by adding a number of new positions. This includes two new Commercial Managers – Ruben Krantz in Norway and Fredrik Nygren in Sweden.
Logicenters, who are connected to RE100 through NREP, also has high sustainability goals and are working continuously to make its properties more energy efficient. For example, earlier this year, construction began on what will be the Nordic region’s largest rooftop solar cell plant, in terms of both area and capacity. With the aim to further strengthen NREPs work on sustainability, Logicenters has now recruited Karin Sjövall in the role of Sustainability Manager, with a main focus on logistics properties. Karin most recently worked at Nordic Property Management as a Project Sustainability Manager.
“It feels really great to team up with even more smart, driven and engaging people who understand what our customers value. I am absolutely positive that our new colleagues will contribute to our continued growth and help to ensure that our high business goals are achieved. Together, we will continue to develop and manage the Nordic region’s most modern and sustainable logistics properties. And we will take Logicenters to the next level”, says Matthias Kettelhoit, Head of Logicenters.
Logicenters has also recruited Andreas Luczak as a Transactions Associate, Erik Karlsson as a Business Analyst and Kalle Nurmos as an Asset Manager. In addition, the logistics property company is currently looking into further recruitments in order to support its rate of growth.
Logicenters has now signed a lease with PostNord Oy in Finland. The lease includes the development of a 4600 m² parcel sorting facility in Kurikantie, Pirkkala. The facility is scheduled to be ready for occupation in early 2021 and will also include expansion options of 2000 m². The real estate developer is also planning to develop an additional 7000 m² warehouse onsite.
Logicenters is continuing to develop and expand its presence at strategic logistics hubs in the Nordic region. It has now signed a new lease with PostNord Oy in Pirkkala, Finland. In accordance with the lease, Logicenters will develop a 4600 m² parcel sorting facility in Kurikantie which is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2021. The facility will also be prepared for potential development on a 2000 m² extension. The logistics property company will also develop a 7000 m² detached warehouse onsite.
“It is great that such an established company as PostNord Oy is choosing to move into our upcoming sorting facility in Finland. The lease is an exciting commission where Logicenters will use its collective skills to develop a modern facility with a high environmental performance. We are confident that PostNord Oy will thrive in its new facility,” says Matthias Kettelhoit, Head of Logicenters.
The ambition is to heat the facility using geothermal energy and that the electricity is to be supplied by solar power. Logicenters focuses on and is at the forefront of developing sustainable buildings with a low carbon footprint and reduced energy consumption.
“We are renewing our logistics network so that we can deliver shipments faster and more responsibly to the whole of Finland. With this solution, we will significantly strengthen our competitiveness and agility to operate in an ever-changing logistics market. We thank Logicenters for their flexible cooperation and we look forward to moving into our new property,” says Jani Ståhlhammar, COO at PostNord Oy in Finland.
NREP Logicenters, a leading Nordic real estate investor and developer, and QHeat, a next-generation energy company, have completed their joint pilot project to build a deep geothermal well in Espoo, Finland. The pilot aims to provide a near zero-emission energy solution that can produce up to 40 times more heat energy than traditional ground heat.
NREP Logicenters and QHeat’s pilot project on a deep geothermal well has been completed at NREP Logicenters’ logistics property in Koskelonkuja, Espoo. The pilot is Finland’s first functional geothermal heating plant that can heat as well as cool large property complexes in a nearly emission-free manner.
The deep geothermal well, located on NREP Logicenters’ property, is approximately one kilometer deeper than a regular geothermal heat pump, which enables greater production of energy. The well, which was taken into use in January, is 1,300 meters deep and is estimated to produce more than 1,000 MWh of heat energy per year, which equals the heat consumption of approximately three apartment buildings. The well covers 60–80 percent of the 16,000 m2 logistic property’s heating. In addition, QHeat’s technology enables the property’s cooling during the summer.
“The heating of buildings represents approximately one fourth of the total energy consumption in Finland, and most of this energy is produced with fossil fuels. The only way we can reach our goal of using only renewable energy in our properties is to pilot and scale new solutions such as this one,” says Jani Nokkanen, CIO and partner at NREP.
The drilling of the deep geothermal well began at the end of July 2019, and the well’s heat production began in January 2020. The pilot is part of the Smart Otaniemi innovation ecosystem and received nearly half of its funding from Business Finland.
“We are excited to put into operation Finland’s first functional geothermal heating plant. We are grateful to Business Finland and NREP for funding this pilot. We believe that this technology has significant export potential as a solution to decrease emissions from heating and cooling,” says Miska Eriksson, QHeat’s CEO.
