The logistics sector is expected to remain attractive for investment this year. Reducing delivery times on the “last mile” (from the last point of storage to the consumer), providing a competitive advantage for business, makes warehouses, especially high-end warehouses, attractive to capital. However, as market participants explain, mergers of Greek companies are sometimes dominated by the personality of businessmen, as a result of which, in some cases, such transactions are either delayed or do not take place at all. Against this background, mobility in logistics is fueled by the acquisition of real estate by investment companies and the start of mature projects. As well as planned acquisitions and mergers proceeding at a slower pace or incomplete.

Among the pending plans is the creation of the largest Greek logistics services group through the merger of Foodlink with three companies of the Delatola group (Delatolas Transport 3PL Services, Delatolas Courier and Easy Transport). In March 2022, Foodlink confirmed that it was in talks with the Delatola family, but yesterday announced that it was ending negotiations aimed at, among other things, acquiring a single-digit percentage of Foodlink by the Delatola family. After acquiring 51% of the transport company Athinaiki approximately two years ago, the transaction will create the largest logistics group with 250,000 square meters of warehouses throughout Greece.

The pending plans include the merger of Foodlink with three companies of the Delatola group.

Another purported pending deal that has been the focus of the market includes the acquisition of a 20% stake in Orfeus Veinoglou by HIG Capital. Talks between the two sides reportedly began just a few months before the end of 2021, and there are rumors that the deal will be finalized soon, which remains to be seen. HIG Capital, which has begun building a large warehouse and distribution center on the former Hellas Steel site, has acquired Makios Logistics and Olympias’ refrigeration business.

Unlike the alliance-building ferment, investment projects that involve either the purchase of real estate or the realization of new spaces, especially in Aspropyrgos but also outside of Attica, are moving much faster. For example, Sarmed’s new project for the establishment of new dry and cold warehouses in Aspropyrgos was recently included in the development law, which has a budget of 7.1 million euros and receives a leasing subsidy of 1.5 million euros. The list of logistics investors is long, including Dimand, which is starting construction of a 120,000 sqm logistics complex in Thessaloniki in two phases. on a 355.8 acre lot he purchased from Balkan Properties. Trastor, thanks to its new investment, aims to become the largest owner of logistics property in Aspropyrgos with an area of ​​over 150,000 sq.m in a year and a half. Briq Properties also plans to build a new warehouse at its existing facility in the “Imeros Topos” area of ​​Aspropyrgos, which, after acquiring two new plots, will form a single area of ​​114 acres. The directions of logistics also belong to the investment complex Prodea Investments.