Tom Hayes led a team from CBRE which introduced the Winning Group deal to ISPT.
ISPT, which manages an $18.5 billion diversified property portfolio, has been actively growing its exposure to the red-hot industrial property sector amid a slump in the performance of its retail property fund.
Earlier this year, the fund manager appointed Ben Keen as general manager of logistics and warehousing services with the objective to “increase ISPT’s logistics and warehouse allocation and actively create a portfolio of scale”.
“PortLink Logistics Estate is in an ideal position to take advantage of the logistics sector’s appetite for flexible, tailored industrial accommodation and we’re pleased to secure a quality anchor in Winning Group at the expanding estate,” Mr Keen said.
“Our recent industrial acquisitions and the pre-lease to Winning Group provide an opportunity for ISPT to grow our logistics and warehousing sector, through the development of a high-quality portfolio in key industrial markets, with excellent access to transport infrastructure, consumer populations and logistic workforces.”
The new purpose-built Winning Group facility will serve as the main Victorian warehouse and distribution centre for the company, which is a major retailer of kitchen and laundry appliances.
John Winning, CEO of Winning Group, said the Altona North distribution centre would be its largest distribution centre in the country and in its 113-year history.
“We will be increasing the size of our DC from 10,000 to 45,000 square metres,” Mr Winning said.
ISPT has partnered with fund manager Aliro Group, led by David Southon and Daniel Wise, to create and manage its large-scale logistics and warehousing estates.
