The right location when renting a hall can be the decisive factor in the commercial success or failure of a company. So where should your business ideally be located: in the city center or outside in the countryside? Or might it even be worth moving to another region because the rent is cheaper and the logistical connections are better?
For company owners, such a location decision is essential: it has a direct impact on profitability and is therefore often thoroughly analyzed in advance with the help of real estate experts.
At Larbig & Mortag, we know the market situation in Germany inside out and will be happy to explain the most important logistics regions to you.
- Infrastructure as a decisive criterion
A working group at the Fraunhofer Institute conducted a study of German logistics locations back in 2011 and identified 23 regions that are still of great importance today. The respective areas have one thing in common: good to very good underlying infrastructure. Appropriate transport routes—by land, water, or air—enable the design of an optimal production and supply chain. - The Hamburg area: The gateway to the world
The Hanseatic city in the north of Germany is one of the most important ports in the world. From here, cargo ships sail to more than 900 destinations around the globe to load and unload goods. Around 20,000 containers are handled in Hamburg every day. Particularly attractive from a logistical point of view, the port has excellent connections to the rail network. The nearby railway port is the largest in Europe. In addition, the A7 motorway runs directly through the city. No wonder, then, that demand for space is particularly high here – and, surprisingly, warehouse prices are still moderate.
: The geographical center The region around Leipzig and Halle has grown into a good logistics location in recent years and is characterized above all by new warehouses with state-of-the-art technical equipment. What hardly anyone outside the logistics industry knows is that the airport there is the second largest air freight hub in Germany after Frankfurt. The freight transport center and good road connections are also advantageous. Leipzig's central location makes this area ideal for logistics distribution from west to east and from north to south.
- Stuttgart area: The car city on the motorway network
When you think of Stuttgart, the two premium car brands Mercedes-Benz and Porsche are sure to spring to mind. The German automotive industry is deeply rooted in this region and has a correspondingly strong influence on industrial logistics. Demand for space is high, as is competition – this is immediately apparent in the above-average location prices. Those who can afford to settle here benefit from a good road network. Rail and even shipping (ports in Stuttgart and Heilbronn) are also infrastructure advantages. - Ruhr region: Europe's largest inland port
Strictly speaking, the Ruhr region is divided into two logistics regions: the eastern Ruhr region and the Duisburg location on the Lower Rhine. This city is known for its inland port and, in terms of infrastructure, is a hub in the heart of Europe, directly bordering the Netherlands. However, international goods traffic does not only take place by water. Numerous motorways and rail links also run through this part of North Rhine-Westphalia. In addition, Düsseldorf Airport is very close by. Especially around Dortmund, where many lignite mines have been closed, original production facilities are available at favorable prices for use as warehouses.
- Cologne area: The transshipment center with a view of the cathedral
The logistics areas mentioned above undoubtedly play a major role among the logistics hubs in Germany. We at Larbig & Mortag are based in Cologne ourselves and have therefore specialised in this region on the Rhine. With our location and warehouse expertise, we are happy to assist our customers in finding the most suitable warehouse space. Simply contact Mr Mortag and his team!
In the meantime, we can of course already tell you about the highlights of Cologne, Bonn, and Leverkusen as top logistics locations: The infrastructure is very efficient in many respects. Cologne-Bonn Airport is Germany's third-largest air freight center, and the inland port in Cologne Bay is extremely important as a container transshipment point. The Cologne-Eifeltor freight village is also particularly important – it is Germany's busiest distribution hub for rail freight. And last but not least, the excellent motorway connections via the A1 and A4 are not to be overlooked.
We would be happy to discuss further details about our logistics region with a view of the cathedral in a personal meeting with you—we look forward to hearing from you!
