“We are implementing a strategy which will ensure our expansion not only in Lithuania but also global markets. With online retail growing exponentially worldwide, we identified potential for a new-generation real estate projects. We will offer businesses the opportunity to locate in a modern complex approximately the size of 10 football fields next to Lithuania's busiest road. Here we will establish a full e-commerce ecosystem, where companies will be able to settle, receive, store and distribute goods, and serve clients in person. Starting with Kaunas, we will expand the concept beyond Lithuania. We are currently on the lookout for prospective locations to implement such projects,” says SBA Urban board chairman Lionginas Šepetys.
According to Šepetys in addition to the availability of services in one place and high customer flows, the attractiveness of the e-commerce campus in Kaunas for companies is significantly increased by the efficiency of logistics. The SBA Urban plot of land is right next to a transport hub where the highway Vilnius-Kaunas-Klaipėda intersects with Savanorių Avenue, while Kaunas airport and a railway line are just a few kilometres away. Therefore, businesses located here will be able to choose the most suitable logistics for their successful development. The value of the land acquisition contract is not disclosed by the agreement of the parties.
“The site of the future e-commerce campus sees a huge daily traffic of up to 60 000 cars. So the new complex will also be appealing to catering and other service suppliers. Meanwhile, the synergy with e-commerce, as well as physical goods displays, will catalyse a further influx of people,” states SBA Urban head of commerce Giedrius Muliuolis.
SBA Urban will follow its core principles of sustainability, harmony with the environment and minimising its impact on it, and architectural distinctiveness in developing the e-commerce, logistics and warehousing campus.
Once all the necessary permits have been agreed and the project has been approved, construction on the land acquired by SBA Urban is expected to start next year. The e-commerce hub project will be developed by Notus Developers, a real estate project and construction management company belonging to the SBA Group.
Based on the development strategy launched this year, SBA Urban plans to invest 400 million euros over the next five years. New areas of development include high-tech campuses, e-commerce centres and wind hubs, all while developing sustainable and innovative business centres. All projects are united by the core principles of sustainability, harmony with the environment and reducing CO2 emissions. In addition, one of the key aspects of the new strategy is international expansion.
The SBA Group’s real estate sector company SBA Urban manages the Green Hall business valley in Vilnius and develops the business centre BLC in Kaunas, next to the renewed Unity Square. In addition, SBA Urban developed the business centre Kauno Dokas, which Capitalica Asset Management owns. It has also developed industrial buildings – the logistics centre Innovo Logistika and the furniture prefab factory Laminn at the SBA Industrial Innovation Valley near Klaipėda, later selling these buildings to the Estonian fund Eften.
SBA Urban is currently developing the residential block Nemunaičiai on the bank of the Nemunas river in Kaunas.
