“Our consistently high occupancy rate confirms that demand for premium logistics space in the region remains strong,” says Jakub Randa, Leasing Manager at Prologis. The high attractiveness of the Bratislava region is also confirmed by the Prologis Logistics Rent Index 2024, according to which Bratislava leads the European ranking in rent growth. It is followed by Utrecht, Paris and Rome. Bratislava is in seventh place globally.
“In recent years, we have acquired several new customers and have successfully extended almost all expiring contracts. We are particularly pleased with the extension of a long-term contract with a key manufacturer and supplier in the automotive industry, along with the renewal of contracts with customers in the retail and logistics sectors,” says Jakub Randa. At the same time, logistics service providers (3PLs) have optimized inventory and consolidated operations – a trend that was observed throughout last year.
In general, demand in 2024 was driven by companies in the manufacturing, e-commerce, retail and automotive sectors. In total, Prologis closed 14 transactions in 2024 and leased 72,300 m² of space – 53,200 m² as part of existing contract extensions, 9,900 m² as part of expansions and 5,400 m² was leased to a new customer in the food industry. At the end of 2024, Prologis leased space to 43 customers in Slovakia.
E-commerce and nearshoring drive further growth
“We are seeing increased activity in the Central European markets and expect the industrial leasing market to have good prospects, especially in the second half of the year. This includes a resumption of growth in the 3PL sector, which in Slovakia experienced slight stagnation last year. At Prologis, we are fully prepared to adapt to the potential expansion plans of our customers,” Randa states, adding: “In the first half of the year, companies and investors may remain cautious. However, we believe that demand for industrial space and investment activity will pick up again in the second half of 2025. However, their development will be influenced by factors such as geopolitical uncertainty, planned legislative measures, including the introduction of a transaction tax, the economic situation of developed Western countries, and others.” On the other hand, Slovakia can be seen as a stable haven for companies that plan to bring their production closer to end customers (so-called nearshoring).
Growth expectations are also supported by research by CBRE, which analyzed the behavior of tenants in individual European industries in mid-2024. The study shows that short-term expansion will be driven primarily by the retail sector, with 58% of respondents expecting further expansion in the medium term. Two ongoing trends are expected to play a significant role in future growth activity – in addition to nearshoring, the rise of online commerce.
“According to European Retail, the current penetration of retail e-commerce in Europe is around 16% and is expected to reach 18% over the next three years. While Czech consumers are already above the European average in online shopping, Slovak consumers remain more conservative and their penetration is only 10% – which gives them significant room for growth,” explains Jakub Randa. According to Prologis Research, every 1% increase in e-commerce penetration in Europe creates demand for an additional 2 million square meters of retail warehouse space.
Prologis Park Bratislava: A Strategic Hub
Prologis Park Bratislava is the company’s largest logistics site in Central Europe, covering more than 500,000 square meters. Its success is due to its strategic location in the heart of Europe, which allows tenants to efficiently serve multiple European markets. The park is located only 20 km from Bratislava and 16 km from the airport, and also boasts excellent connections to Austria and Hungary.
In addition to temperature control, the warehouse buildings are equipped with smart metering for efficient monitoring and management of energy consumption, charging stations for electric vehicles, relaxation zones and advanced site security. Further development of the site is possible on approximately 244,000 square meters of buildable area, primarily intended for future turnkey construction.
