Comprehensively Considering Modern Commercial Properties
Interview with Rüdiger Swoboda, Managing Director of Sirius Facilities GmbH
The world of commercial real estate has been changing, not only since the coronavirus pandemic and home office. As the operator of over 142 such properties, Sirius Group significantly shapes the future of office, storage, and production spaces. Managing Director Rüdiger Swoboda reveals which factors are particularly important.
"If you imagine an industrial area in your mind's eye, it probably looks quite bleak and grey - and that's exactly what it must not be!" begins Rüdiger Swoboda's description of the commercial property of the future. A vision that is particularly close to his heart as Managing Director within the Sirius Group: As owner and operator of Sirius Business Parks with 6,000 tenants in Germany and another 4,000 in the UK, the success of the company depends significantly on the attractiveness of its properties, which are located mainly on the outskirts of the city centers. However, what might sound like a disadvantage to outsiders has proven to be a clear competitive advantage: "The attractive secondary locations in which we are active are associated with significantly lower tenant turnover, which in turn allows us a more resilient business model, which pays off especially in times of significant market disruptions," emphasizes Rüdiger Swoboda. Also, with respect to relevant ESG criteria, Sirius Facilities can build on a solid foundation: as early as 2023, the Scope-1 and -2 targets were met; by 2030, the CO2 footprint at the group level is to be reduced by 45%, before reaching the net-zero target by 2045 in Germany and by 2050 also in the UK.
Modern Storage Solutions Complement the Offering
In addition to classic office and industrial spaces, as well as laboratory environments and large logistics centers, the company also offers small-scale storage areas under the MyLager brand in Germany, which are to be increasingly housed in standalone buildings in the future. With this, Sirius Facilities intends to stay true to its fundamental approach and continue to focus not only on blue chip companies but also broadly on mid-sized companies and startups with high development potential.
"Admittedly, this small-scale leasing is more complex, but it is particularly attractive due to the high utilization rates achieved and our holistic concept with customizable plug-and-play solutions, from fully equipped offices including telephone systems to cafeteria services - because while other market participants had to downgrade by up to 100 basis points during the recent turmoil, our continuous growth has been almost unbroken," says Rüdiger Swoboda.