The energy production of NREP Logicenters’ deep geothermal well will be tested during spring and the company aims to utilize the technology also in its other properties.
“QHeat’s technology has great potential, as it enables emission-free geothermal heat also in densely built urban areas. We have already identified large projects in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area in which we would like to scale the technology,” Nokkanen continues.
Logicenters is continuing to strengthen its portfolio in the Finnish market. In Kerava, just outside Helsinki, Logicenters is currently developing a logistics facility with a total area of 18,300 m2. A ten-year lease has been signed with tenant Dachser to lease an area of around 4600 m2. The property is scheduled for completion in 2020.
A leading developer, owner and manager of logistics facilities in the Nordic region, Logicenters is currently developing a property in Kerava, Finland. The 18,300 m2 property is located in the Kerca logistics zone, just outside Helsinki, and is scheduled for completion in the 3rd quarter of 2020. Construction company Lehto Tilat Oy is responsible for construction of the property. A ten-year lease has been signed with logistics company Dachser regarding a 4600 m2 area comprising a 4000 m2 cross-docking area and 600 m2 of offices.
Logicenters’ new facility is located in a strategically important area in the Helsinki region, in close proximity to the international airport and the E75 motorway. Its proximity to the Savio railway station also provides excellent options for commuting to Helsinki. In line with Logicenters’ ambition to improve energy efficiency at its properties, this logistics facility will be equipped with solar cells on the roof and will utilise geothermal heat.
“We are delighted that the development in Kerava has begun. The area is attractive due to its strategic location, excellent communications and competitive leasing levels. Consequently, it is gratifying that the municipality is investing in logistics. We have previously enjoyed a very good relationship with Dachser, which makes it very pleasing to be entering into this development with the company,” says Jarkko Äikää, Commercial Director at Logicenters in Finland.
“The modern terminal in Kerava, as well as proximity of the Vuosaari harbor and the main railway, provides an excellent logistical site for Dachser now and in the future. Furthermore, we are able to provide a multitude of services for Finnish export and import companies in the domestic market. The flexible collaboration with Logicenters and the City of Kerava enables us to continue our growth story, which began for our road transport business in 2014 in Finland,” says Tuomas Leimio, Managing Director, European Logistics Finland, DACHSER Finland Oy.
”In Kerava’s strategy, the City is strongly committed to helping businesses grow and thrive in the area. Logistics is one of the key industries in our modern economic environment. The new logistics facility will expand the Kerca logistics zone and will increase the attractiveness of Kerava for businesses as a whole. The facility will also create dozens of new jobs, which is absolutely fantastic,” says Kirsi Rontu, the Mayor of Kerava.
The new logistics facility has around 13,000 m2 still available for leasing by future tenants wishing to establish themselves in one of the best logistics zones in the Helsinki Metropolitan area. The facility has already raised interest among several industry organizations.
For the past two years, Logicenters has invested heavily in its project development department, more than doubling the number of employees. Under the leadership of the company’s Head of Development, Eva Sterner, the department will expand further and scale up initiatives in both area efficiency and environmental work. However, Eva Sterner would also like to attract more women to a male-dominated industry.
With a PhD under her belt and a background as Technical Director Due Diligence at WSP and Managing Director at Watts, Eva began working at Logicenters seven years ago. According to Eva, it is the growth journey, a steady flow of interesting projects, and above all, her colleagues who have been significant reasons behind her becoming a long-term presence at Logicenters. In recent years, both Logicenters and her own department have grown significantly. According to her, this is both because the organisation is flexible and has great ambitions, but also because Logicenters is comprised of people who are driven to do things in new and innovative ways.
Eva Sterner is currently head of Logicenters’ project development department, which has expanded from two to eight people since 2017, with further recruitments planned. Central to this future development is the continued ability to attract talent, with Eva particularly wishing to encourage more women and girls to apply to the logistics industry. An industry which has until now been male dominated.
“I am proud to work for a company with such great ambitions and which allows all its employees to grow. As I personally had no female role models in the logistics industry, I would like to be a role model for girls wanting to work at smart logistics properties. For this to be possible, female employees must be both encouraged and promoted. I believe that Logicenters does this every day, which is something I see as both modern and important,” says Eva Sterner, Head of Development at Logicenters.
The project development department has a great responsibility regarding procurement, contact with tenants, property development and the contractual parts of the works contract. The department is constantly striving to find newer, smarter ways to develop modern properties, where 30-metre high-bay warehouses and energy audits exemplify innovative initiatives from Logicenters. With regard to energy efficiency, Eva plays an important role in Logicenters’ work to reduce its carbon footprint. Something which she finds customers are appreciating more and more.
