WDP Romania forecasts infrastructure-led expansion as logistics demand holds firm
WDP Romania forecasts infrastructure-led expansion as logistics demand holds firm
Gijs Klomp, head of business development at WDP Romania, talked regarding the strong demand for logistics in its portfolio, the impact of new infrastructure nodes, and competitive regional rental dynamics through the remainder of 2026.
Which sectors do you project will lead demand for WDP Romania’s portfolio during H2 2026?
Our portfolio in Romania is predominantly logistics-oriented, with warehousing remaining the dominant activity. However, the boundary between warehousing and production is not always clear-cut, as many of our clients operate hybrid facilities that combine production with storage and distribution within the same premises.
Roughly 70% of our portfolio is dedicated to warehousing and logistics, while about 30% accommodates production-related operations. For the remainder of the year, the main source of demand is expected to be logistics. And if we refer to industries, food and pharmaceuticals dominate the demand.
As infrastructure developments unlock new peripheral nodes, which secondary or tertiary regional hubs are poised for the fastest growth?
The notable progress made in implementing new infrastructure projects, the continuously improving infrastructure, and the increasing length of motorways are opening up new areas of the country. In the northeast and east, the greater accessibility is expected to bring an increase in investments. This region is likely to benefit most, as there is lots of room for development; moreover, its connection to Moldova and Ukraine is expected to bring new businesses as the geopolitical situation stabilises. We believe that to some extent the ongoing infrastructure improvements in certain regions, such as Craiova and Iași, have already been reflected in regional supply.
What macro-logistical milestones must Romania cross to sustain market consolidation through 2027 and beyond?
Romania needs to offer a sustainable business environment, which requires the fulfilment of certain key criteria. First and foremost, there is a strong need to ensure the predictability of decision-making at governmental level. Investors and businesses need long-term planning, and for this, fiscal and political stability and predictability are needed. The second criterion is equally important, and Romania is improving at it day by day: good infrastructure. Increasing the length of highways and building them in areas of the country that have previously been neglected, such as the east, opens up new opportunities for companies. Last but not least, it is extremely important to offer competitive—from a regional perspective—tax rates, utility prices, and labour costs, to ensure businesses choose to invest in Romania instead of the neighbouring countries from the region.
How do you perceive the arrival of institutional western European developers on the local logistics market?
It motivates us to continue to offer the best solutions to our clients, to think together with them, to listen and understand their needs. We don’t expect the fact that new players entering the market to result in changes in standards, because the standards we use are in line with those in the region. Nor do we expect it to trigger lower rents, due to the fact that development margins in Romania are arguably already on the lower end of the regional bandwidth.