Press Release

13.01.2009

From the newspaper Zentralmarkt: LAGERflaeche.de continues on course for success

LAGERflaeche.de continues on course for success

Düsseldorf, 12 August 2008: Nationwide space offers and searches, contacts for warehouse planning and financing as well as numerous other services make LAGERflaeche.de a successful Internet portal for logistics real estate.

More than 700 logistics service providers, around 300 companies from industry and trade as well as around 150 specialised real estate agents and development companies are now, seven years after the launch of the internet platform, part of the permanent customer base. And the number is growing every day, emphasises Marc Possekel, Managing Director of Logvocatus GmbH. The Düsseldorf-based company is the operator of the Internet platform and combines many years of industry expertise with an extensive network in the logistics industry.

"In 2007 alone, we were able to increase our number of customers by 35 per cent to 1,150. The portal was visited a total of 40,000 times," says Possekel. The current general conditions have contributed to this success. Rising demand for attractive warehouse and logistics properties with ever shorter terms on the one hand and constantly increasing vacancy rates on the other determine the market. At the same time, tenants are becoming more demanding in terms of quality and location. Another factor that should not be underestimated is the short time available today to find a suitable property. "Whether a service provider is awarded a contract or not increasingly depends on storage capacity and location. There is no time to search for suitable space in the traditional way."

LAGERflaeche.de not only fulfils market requirements with its range of products and services. The team behind it also focuses on personalised advice and offers active marketing of space. Customers who want personalised advice can reach their contact person without having to wait on hold or listen to computer voices. Depending on customer requirements, the team recommends the property package for marketing the property on LAGERflaeche.de or the carefree package after the consultation. With the latter service, the offer is published on six other online portals, which results in a corresponding multiplication effect. The customer is automatically informed when an interested party requests further information and receives monthly statistics on the calls. It is becoming increasingly common for attractive properties to be marketed after just a few days. High-quality properties can also be advertised with their own

Microsite with a customised design on the platform. Companies that are looking for a space and have precise ideas can enter the relevant details online. Every customer with a notification service is then automatically informed by e-mail. However, Possekel knows that many companies also rely on individual advice here: "Depending on the requirements for a logistics property, individual aspects have to be assessed differently. Sometimes it is more favourable to choose a location 20 km further north than actually planned. That's why we offer expert advice, including location analyses, and support our customers during negotiations."

It is precisely this background knowledge that makes the team sought-after dialogue partners. "Every single one of our experts has years of professional experience in the logistics industry. We know our customers' requirements and speak their language. This makes marketing more pleasant for all sides and speeds up the processes considerably," says Possekel. He is therefore certain that the number of customers and visitors will continue to rise. By the end of 2008, he estimates based on the first half of the year, 60,000 interested parties will have visited the website.