Prime rent costs for warehouses in the Netherlands 2014-2023, by city

The primary rental rates per square meter for warehouses of more than 5,000 square meters in the Netherlands for the second year in a row in 2023. The rental rate of warehouses in Rotterdam and Amsterdam amounted to 85 euros per square meter in that year. Due to the small size of the country and the relatively high connectivity to the big cities, there is less of a need for urban distribution centers (DCs) like in London or Berlin. Most take-up of logistics property could be found in the south of the country: the Venlo-Venray-Eindhoven area, along with Western Brabant (Breda-Moerdijk-Roosendaal). 

Which warehouses can be found in the south of the Netherlands?

Most of the logistics property in the Netherlands was taken up for third-party logistics behind European retailers and e-commerce companies. Many international brands opened DCs in the country. Venlo, for example, supplies European fashion brands Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and Under Armour via Trade Port Venlo Noord. Lidl opened its European e-commerce DC close to the city of Roosendaal in 2018. Other areas outside of the big cities are also gaining interest, however. Spain’s Inditex (the company behind Zara, Pull&Bear and Berschka) are to open a logistics center in Lelystad (east of Amsterdam and north of Utrecht) in 2019.

Bigger = better?

In 2022, demand was highest for medium and large-sized logistics property. Bigger properties allow more flexibility, but the supply of large lots for such facilities is limited. On the other hand, smaller properties can be built closer to urban centers, allowing for easy reach to the end customer.