VGP announces the construction of its first Serbian logistics park: VGP Park Belgrade
Belgrade/Serbia, 13th March 2023 – VGP, a pan-European owner, manager, and developer of high-quality logistics and semi-industrial real estate, today held a groundbreaking event for VGP Park Belgrade. The Group announced the start of construction of its first business park in Serbia, adjacent to Belgrade’s international airport. This new development is part of the promotion of economic and sustainable developments in the countries where the Group operates.
The future VGP Park Belgrade contains an area of 1,140,000 square meters and will be located next to the M-70 and M-75 motorways and the Belgrade ring road, in close proximity to Belgrade’s international airport, and just 15 km west of the city center. Total future lettable area to be developed will amount to approximately 487,000 square meters. This will become the biggest logistics center in Serbia.
Nenad Bjelogrlic, Country Manager for VGP Serbia, was happy to announce the first tenant for this new park. Delhaize Serbia, the Serbian subsidiary of Ahold Delhaize, one of the world’s largest food retail groups, will lease more than 41,000 square meters for the opening of its second distribution center in Serbia. Jan-Willem Dockheer, CEO of Delhaize Serbia, said: “Our Company remains consistent with the strategy of expanding the retail network and we are very pleased that our second distribution center will be built in such an important and sustainable location. In the next ten years, we will further expand our spatial capacities, employ a large number of new colleagues, and we will continue to invest in the development of the local market. I believe in success and wish the VGP Serbia team many great years of work.”
The first stone was laid by the President of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Aleksandar Vučić and Mr. Jan Van Geet, CEO of VGP.
Aleksandar Vučić, President of the Republic of Serbia, said: “I am glad that we managed to bring this Belgian company to our country, and we believe that we can build a stronger, more economically successful Serbia, because it is difficult to imagine any success in production and trade without excellent logistics. This year, Serbia will also be a champion in attracting foreign direct investments, which will further improve the business environment in our country. That is why you are welcome to come to other cities, to continue to love Serbia with the same passion and to visit the south, which is being built at a high speed and which can offer you excellent business conditions.”
Jan Van Geet, CEO of VGP, said: “I came to the Czech Republic in 1994, as a 22-year-old, to go and pioneer in that, at the time, newly opened market for us. Since then, I have seen the tremendous acceleration of both the economy and living standards of the people of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and the other countries who joined the EU in 2004. With our investment we want to contribute to the road towards the Serbian integration in our European union of nations, where it belongs with its long history as a part of our European family.”
The VGP Group is built on an integrated business model that has capacities and long-term professional experience across the entire value chain, from land acquisition to asset development and management. Thanks to a careful and sophisticated process in land investment, VGP provides unique services to clients looking for locations near major European cities with direct access to major roads, easy access, and 24-hour operation. VGP's logistics & semi-industrial parks offer high technical standards and modularity, with a special focus on energy efficiency and sustainability.
VGP, as part of its strategy for sustainable development projects, targets the environmental certification of its new greenfield/brownfield construction projects. The roofs of the buildings can be equipped with a photovoltaic installation, offering on-site green energy production.
A team of dedicated property and facility management experts ensures that facilities and assets are maintained to the highest standards, reducing risk, improving safety, and reducing costs thanks to an efficient process.
VGP applies the principles of local presence, respect, and quick response. This means that the company is well and thoroughly familiar with the markets and characteristics of the region and that it respects the needs of both clients and local communities.
Through the work of the VGP Foundation, the company supports the mission of nature conservation as well as the impact on local communities through social projects and projects aimed at preserving and protecting Europe's cultural heritage.