• Four Parx realizes full occupancy of double-story commercial and logistics property “Mach2” before start of operations
• Online grocer Picnic GmbH to move into the last remaining space in fall 2022
• Hamburg innovation project with lighthouse character for conurbations sets course for future-oriented space development concepts

Full occupancy Mach 2 | Project developer Four Parx, Dreieich, which specializes in commercial space, communicates the full occupancy of the first double-story commercial and logistics property “Mach2” in Hamburg. Four Parx awarded the last available space to the online food retailer Picnic GmbH.

Picnic is the last of four companies to locate in the building, which has a total of 123,000 sqm. ft. of floor space, reaching full occupancy. Previously, aircraft manufacturer Airbus leased the entire first floor. On the second level, the furnishing company JYSK and the system and operations IT provider Bechtle Logistik und Service GmbH have already secured space.

The complete rental area for Picnic is 15,240 sqm. Of this, 13,528 sqm is hall space, 1,490 sqm mezzanine, 222 sqm of office and social space. In addition, there are 23 parking spaces. The upper floor is accessed via two heated ramps for trucks with loads of up to 45 tons. For this purpose, the facility has electro-hydraulic dock levelers.

Picnic intends to use the premises mainly for warehousing and logistics activities. Up to 200 jobs are to be created in the central warehouse.

The Picnic online grocery supermarket is setting new standards for food shopping. In North Rhine-Westphalia, over 450,000 households in 63 cities now buy their groceries from Picnic. With the modern milkman concept, Picnic has developed an efficient and sustainable food supply chain that helps reduce waste, traffic, and emissions in cities. Like the milkman in the past, Picnic delivers to each city street only once a day using Picnic electric vans. This allows for a very efficient last mile. The purchases are packed at the fulfillment center and brought directly to the customers. Picnic thus saves on expensive stores and can therefore offer the groceries at supermarket prices and without delivery fees.

Frederic Knaudt from Picnic’s founding team in Germany emphasizes: “Moving into the innovative ‘Mach2’ center is an important milestone for us as we start expanding in northern Germany from here. From here, we will supply thousands of families in Hamburg and the surrounding area with fresh food every day. The people involved in the project have done a great job with the property. We look forward to furthering cooperation.”

Together with the investment and asset manager AEW and the construction company GSE Deutschland, Four Parx has developed “Mach2”, the first multi-story commercial and logistics property in the DACH region. It has two levels of equal value, thus offering a convincing concept for metropolitan areas with a pronounced shortage of space. Four Parx realized the project after an elaborate approval process on the former production site of the beverage manufacturer Refresco in an optimally connected location and in the immediate vicinity of the Port of Hamburg.

“Dealing with the critical shortage of space nationwide is one of the most pressing issues for metropolitan areas such as Hamburg. ‘Mach2’ is thus an innovative solution for metropolitan areas and can now serve as a reference for contemporary and demand-driven space concepts,” comments Thomas Poulis-Leinberger, Executive Director, Head of Asset Management & Development Logistics at AEW.

Oliver Schmitt, managing partner of Four Parx Group, explains: “Together with our partners and the Hamburg authorities, we have done pioneering work with ‘Mach2’ in many ways. The complete leasing of the property to companies from different sectors makes us proud. These results confirm our vision for efficient space development and sustainable construction.” During the realization of the project, which AEW, GSE Germany, and Four Parx had launched without any pre-leasing, they faced a variety of unforeseen obstacles. These included the occurrence of strata water, structural issues with the foundation work in the harbor environment, and the discovery of explosive ordnance. In order to achieve an attractive façade to match the cityscape, Four Parx held an architectural competition. The structure is certified “Excellent” according to BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method).