We asked the company’s administrator, Mr. Liviu Simion, a few questions regarding the project’s details, as well as regarding the aspects of the tenants and landlords’ markets in Bucharest and Romania.

How did the idea of Rosim’s real estate project appear?
In the beginning of 2001, our company SC ROSIM’S UNIC SRL was developing a new department of importing and distribution of sanitary ware and plumbing items, apart its core business of scrap recycling and metallurgic products wholesale and retail. As this branch was fast developing and willing to offer our clients new and different services and show as many products in an innovative way, we decided to build our own headquarters which met lots of criteria we considered important (such as location, easy access in and from Bucharest, possibility of developing a factory, back-up for our current activity, no matter the weather or energy supply breach etc.)

What are the facilities offered by your logistics centre to potential tenants currently?
Our logistics centre offers an excellent position, situated at the crossroad of the A1 highway (towards Western Romania and Hungary) with Bucharest ring road and the new express highway which will connect the exterior belt with the central city ring. 
On the other hand, we offer a mix between warehouse space and a modern office building with high energy efficiency and own sources of water, electricity, heat, telecommunications, auto and truck parking (over 40 places), etc.

How important is for the clients, in your opinion, the combination of storage and offices within a mixed-use project?
The mixed project of warehouse and offices offers the possibility of the consolidation of all activities in a single location for companies in import and distribution fields, e-commerce, production etc.

What are the most wanted logistics-industrial zones in Bucharest’s area?
In Bucharest area the most popular zones are the western and the northern zones, but the best is the western one, due to the development of the road infrastructure and the easy access in and from Bucharest.

How do you think this regional market will evolve in the coming years?
Romania, and mainly Bucharest, will be a Central-Eastern European hub. Through the east-west highway, Constanta-Arad, through modernization and development of Constanta seaport and through the construction of a new cargo airport in Bucharest, Bucharest and Romania will be the Europe’s important entrance gate.

Do you have any expansion intent or new real estate development plans in the offices or industrial sectors?
We are currently considering the acquisition of the nearby plot of land and the construction of a new warehouse, as well as adding two floors atop the office building. We have the required infrastructure. There are requests for a mix of production and warehousing.

How important are the green, ecologic features of a real estate development on the Romanian market? Is there a mature demand in this regard from the tenants?
The Romanian market is not paying much attention to this feature. There are green buildings on the market, but extremely few. The interest for such buildings is low because it involves high development cost and the rents are relatively low and they cannot covert it. 
It also involves service charges that most of the tenants are not willing to pay. We made such green investments as we initially built for us, looking into the future and aiming for low exploitation costs and independent and renewable energy sources (solar, wood).

From your experience with a large tenant, such as Fashion Days, which do you think are the most important aspects of a relationship between a landlord and its tenants?
No matter the size of the tenant, the owner should provide all necessary conditions for a proper economic activity, to meet its needs and to be more of a partner.

How would you describe the current demand of mixed-used spaces (industrial-logistics and offices) on the Bucharest market?
The request for such facilities is still low as few are aware of the existence of such projects in Bucharest or Romania.
When the management team of Fashion Days paid us the first visit, they only intended the rental of half of the spaces. After analysing the opportunities, looking ahead, they came back in two weeks with the proposal of renting the entire space. They considered it was a mix exactly as they had in Switzerland.

Do you think Romania has the potential for becoming a logistics hub for the e-commerce in Central and South-Eastern Europe?
The major private investments so far, the entry of new players on the market, as well as the IT infrastructure give me the confidence that Romania is able to become an important logistics hub. 
There is still to be seen if the road infrastructure would keep up. There are promises.