Integrated property and logistics investment company, Africa Logistics Properties (ALP) in under three years, has raised US$86.5million in an effort to construct modern grade- A warehouse facilities in the Eastern African region.
The first project, ALP North in Ruiru, has since been completed and is 75% leased with the second project ALP West located in Tilisi Industrial Park, Limuru, currently under construction. The ALP West project sits on an expansive 49 acres and will comprise of seven phases. Phase one is currently under construction and will accommodate growing small to medium sized enterprises (SMES) seeking modern storage facilities that comprise of both offices and warehouses. The rest of the phases will be dedicated to larger enterprises who will operate from grade-A warehouses that allow users to operate logistics at international standards, which is on demand by both Kenyan and international companies. These features include 12metre heights to drive down storage costs and large yards, dock levelers, super flat floors that allow efficient and fast handling of goods. The project’s phase one is set for completion by October 2020.
“We have received numerous requests from potential local, regional and international tenants to accommodate their growing businesses. ALP’s phase one of this project will accommodate this need with storage spaces as low as approx. 5,300square feet (500square meters),” ALP’s CEO, Richard Hough.
ALP is currently in discussion with various local, regional and international companies, who own land in various parts of the Eastern African region to either development or upgrade their warehouses and factories on their behalf, through sale and leaseback options or through a pre-determined lease agreements.
“ALP being a provider of high-end logistics warehousing will improve the quality of warehousing to fill the market gap for high end warehousing solutions. This development has a lot of benefits in terms of being a logistical hub in this area, providing employment in the construction and logistics industry and increasing the tax base revenue for the government. The logistics warehousing supports the government in Manufacturing and Industry as part of the Big Four agenda which will eventually lead our country to middle income status,” says Palkesh Shah, the Chairman Kenya Property Developers Association (KPDA).
Tilisi Co-CEO, Ranee Nanji, stated “ALP has supported Tilisi to be able to make this industrial park a reality. As a result of ALP’s investment, we have completed infrastructure on the Industrial Park, which has then accelerated sales of both land in the industrial park and other zones in the facility. The Tilisi Logistics Park is currently 75% sold.”
“ALP aims to continue modernizing and improving the quality of the warehouse landscape in Kenya and the rest of the Eastern African Region to ensure companies process, manufacture and/or store their products and produce more, operate efficiently, and securely” Mr. Hough added.
