Iig Intent On Heavy Investment In Cee, Bulgaria

Belgium-based Immo Industry Group (IIG), a European leader in design and construction of tailor-made industrial schemes, doubled the volume of its business during 2007, the company said in a recent media statement.

IIG’s representatives explained that the current situation favoured the company's concerted growth. Boosted demand has fuelled the group’s expansion to Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). In coming years IIG plans to open offices in several CIS-member countries, in Latvia and in Turkey.

IIG develops both built-to-suit separate projects for single companies and industrial parks, purposed for a large number of tenants or owners. The company has worked in close co-operation with its customers from the very beginning – from concept elaboration through to delivery of the completed, already functioning building. Construction is overseen by local and European project managers.

IIG has established three associated branches to complete a full kit of services – Immo Industry Facility and Property Management (IIFPM), specialising in property management; Immo Industry Logistics and Process Solutions (IILPS), providing consultancy on the optimisation of logistics and process activities throughout the project timeline and Immo Industry Contracting (IIC), through which the group is able to control the entire construction process.

In 2007, IIG experienced robust growth. A hefty flow of new clients, such as PC manufacturer Lenovo and German manufacturer BMW, and of returning clients, such as logistics specialist Gefco and US-based car component manufacturer Visteon, have led IIG to almost triple its staff. Its workforce currently numbers 196, prompting a move to a new, 4 000 sq m office complex near Aalst in Belgium. In a strategic move, IIG concluded a joint venture with the Russian Rostik Group, a restaurant and real estate group rated by Forbes as a top-100 Russian company. The joint venture, ImmoRosIndustry (IRI), will offer a full package of vertically integrated and cost-optimised real estate solutions in Russia and the CIS.

For 2008, IIG expects even stronger growth, with 19 challenging projects already at the operational phase and about 40 active projects anticipated by the year’s end. This expansion is translated in IIG’s office plans for this year: by the end of 2008 IIG should have another 10 local offices in Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Lithuania and Turkey. The same growth is true of IIG’s industrial parks. At present, IIG already has an unmatched presence in CEE and Russia, with 18 industrial parks in various development stages. IIG intends to increase this by another 10 parks in Russia, the CIS and Turkey. In order to meet this anticipated growth, IIG plans to roughly double its workforce to 500 employees.

IIG has started developing a 145 000 sq m industrial and logistic park in Plovdiv. Its location is assessed as ideal for import and export to and from the European Union, Russia, Turkey and the Middle East.propertywisebulgaria.com