I totally agree in the fact that computer models can’t do everything and that a visit, on site, is the best complement. Local Development agencies (like the one I work in) can help in “humanizing” the location models: we help companies to visit the potential sites (buildings or lands) for their future facility and most of all, to meet the right partners and connexions locally. This service is pre-paid by the regions, or area, the development agency covers, so…. it’s worth the try and is much complementary to the classical computer models !
I posted several videos (in French only), I should say ‘interviews’, about new places to invest in logistics in Western France, on my French blog: http://www.western-france.info/logistique
If you want to have a brief overview about the outcoming places to invest, check out the videos. You’ll learn a bit more about Laval, Saumur, Angouleme, Le Mans… and many more coming.
Just a few days after the announcement of the takeover of the logistics company CHRISTIAN SALVESEN, the NORBERT DENTRESSANGLE group received on November 26th the European Commission’s Road Safety Excellence Award.
The logistics company has been awarded by the European Union vice president and transport commissioner Jacques Barrot himself.
In terms of sustainable development, the reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases and sustainable and eco-friendly buildings is one thing, road safety is another one.
The subject will be widely debated at the coming SITL next March.
On one side, from a European point of view, the new locations for logistics and supply chain investments are further East. Poland, Roumania, Czech Republic, Slovakia are part of these new promising locations. Investors such as PROLOGIS, PANATTONI or PARKRIDGE are developping massive logistic centers overthere.
On the other side, from a more Frenchie (!) point of view, the new promising locations within France are further West. A new forum about the subject will take place next week in Paris La Défense: EXPANDI and we’ll see that locations such as Le Mans, Nantes Saint-Nazaire, Angers, Laval and Angoulême are among the next locations for good investments in logistics. Employment and consumption are there to foster future investments. I talked with Philippe ROUGé, Development Director of GSE last week about the subject. He gives his feelings (sorry, in French only).
According to the very interesting report issued by PROLOGIS (see previous post), France’s prototypical modern distribution facility spans at least 10,000 square meters of floorspace with ceiling heights of at least 9 metres, load-bearing floors to support at least 5 tons per m², one loading dock for every 1,000 m², and truck-turning areas of at least 35 metres.
This is the prototypical distribution facility and if the facility is also quadri-modal, it becomes the “ideal” distribution facility !!!!!!!
waaww, that is a title for sure. It’s not mine, it is the title of the very very interesting report about France’s Distribution and Warehouse markets released by the developer PROLOGIS (the one).
A dozen of pages that give you an extremely good overview of the market in France, history included. I found very good information in it and I can only recommend it at 100%.
One of the conclusions says:
“With its central location and good transportation system, many companies have incorporated markets in France into their pan-European distribution networks. Property investors have profited handsomely from this trend, and can look forward to continued healthy returns in the future.”
I noticed more particularly 4 things :
1. France’s industrial sector accounts for about 13% of the French GDP, about the same as it was 20 years ago despite the global trends toward outsourcing and offshoring. (and that is the case in Western France, where industry is doing really well along with services)
2. France is a central location to include in any pan-European distribution/logistics strategy, connecting the Northern European ports and population centres in the Netherlands and Belgium with those in Southern Europe. (and that is the case with Western France, ideally located for the distribution of UK, France, Spain and Portugal markets.)
3. France did not have any logistics property markets until the early to mid-1990s.
4. France has an ample supply of developable land with low fluctuation in terms of regular market cycles (due to the fact that local municipalities tightly control pricing and release for sale and development). (and that is the case in Western France with land at attractive prices going from 5€/sq.m to 25€/sq.m.)
This is it ! IKEA finally received approval for the implemantation of a logistics platform in Fos-sur-Mer near Marseille. The site should employ about 500 persons within 3 years time.
With a platform in Lyon and Marseille, the Eastern south of France is well supplied by the Swedish group. Further West, there is still room for another platform.
The western part of France hosts about 5 stores among which the store of Nantes which is the 2nd in France in terms of sales (2.7 millions of customers per year !). Our Atlantic seaports (Nantes-Saint Nazaire and La Rochelle) can easily ship and receive the goods with feeder lines from Northern European ports. The Swedish group is welcome anytime !
Brigitte MICHAUD has received the prize for the logistics manager of the year last week in Paris. The award was given during the Assises de la Logistique.
Besides the fact that it is a woman, there is another great news with this award, it is because the project that was carried out by Brigitte MICHAUD and her company (she is logistics manager of RECKITT BENCKISER) is just unique.
Everybody has been talking about it since a year now: the HECORE project is good news for modern logistics and environmental issues. It gathers 3 large companies (RECKITT BENCKISER, HENKEL and COLGATE) around a mutualisation of the transport, storage and order management.
Mrs MICHAUD has a sound background in the field of logistics. I was also impressed by the originality of the ceremony : a TV show animated by Marianne Kottenhoff (journalist at LCI) around big names such as GSE, PROLOGIS, NISSAN FORKLIFT et EOL.
I’m back from a business convention (Top Transport Europe, organized by the Adhesion group) that took place in Marseille end of September. I met several business men interested into getting their stuff from Spain and Portugal and receiving it in France. Everybody would think that goods have to be shipped or carried to France via Marseille or any other Mediterranean French city, yet there is another solution, quite cost-effective: shipping them from Portugal to Western France via the sealink that goes from Vigo to the port of Montoir Saint Nazaire. The connection is made 4 times a week via Acciona Trasmediterranea and is mainly used for Ro-Ro trafic. Yet, heavy stuff like granite or slate can be shipped on the vessels and many more other goods.
I am sure this link from Western France to the Iberica peninsula is not used at its full capacity. I’d be glad to let you know more about it, if it is of interest for you. Just let me know…
I was last week at the E-commerce exhibition in Paris in order to meet some carriers specialized in the business, not so many actually, though a very blooming sector.
I found it very interesting and heard about trends in social shopping and new media. Top quality for the conferences and easy access as it is a free exhibition (over 3 days).
Although the French “La Poste” gets about 50% of the market, there is much room left for carriers who already have good access to regional and local distribution. Be quick !
