Four new companies will set up at the Aragon logistics platforms, and will occupy 100,000 square metres

At a speech during the Debate on the Status of the Region, the President of Aragon announced the sale of 100, 000 square metres of land in the logistics platforms, for four new companies to set up their businesses. Over the coming months they will make their investment projects public. During his, the President made reference to the situation in which the Executive found the companies related to the logistics area, which were lacking commercial drive and were de-capitalised at the time and far removed from the circumstances dictated by logistics real estate markets.
With the boost from the Aragon Regional Government to this area, considered strategic for economic growth of the Region, the Executive has managed to sell almost 300,000 square metres of land in Plaza (compared to 95, 483 square metres during the last legislature) for the amount of 22 million euros, compared to 12.5 million earned during the last four years with the previous Government. In 2016 Plaza secured the first major operation in five years, and the second biggest in its history. By comparing sales in all the platforms, the Aragon Regional Government has managed to sell and earn in one year, practically the same amount as the previous Executive over its entire legislature. Compared to the 317, 179 square metres sold by the Government presided by Lambán in one year, the former managed to sell 454, 913 square metres in four years. In terms of income, the numbers are also significant: last year the platforms earned 23.2 million, compared to the 25 million obtained during the four previous years. The one hundred thousand square metres of the four new projects that have been announced are to be added to these figures. Another of the notable aspects concerning logistics highlighted by the President of Aragon during his speech, was the delicate equity situation in which the Executive found the companies, and as a result of this all the platforms have been refinanced through shareholder loans, thus balancing their equities.
This has meant, among other things, that in some of the companies the Aragon Regional Government has become the single shareholder, thus permitting unitary management (for example, Plaza). Likewise, re-floating plans were designed for each of the companies and a business plan aimed at increasing and speeding up sales. In conjunction with this, a plan has been developed to jointly sort out and market the offer of industrial logistics land and tertiary land in the hands of trading companies, including action to jointly promote and market the platforms, industrial estates and tertiary land. This included a price adjustment that has been applied to the land, in line with the REAL situation of the logistics real estate market, which is producing good results. To consolidate the boost in this strategic area, the Aragon Regional Government has created the “Aragon Logistics Platform” framework, which has been the standard bearer at forums and trade fairs where before there was NO presence at all. This has led to some significant transactions. For example, the Barcelona International Logistics and Material Handling Exhibition or the EME Supply Chain and Logistics Summit, also held in Barcelona, bringing together over 600 logistics directors from all the main multinationals. The objective for the Aragon Regional Government in this legislature is to consolidate the position of the Community as an important site for logistics, production and distribution in southern Europe, such as the case of Lyon (France) or Bologna (Italy), which are hubs that create a well connected environment, capable of attracting major investment in production and distribution.
In order to achieve this, committing to rail connections is essential. Hence the need to boost the connection to the international gauge width with the European Union via the three existing lines: Mediterranean, Atlantic and Canfranc corridors. In this scenario, the Zaragoza Maritime Terminal (TMZ) gains fundamental importance. TMZ, promoted by Mercazaragoza and the Barcelona Port, with a shareholding from the Aragon Regional Government – is the main inland logistics hub developed by the Port and considered by the Catalan infrastructure, as a key item in its strategy to provide an array of logistics services to companies in the north and centre of the Peninsula, with the aim of contributing to internationalisation of these companies and improving their positioning in foreign markets. In fact the Port has confirmed its commitment to Zaragoza Maritime Terminal (TMZ), which saw its activity increase by 13% in 2015. The existing relations between both infrastructures permit companies located in the Mid Ebro Valley to obtain all the advantages of the port and thus increase their competitiveness by reducing transport costs.