Savills goes industrial

Wojciech Zoń, director of the warehouse department, Savills: Our team has expanded gradually, but it is true, the core of the department consists of five experienced people who earlier worked together for JLL. At the end of 2016, the first few people to join the newly-created of warehouse and industrial team were: Kamil Szymański as an associate director, Karolina Klepka as a consultant and Anna Bevanda as an assistant of the department. Since the New Year we have started operations as a full team: Michał Śniadała joined as an associate director and Daniel Kempa became a senior consultant. I have the pleasure of managing the entire team, which currently includes six people and provides comprehensive services for the warehouse market across the entire country.

Comprehensive, what does that mean?

Our services include consultancy for the process of leasing warehouse and industrial space and agency in the sale of investment assets and plots. Furthermore, we offer the preparation of reports and publications in cooperation with our market research department. Logistics consultancy is an interesting element of our range of services.

Is this what is meant to distinguish you from competing companies?

Kamil Szymański, associate director of the warehouse space department, Saviils: This kind of service will be gaining popularity because the functioning of a warehouse is based on accurately designed and smoothly operating logistics processes. Based on a detailed analysis of clients’ needs we can streamline these processes. If the analysis proves that we need additional space in a current or new location, we will establish how many square metres are needed and we will find them and adjust them optimally according to needs.

Michał Śniadała, associate director of the warehouse department: What sets our team apart is our long-term experience, strong negotiation skills, vast knowledge about the market, and transparency. We are a close-knit team which has complementary competences and covers the whole of Poland in terms of its range and experience. I am responsible for western Poland, Daniel Kępa for northern Poland, Karolina Klepka for central Poland including Warsaw, and Kamil services clients from the logistics sector all over the country.

Where did the decision to start a new business line at Savills originate from?

Wojciech Zoń: Savills, which so far has been known in Poland for its operations in the office and retail sectors, has been experiencing dynamic growth all over the continent. Recently it has also started investing in expanding into the warehouse and industrial sector. The newly-appointed warehouse and industrial department in Poland is an example of Savills’ further expansion. The decision to create it was made centrally in London. It is now one of the largest in this part of Europe. It was a happy coincidence because we were looking for new challenges. I was very happy about meeting Tomasz Buras, the managing director of Savills, whose energy and enthusiasm made it easier for us to make the decision.

What are your challenges for the next year?

Building the recognisability of the Savills brand in the warehouse property sector. We have decided to join a company that has been expanding impressively and appreciates entrepreneurship while offering great freedom and making it possible to implement our ideas. The company’s flat structure makes it possible to react quickly to changing market needs and provide more personalised customer service. We want to focus on building and maintaining relations with clients and building brand awareness through the quality of services rendered. Our role is also to open up the market for other departments, e.g. valuation and the investment department. I think that we will be able to announce the first few significant successes in the next few weeks.

And your long-term prospects?

We certainly want to be the number one for British companies that are planning to start operations in Poland. It would come as no surprise if I said that we do not want to be the largest. We are more likely to focus on closer relations and the quality of service.

Will the market allow you to grow dynamically? What potential does this sector of the economy actually have?

The Polish warehouse market is currently one of the fastest-developing warehouse markets in Europe. The record demand for modern warehouse and logistics space has led to some intense activity from developers as they invest in projects located in the main as well as emerging markets in Poland. We have also been observing much interest in moving the activities of companies from Western Europe to Poland, which has more and more logistics facilities. We have 11 mln sqm of modern space, so many processes take place regardless of the economic climate. The market already drives itself. So we are very optimistic.