The growth of online sales in Brazil means that giant distribution centres are an increasingly common feature in towns and cities throughout the country. Northeast Brazil is no exception with the arrival of more high-end logistics in Ceará. Amazon is already present in the state, and more A+ and A centres are under construction.
Arrival of BWDiase Business Park Fortaleza
Construction is already underway at the BWDiase Business Park in Fortaleza, a distribution centre designed for high-end warehouses. It's located in Itaitinga, some 30km outside the capital and an area already home to major players in logistics, including Amazon.
The project is one of the largest high-end logistics centres in Ceará and has 200,000 square metres of land to lease. It also includes parking for 550 lorries. Negotiations are already well underway for the lease of a quarter of the warehouse space to distribution companies.
Demand for high-end logistics centres in Ceará
According to Aurum Desenvolvimento Imobiliario, the company behind the development of the BWDiase Business Park, Ceará has a shortage of high-end distribution centres.
“Two years ago, we carried out market research in the logistics sector in Ceará,” said Nertan Rabelo, CEO of the company, to Diario do Nordeste. “We realised that there were no specialised companies dedicated to the rental of high-end distribution warehouses.”
The total area remains low compared to Brazil, where at the end of Q2, there were more than 16.6 million square metres of top-of-the-range logistics centres. Demand for this type of warehouse is high across the country as lease figures illustrate. The latest for Q2 point to a vacancy rate of a mere 0.47%, with practically all high-end logistics centres rented out.
Ceará’s privileged location for logistics
Rabelo highlighted Ceará’s strategic geographical location within Brazil, particularly for the import and export of goods to and from Europe and North America. He also mentioned forthcoming infrastructural upgrades that will add to the appeal of high-end logistics centres in Ceará.
In particular, two improvements will enhance distribution. Firstly, work on widening and upgrading the fourth bypass around Fortaleza (4º Anillo Vial), which will facilitate the flow of goods generally. Secondly, the medium-term project to connect Pecem Port and its industrial complexes with Fortaleza city centre.
Huge potential in Ceará
Analysts believe that the logistics sector is set to grow considerably over the next few years as major investment projects in Ceará come to fruition. They include the green hydrogen plants, a focal point for foreign and Brazilian investment.
The state is also the largest hub for submarine fibre optic cable in Brazil and one of the biggest in the world. In addition, Ceará is a top producer of wind and solar power.
“When all this is taken into account, we believe that the processes of production, import, export, storage and distribution will take a giant leap in Ceará,” said Rabelo.
(Source: Diario do Nordeste)