“I am finding that there is increasing focus on the environment within the industry, something which I am very pleased about. We often coach our customers on issues regarding reduced energy consumption, not least by conducting energy audits, and we are finding that we are being listened to. It is my ambition to continue to drive this development forwards in order that we can offer even smarter and more energy-efficient logistics properties with as low a carbon footprint as possible. Being able to lead this development in an organisation where both colleagues and management support my ambitions is something of which I am very proud and something that makes Logicenters an attractive workplace and company,” concludes Eva Sterner.
Nordic real estate investment company NREP and Logicenters will build the world’s first deep geothermal well with seasonal storage capability in Espoo in cooperation with the energy industry start-up QHeat. The project pilots a new, nearly emission-free energy solution for large real estate, producing as much as 40 times the heat energy of traditional geothermal heating.
The deep geothermal well developed by QHeat is a medium-depth geothermal well drilled to the depth of approximately two kilometres and can heat and cool large real estate areas or regional grids with near-zero emissions. The solution enables emission-free geothermal heating in growing urban areas, as well, as it is well suited to dense housing areas and groundwater areas. The pilot is carried out at the NREP Logicenters’ logistics property in Espoo, and it is estimated to reduce the property’s CO2 emissions by as much as 90 per cent. The project is set to be completed by the end of November.
“By piloting new solutions, such as QHeat’s deep geothermal heat, and by scaling them into wider operating models, we are actively introducing new ways to reduce the environmental impacts of real estate in the industry. We are also continuously exploring possibilities to improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy in our properties. We are committed to reducing the climate emissions of real estate and to promoting energy efficiency, because real estate and construction produce approximately a third of Finland’s carbon footprint,” says Jani Nokkanen, partner at NREP.
Finland’s goal is to reduce emissions by at least 39 per cent from the 2005 level by the year 2030. With deep geothermal heat, emissions from real estate heating can be reduced by as much as 95 per cent compared to fossil fuels. If solutions such as deep geothermal heat can be scaled to even 5 per cent of Finland’s real estate stock, it would mean a reduction of half a million metric tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, or four per cent of Finland’s emission target, according to QHeat’s calculations.
“A clean future lies beneath our feet. With deep geothermal heat, we can make good use of the warm summer months, because during the summer, we can store waste energy from cooling into the ground and then use it for heating in the winter. Deep geothermal energy has significant export potential as a solution that can mitigate climate change by reducing the emissions from heating and cooling on a global scale,” says Miska Eriksson, CEO of QHeat.
Qheat’s deep geothermal heat technology is patented and has been tested in cooperation with Finnish experts and universities. The project has received funding from Business Finland as part of the Smart Otaniemi initiative.
Logicenters is expanding at a greater rate than ever before. With a total of nine logistics facilities under development, the company is strengthening its position in the Nordic market significantly. The total area currently being developed by Logicenters amounts to a total of 227,000 m2, with several LOIs also having been signed.
Logicenters is a leading developer and owner of modern logistics facilities in the Nordic region. In August 2018, the total holding of logistics space amounted to 1.6 million m2. This figure continues to rise and Logicenters currently has nine ongoing development projects totalling 227,000 m2. Of these, six are in Sweden, two in Denmark and one in Finland. In addition, LOIs have been signed for an additional 210,000 m2, including a 110,000 m2 facility for Axfood in Bålsta, Sweden.
“I am incredibly proud of Logicenters’ success. It is thanks to a strong team and a unique operational flexibility that we have been able to grow at the pace we have. This current expansion is enabling us to increase our presence in important logistics hubs and a natural consequence of this is that we need further reinforcement of the team. We are now looking for project developers for several of our development projects,”says Matthias Kettelhoit, Commercial Head at Logicenters.
A sustainable focus
Sustainability is one facet of today’s Logicenters development projects. Energy-efficient solutions and solar panels on roofs are examples of recurring specifications in the construction of new properties. According to Logicenters’ Head of Development, Eva Sterner, the sustainability strategy is an important success factor.
“Reducing our carbon footprint to the greatest possible extent is of the utmost priority to us. Our sustainability strategy integrated in the logistics portfolio enables us to help our customers reach their climate goals, something that we know is appreciated. The great interest in our facilities is a confirmation that we maintain a high standard of development and we will continue to work to meet the functional and sustainable logistics needs of tomorrow,” says Eva Sterner, Head of Development at Logicenters.
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