The logistics market in the Ruhr Area achieved a volume in the first three quarters of the year that is considered outstanding nationwide. A new record volume was registered with a cumulative take-up of 484,000 m² for the period from January to September 2026. This development already surpasses the annual average of previous years, as an analysis by BNP Paribas Real Estate shows. In addition to the total volume, the high number of concluded deals is remarkable, exceeding the average and reflecting consistent letting activity in every quarter.
Significant contract signings characterised market activity. Major deals already reported in the first half of the year include pharmaceutical wholesaler Cencora with 33,700 m² in Dortmund, logistics service provider Goodcang with 29,000 m² in Duisburg, and trading company Flexi Spot with 20,500 m² in Werne. In the third quarter, further large deals exceeding 20,000 m² followed: logistics service provider Apex leased 24,500 m² in Witten, and Logicall SCS secured 20,300 m² in Duisburg. These location choices illustrate broad demand that is not limited to individual areas but encompasses various sub-regions of the Ruhr Area.
Rental Price Development and Market Dynamics
Sustained high demand pressure has led to a slight increase in prime rents to 8.10 EUR/m² and average rents to 6.80 EUR/m², after these values had been stable earlier in the year. Christopher Raabe, Managing Director and Head of Logistics & Industrial at BNP Paribas Real Estate GmbH, highlighted that the high market dynamics in the Ruhr Area affect almost all segments. All size categories, with the exception of large contracts from 20,000 m², significantly exceeded their ten-year average volumes for the first three quarters.
Logistics service providers confirm their nationwide trend and dominate the user groups in the Ruhr Area. With a leasing volume of over 340,000 m², they achieved a record take-up in the Q1-3 balance sheet, surpassing the previous best value from 2025 by 43%. Their share of current market activity is almost 71%. This results not only from very large contracts such as those from Goodcang, Apex or Logicall SCS, but also from a substantial contribution to approximately 70% of all deals. Despite the large contract from Cencora, the retail sector remains underrepresented with 16%, although it should be noted that players such as Goodcang and JD.com operate at the interface between retail, e-commerce and logistics. A further 7% of take-up is attributable to the industrial sector, including a deal by Siemens Mobility for over 20,000 m² in Duisburg.
Outlook and Challenges
Bastian Hafner, Head of Logistics & Industrial Advisory at BNP Paribas Real Estate GmbH, noted that the Ruhr Area logistics market set new benchmarks in several areas during 2026, be it in terms of record take-up volume, the historic number of deals, or the performance of logistics service providers. The broad distribution of contracts and the above-average take-up in all size categories underscore the sustained market revival. The fourth quarter is traditionally the strongest period for take-up in the Ruhr Area. An average Q4 result would be sufficient to reach the record balance sheet of the full year 2021 of approximately 683,000 m².
The high demand for space and the associated letting of existing and new-build areas, which account for almost 41% of take-up, have recently exacerbated the supply overhang. Short-term large enquiries from 10,000 m², especially from the e-commerce sector and companies from Asia, are currently difficult to satisfy. Despite the limited supply situation, only marginal changes in rental price levels are expected by the end of the year.
