BIRMINGHAM, England, Oct. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Prologis, Inc. (NYSE: PLD), the leading global owner, operator and developer of industrial real estate, announced today it signed a lease agreement for a one million square foot distribution center at the Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT) with Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd, a leading retailer in the UK.
The facility will be built on land within the Prologis DIRFT II development and adjacent to a fully-leased 840,000 square foot rail-connected distribution center. At full build-out, the DIRFT II development is expected to encompass 2.2 million square feet. It is located next to the M1 motorway and the West Coast Mainline railway, providing Sainsbury's new facility with both road and rail connectivity. A new intermodal terminal, which will connect to the existing DIRFT railway sidings, will be installed alongside the building. This will allow Sainsbury's to develop its national distribution operations in an energy-efficient, rail-connected facility.
"The distribution centre at DIRFT II is a significant investment for Sainsbury's," said Roger Burnley, managing director, General Merchandise, Clothing and Logistics, at Sainsbury's. "We are always looking at ways to serve our customers better and this depot will provide us with a central location to support our growing general merchandise business. We look forward to working with the team at Prologis to deliver this important addition to our logistics network."
Sainsbury's building has been designed to achieve Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) "Very Good" accreditation and the best possible Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating for its size. Construction on the facility is scheduled to begin in early 2013.
"We knew several years ago that rail would become increasingly important to the logistics sector and we have invested in strategic rail-connected sites," said Andrew Griffiths, managing director, Prologis UK. "We were therefore able to understand Sainsbury's requirements and will build to their specifications and provide a facility that meets the company's operational and corporate responsibility needs. As Sainsbury's decision demonstrates, the move toward rail freight is gathering momentum."
As of June 30, 2012, Prologis had approximately 18 million square feet completed and under development in the UK, as well as 1,075 acres of land available for future development.
About Prologis
Prologis, Inc., is the leading owner, operator and developer of industrial real estate, focused on global and regional markets across the Americas, Europe and Asia. As of June 30, 2012, Prologis owned or had investments in, on a consolidated basis or through unconsolidated joint ventures, properties and development projects expected to total approximately 569 million square feet (52.9 million square meters) in 21 countries. The company leases modern distribution facilities to more than 4,500 customers, including manufacturers, retailers, transportation companies, third-party logistics providers and other enterprises.
SOURCE Prologis, Inc.
