The Development of Self-Storage in Poland: A Logistics Infrastructure Management Perspective with a Focus on Business Customers
Purpose: The aim of the paper is to determine the current state and future trends of the self-storage market in Poland against the backdrop of international experience, with particular emphasis on the types of facilities, their location trends, the business models of their operators, as well as the types of storage tenants, broken down into individual and business tenants, with particular attention paid to the needs of the latter in the context of these facilities’ role as logistics infrastructure. Design/Methodology/Approach: Methodologically, the paper is qualitative and exploratory-descriptive, relying on methodological triangulation. It draws on a critical review of the relevant literature, as well as an analysis of secondary data from reports by FEDESSA, CBRE and other consultancy firms and estate agents. Furthermore, an analysis was carried out of the database of self-storage operators in Poland, from which more detailed conclusions were drawn regarding the typology of operators and the locational patterns of self-storage facilities in Poland. Findings: The self-storage market in Poland is in its early stages of development, with a total stock of over 225,000 m² and more than 200 facilities. Local operators with a single facility dominate the self-storage sector (around 110 operators); nearly 30 operators are nationwide chains. Recently, the market’s development has been gaining momentum, driven by both quantitative factors and certain qualitative aspects (including the digitalisation of facilities, improvements to their technical standards and the expansion of franchise networks), which are attracting interest from business customers. Practical Implications: The research findings provide operators, customers and investors with an insight into the current state of the self-storage market and its growth areas; furthermore, they highlight the role of self-storage facilities as part of the logistics infrastructure to decision-makers and other stakeholders. Originality/Value: The article outlines the main trends in self-storage research and is one of the first to examine the Polish self-storage market in terms of logistics infrastructure, with particular emphasis on its potential for business customers, including those from the e-commerce sector.