Multilevel logistics properties – soon to be standard in Germany too?

Industrial and warehouse space is becoming increasingly scarce in Germany. Especially in city centers and metropolitan areas, there is hardly any free commercial space available. This has the effect that prices are rising and smaller companies in particular can no longer afford an urban location. To counteract this, more usable space is needed – but where can this be found? If there is hardly any space available across the board, the only option is to build upwards. Other countries such as France and the Netherlands are already increasingly relying on multi-storey logistics buildings. In Asia, too, vertical logistics facilities have already become the standard. This trend could also be a worthwhile concept for the future in Germany.

Building upwards is a challenge, especially for logistics properties. After all, the storage area must be able to withstand a lot of weight and be accessible for loading and unloading processes. There are many concepts for what a multi-storey logistics building can look like. For example, floors can be made accessible for vehicles via ramps. Depending on the height of the building, these can run in a spiral to save as much space as possible. Alternatively, large freight elevators can be used to transport goods to the loading points on the first floor and, conversely, to transport goods from unloading to the other floors. This is particularly suitable for multi-storey logistics properties that have underground floors. A multi-storey design also allows several parties to use the property at the same time. The “Chapelle International” project in Paris, for example, shows what this can look like. These are multi-level properties measuring around 45,000 square meters that offer space for apartments and offices in addition to storage space. Similar projects have already been realized in London.

In Asia, many logistics properties even have six or more storeys. The tallest logistics building in the world is in Hong Kong. The “Goodman Interlink” has 24 floors and is over 150 meters high. Companies such as DHL Supply Chain, BEL International Logistics and several other globally operating logistics companies are located here on an area of around 224,000 square meters. To ensure that the building can bear the entire load, the ceilings are supported by up to 30 columns per floor.

In Germany, the trend towards multi-storey construction for logistics properties has not yet really caught on. Reasons for this include the strict building regulations and the bureaucratic burden. However, Germany’s first two-storey logistics property was opened in Hamburg in 2022. The building, named “Mach2” by project developer Four Parx, has 123,000 square meters of usable space and loading docks on both floors. A ramp allows trucks weighing up to 45 tons to access the upper floor. To ensure that this is also possible in winter, the ramps can be heated to prevent frost and slippery conditions.

Another multi-storey logistics building is currently being planned in the port of Hamburg. The industrial and logistics real estate developer Goodman Germany has acquired a twelve-hectare site on Seehafenstrasse in Hamburg and is planning to build a center for port-related logistics processes. A total of over 100,000 square meters of logistics space is to be created. Thanks to its direct connection to the freeway, rail transport and the port, the logistics center is suitable for various types of use such as cross-docking or last-mile logistics.

Multi-storey logistics properties are an innovative response to the high demand for commercial space in urban areas. This is because it allows the local space available to be optimally utilized and more space to be created for warehousing and production. At BUILDINX – the first business platform covering the entire value chain of innovative logistics and industrial real estate – you can find out more about pioneering construction concepts and needs-based space concepts and network with other companies from the sector.

Author: Verena Zieringer