LaSalle Encore+ underscores importance of European logistics with Dutch acquisition

LaSalle Investment Management, the global real estate investment manager, announces the acquisition of an urban logistics facility north of Rotterdam, The Netherlands, on behalf of its pan-European fund Encore+, which increases the Fund’s exposure to the Dutch logistics market, one of the biggest in Europe. The asset has been acquired from ULP Bleiswijk B B.V., a joint venture between USAA Realco Europe B.V. and Somerset Capital Partners B.V.

The Bleiswijk Urban Logistics Center is very well located in the Randstad area, considered one of the most important logistics hubs in The Netherlands. It is 15km from the Port of Rotterdam, the busiest port in Europe that serves more than 500 million consumers across Europe, and is within reach of Amsterdam, The Hague and Utrecht as well as much of Western Europe. Take-up of Dutch logistics has increased 14% year-on-year but with federal planning restrictions limiting the development pipeline, rental growth, which is currently at 3.8%, is expected to continue.

The property offers over 60,000 m2 of flexible rental space, which can be easily adapted to changing tenant demands and target a wide range of occupiers. The building is currently very diversified, with tenants including the Dutch supermarket group Detailresult Group and Gist Nederland, the global logistics firm.

David Ironside, Fund Manager of Encore+, LaSalle Investment Management, said: “Following the acquisition of numerous logistics assets in close proximity to some of Europe’s largest cities in 2019, this deal illustrates Encore+’s ongoing strategy of increasing exposure to strong logistics locations with limited supply. Across Europe we are seeing that the growth of e-commerce is driving demand for logistics and we expect this to continue, especially in The Netherlands where online sales account for only about 10% of total retail sales and are forecast to grow significantly in the next few years.”

LaSalle was advised on the acquisition by SOLID. Attorneys (legal), Drees & Sommer (technical) and Deloitte (tax). The seller was advised by Loyens & Loeff (legal), CBRE and 3Stone Real Estate (agents).

About LaSalle Investment Management 

LaSalle Investment Management is one of the world’s leading real estate investment managers. On a global basis, we manage approximately $77 billion of assets in private equity, debt and public real estate investments as of Q4 2021. The firm sponsors a complete range of investment vehicles including open- and closed-end funds, separate accounts and indirect investments. Our diverse client base includes public and private pension funds, insurance companies, governments, corporations, endowments and private individuals from across the globe. For more information please visit www.lasalle.com and LinkedIn.

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