BMO REP completes three logistics transactions for £32.9 million

BMO Real Estate Partners (BMO REP) has committed, on behalf of a UK segregated mandate client, to the acquisition of three modern logistics assets totalling c.237,000 sq ft for £32.9 million. Following the sale of the Royal Mail distribution centre in Bristol, the transactions form part of BMO REP’s strategy for its client to diversify out of larger and older distribution centres into modern and strategically located logistics facilities in areas of strong demand across the UK.

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The first transaction is a £11.6 million, net initial yield 4.5%, forward commitment for an 80,000 sq ft logistics warehouse on the Futura Park commercial district in Ipswich. The asset is located to the east of the town centre with easy access to Felixstowe and the national motorway network. The property is pre-let to Hubbard Products Limited (guaranteed by Daikin Europe NV), a leading air conditioning manufacturer, on a 20-year lease. The freehold asset is due for completion in April 2021.

CGI of the 56,800 sq ft Advanced Manufacturing Hub in Aston.

The second transaction represents a £11 million, net initial yield 4.6%, forward commitment for a 56,800 sq ft logistics warehouse in Aston within the Advanced Manufacturing Hub, which is 2.5 miles north of Birmingham city centre. The freehold asset is being built to a high specification and will comprise 40,000 sq ft of warehouse space and 16,800 sq ft of office space across three floors. The asset, which is due for completion in July 2021, is fully pre-let to Truflo Marine Limited (guaranteed by IMI plc), a global engineering business, on a 15-year lease with a break at 10 years.

The third transaction is the £10.3 million, 5.4% net initial yield, acquisition of an up and built modern mid-box industrial warehouse estate, known as Teltron Point, comprising three units totalling 99,867 sq ft. The units are let to three separate tenants on an average WAULT of 10.9 years. The asset sits within a modern business park located to the west of Swadlincote town centre, located within the ‘golden triangle’ in South Derbyshire, benefiting from good access to a strong transport infrastructure network.

Matthew Howard, Fund Manager at BMO REP, commented: “Our objective for the client has been to recycle the proceeds of recent sales into a diversified pool of modern logistics facilities in well-connected strategic locations with sound economic drivers. We are delighted to have continued this programme with the purchases in Ipswich, Birmingham and Swadlincote.

“We continue to have strong conviction in the industrial sector, and we believe these well-located modern facilities with attractive lease terms will provide accretive risk-adjusted returns for our client.”