The event highlighted Tarragona’s growing profile as an emerging logistics hub in southern Europe and the development of P3 Reus, currently the largest active logistics complex in Catalonia
Barcelona, 16 December 2025 – P3, a pan-European investor, developer and manager of logistics real estate, together with UNO Logística, organised the conference “Retail as a driver of the development of large-scale logistics platforms”. The event highlighted Catalonia’s logistics potential, underlining Tarragona’s consolidation as a strategic node and presenting the progress of P3 Reus, the largest logistics development currently underway in the region. Held at the Cuatrecasas Auditorium in Barcelona, the event brought together representatives from across the logistics sector.
The conference featured contributions from Javier Mérida, Managing Director of P3; Francisco Aranda, President of UNO; and David Oliva, Head of Industrial & Logistics at CBRE Barcelona. Mérida and Aranda also took part in the roundtable discussion on large-format logistics (big box), moderated by Luis Poch, Business Development Manager at P3, alongside Juan Pablo Lázaro, Director of Strategic Partnerships at InPost, and Javier Giovanetti, Iberia Real Estate Director at InmoSTEF.
Javier Mérida, Managing Director of P3, emphasised the importance of Tarragona and Catalonia as strategic logistics locations in Spain and southern Europe. “The region is consolidating its position as one of the sector’s main growth drivers, capable of attracting investment and promoting the development of large-scale platforms. At P3, our commitment is to support this growth by expanding our portfolio, enhancing the quality of service to our clients and securing strategic large-scale plots, with delivery timeframes of between 12 and 18 months from contract signature.”
Francisco Aranda, President of UNO, highlighted that “Catalonia has significant potential to consolidate itself as a leading logistics hub in Europe.” In this regard, he added that “logistics has the ability to structure the territory, attract and retain population, create jobs and even boost the industrial ecosystem. Furthermore, logistics has become a digital sector due to the intensive use of automation, robotics and artificial intelligence, which optimise processes, reduce costs and improve our responsiveness.”
David Oliva, Head of Industrial & Logistics at CBRE Barcelona, noted that Catalonia is expected to record 600,000 square metres of logistics take-up this year. “When space is available, new groups of retailers looking to grow emerge. Demand will remain stable this year, particularly linked to e-commerce, and major operators continue to show interest in turnkey projects. Developments such as P3 Reus are very attractive options for any operator,” he added.
The event also served to present the report “Logistics Competitiveness of Tarragona”, prepared by the Institute for Careers, Innovation in Logistics & Supply Chain (ICIL) in collaboration with P3. The study positions Tarragona as one of the most competitive areas for logistics development in Spain, thanks to its combination of land availability, attractive operating costs and first-class multimodal connectivity.
The report highlights four factors reinforcing Tarragona’s position as a new logistics hub in southern Europe. The region benefits from a consolidated industrial ecosystem and an extensive network of road, rail and maritime connections, with the Port of Tarragona — Spain’s deepest port — as a key asset. Added to this is proximity to the airports of Barcelona, Madrid and Zaragoza, which together handled more than 1.13 million tonnes of air cargo in 2024. In addition, the area offers a skilled workforce and more competitive labour costs than other established logistics locations such as Barcelona, Zaragoza or Guadalajara.
Finally, the agreement signed between the Port of Tarragona and Puerta Centro–Ciudad del Transporte will enable the development of the new Guadalajara–Marchamalo terminal, fostering the growth of intermodal traffic in Tarragona. This infrastructure will be a key asset in boosting freight volumes — particularly general and containerised cargo — and improving connectivity between central Spain, the Mediterranean corridor and Europe.
Within this context, P3 Reus emerges as a strategic development that capitalises on Tarragona’s logistics potential. The project will complete the initial groundwork and urban planning adaptation works next January. It is currently in the pre-construction phase and has been designed to adapt to the operational requirements of the end user.
The logistics park will comprise 111,250 sqm of built space on a 175,000 sqm plot. It will feature 118 loading docks, a total volume of 829,000 cubic metres — equivalent to 330 Olympic swimming pools — and capacity to store up to 85,000 pallets. In terms of sustainability, P3 Reus will achieve BREEAM Excellent certification, include a 1.1 MW photovoltaic installation and obtain WELL Gold accreditation, ensuring the highest standards of comfort and wellbeing.
The programme concluded with a roundtable discussion on trends in big box developments, moderated by Luis Poch, Business Development Manager at P3, who opened the debate by highlighting retail as the main driver of logistics expansion. Javier Mérida, Managing Director of P3, noted that “the development of large logistics platforms is taking place in an economic context that combines opportunities with certain uncertainty factors. Tariffs, economic growth volatility and political stability directly influence operators’ decision-making processes. In this context, the ability to adapt projects quickly, anticipate needs and offer flexible solutions is key.”
Juan Pablo Lázaro, Director of Strategic Partnerships at InPost, explained that “Catalonia occupies a key geostrategic position in a logistics sector that is changing at great speed, driven by retail. To adapt to these transformations, we need to be able to deploy a network of lockers (automated parcel machines) from InPost and other sector players in public spaces to facilitate fast, sustainable and accessible e-commerce deliveries, as well as flexible contractual structures and tailor-made projects. In addition, the combination of efficient and fast construction with automation is emerging as a decisive driver for sector growth.”
Javier Giovanetti, Iberia Real Estate Director at InmoSTEF, pointed out that “Catalonia is a strategic market, although the scarcity of available land in Barcelona and limitations in energy supply constrain projects. In a high-consumption sector with strong potential and positive growth prospects such as temperature-controlled logistics and transport, we seek locations on high-quality industrial land, close to major cities, not necessarily in the short term, that allow spaces to be adapted to the specific needs of our warehouses.”
Finally, Francisco Aranda, President of UNO, addressed the main challenges and opportunities facing the logistics sector in Catalonia in a context marked by the growth of e-commerce, the need for larger platforms and limited land availability. “To move forward, it is essential to strengthen public-private cooperation, ensure energy availability and reduce administrative burdens,” he concluded.