Demand for industrial and logistics space in Romania rose sharply in 2025, reaching 1.275 million sqm, up 51% year-on-year and the second-highest level recorded on the local market, according to data from Cushman & Wakefield Echinox. The stock reached 7.9 million sqm at the end of last year, with 48% located in Bucharest, the same source said.

New demand accounted for 60% of the total leased volume, or around 774,000 sqm, reflecting companies’ continued interest in expanding logistics and industrial operations despite global and local economic uncertainty.

Bucharest remained the dominant market, attracting 75% of total leasing activity, while Timișoara ranked second with 77,100 sqm. 

Retail, e-commerce, and FMCG companies were the most active tenants, followed by logistics operators and courier companies.

Strong demand pushed the national vacancy rate down to 5.3% by the end of 2025, with a lower level of 4.7% recorded in Bucharest. Around 417,000 sqm of industrial and logistics space remains vacant nationwide, of which 180,000 sqm is located in the Bucharest area.

Although new deliveries slowed last year, with 332,000 sqm completed in 2025, down 42% compared to 2024 due to reduced speculative development, Romania’s total industrial and logistics stock reached 7.9 million sqm at year-end. 

Nearly half of this stock is concentrated in the Bucharest-Ilfov region, followed by the West, South Muntenia, Center, and North-West regions. Moldova, despite a 29% increase in stock over the past three years, remains one of the least developed markets, accounting for just 2.7% of the national total.

According to Cushman & Wakefield Echinox, developers have announced approximately 350,000 sqm of new industrial and logistics projects for delivery in 2026, a level similar to last year. Most new supply is expected in Bucharest-Ilfov, followed by the Center and North-East regions. 

By the end of this year, the total stock is projected to reach around 8.3 million sqm.

Romania is currently the third-largest industrial and logistics market in Central and Eastern Europe, after Poland and the Czech Republic. 

Prime headline rents remained stable in 2025, typically ranging between EUR 4.30 and EUR 4.75 per sqm per month in Bucharest and other major hubs, remaining among the most competitive in the region.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Pavel Losevsky/Dreamstime.com)