Report: Logistics and industrial space demand up 30% in Romania in first nine months of 2025

Demand for logistics and industrial space in Romania reached 750,000 square meters in the first nine months of 2025, a 30% increase compared with the same period last year, according to the Romania Industrial Marketbeat Q3 2025 report by real estate consultancy company Cushman & Wakefield Echinox. If the current pace continues, the total volume for the entire year could once again reach the 1 million sqm threshold, the average of the past five years.

The third quarter alone accounted for 235,000 sqm in new leases and renewals, exceeding last year’s level for the same period. However, activity slowed slightly compared with the first and second quarters, the report said.

Ștefan Surcel, Head of Industrial Agency at Cushman & Wakefield Echinox, commented: “Romanian logistics market continues its positive trajectory of the past five years in terms of demand, with an annual transactional volume of around one million square meters. We see a balance between new leases and renewals of the existing contracts, showing that companies are seeking both stability and development opportunities, while paying close attention to cost and logistics efficiency.” 

“The Bucharest-Ilfov area still attracts the largest share of demand, but regional cities are becoming increasingly relevant and competitive, which contributes to a growing appetite among developers for these emerging markets.”

The Bucharest-Ilfov region accounted for nearly 75% of total leasing activity, or around 560,000 sqm, between January and September. Regional hubs such as Timișoara (75,100 sqm), Craiova (16,000 sqm), and Cluj (15,000 sqm) also recorded steady demand.

The two largest transactions in the third quarter were both renewals in CTPark Bucharest West, Romania’s largest industrial hub near the A1 motorway – one for 76,000 square meters and another for 27,000 square meters. Both deals were brokered by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox. 

Other major transactions included a 15,000 sqm expansion in WDP Park Ștefănești and a 14,500 sqm pre-lease in Craiova Business Park.

In total, Romania’s modern stock of logistics and industrial space reached nearly 7.78 million sqm at the end of the third quarter. Developers completed projects totaling 209,300 square meters during the first nine months of 2025, which was about 24% less than in the same period last year, while an additional 412,000 square meters are currently under construction. 

The national vacancy rate decreased slightly to 5.7%, with Bucharest recording 5.4%.

Meanwhile, prime headline rents remained stable across major markets, ranging between EUR 4.30 and EUR 4.70 per square meter per month in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Brașov, Ploiești, Pitești, and Sibiu.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Viktor Levi/Dreamstime.com)