Panattoni to build a grill factory for Weber

Panattoni will build a dedicated facility for Weber, an American manufacturer of grills and accessories dedicated to them. The BTS (built-to-suit) investment with an area of 50,000 sq m will be built in Zabrze, and the tenant will move into it in August 2021.

Construction of the warehouse and production center for Weber-Stephen Products LLC – the world's leading manufacturer of outdoor grills and related accessories – will start in August of this year. As part of the investment, a facility with an area of 50,000 sq m will be built, of which nearly 4,000 sq m is intended for offices. Additionally, in the future, the facility can be expanded by another 30,000 sq m. Ultimately, 450 people will find employment here. Green areas with recreation have been designed for their needs, and the building itself will house a Grill Academy, where demonstration grilling lessons for employees will take place. The facility will be equipped with solar panels and will be certified under the BREEAM system.

„We decided to establish our first assembly line and distribution center in Poland due to the dynamic development of our business. This is our first production plant in Europe. The choice fell on Upper Silesia, because it is one of the key European logistics centers, close to suppliers and customers. Within an hour's drive, there are 8 million inhabitants, and within 4 hours, 50 million consumers” – explains Michael Jacobs, Executive Vice-President, Global Supply Chain & Operations at Weber-Stephen.

As Maciej Madejak, Managing Director at Panattoni adds, locating the investment in the Katowice Special Economic Zone was not without significance: „Thanks to this, the investor gained not only access to qualified staff, but also many tax reliefs, which can reach up to 25 percent of the total investment costs. The approach of the Zabrze authorities to business was also important. It is worth emphasizing that the Katowice Special Economic Zone was recognized last year as the best economic zone in Europe and the second in the world in the FDI Business Financial Times 2019 ranking”.

The investment will be built in Zabrze, from where Weber will serve not only European markets, but also Asian and African ones. Within just an hour's drive, there are three international airports (Katowice, Krakow, Ostrava). Access to the A1 motorway (Gdańsk – Łódź – Czech Republic – Austria) is immediate, and the intersection of the A1 with the A4 (Germany – Wrocław – Krakow) is just a 10-minute drive away.