ARGAN and CARREFOUR brought a former industrial brownfield back to life with the biggest Aut0nom of France
Press release – Neuilly-sur-Seine, October 16, 2024 – 5.45 pm
ARGAN and CARREFOUR bring a former industrial brownfield back to life in Caen with the biggest
Aut0nom®logistics site in France
After 15 months of works, the CARREFOUR SUPPLY CHAIN teams just took possession of their new Aut0nom® logistics platform in a size of 82,000 sq.m, in Mondeville. This project, which was together led by ARGAN and CARREFOUR through their CARGAN-LOG
joint-venture, was developed on a former STELLANTIS industrial brownfield that was beforehand depolluted. This project embodies an exemplary energy and ecological ambition, notably including the planting of over 11,000 trees.
Credits: ARGAN
An ideal location to serve all the Normandie region
It’s in Mondeville, near Caen, that the CARREFOUR teams took possession of the 82,000 sq.m logistics site labelled Aut0nom®. Developed over 8 storage cells, it contains, as part of a nine-year fixed-term lease, the activities previously operated in Carpiquet and thus helps CARREFOUR increase its logistics footprint in the region. This platform is a bi-temperature one with a quarter of the building equipped with a fully mechanized refrigerated area (2°C/4°C), and the remaining area dedicated to storing products at ambient temperature.
A block of 2,500 sq.m with offices and corporate rooms completes the building. Provision for expansion has been maintained to support the long-term growth of CARREFOUR's activities.
With the interchange connecting the Caen ring road to the A13, linking Caen to Le Havre and Paris, Mondeville enjoys a strategic location for logistics activities. This new location east of Caen, with improved access to the A13 motorway, also enables substantial fuel savings.
The biggest Aut0nom® in France in the middle of a forest with over 11,000 trees
A photovoltaic power station with impressive dimension was installed on the roof. It generates 1,850 MWh/year and is dedicated to CARREFOUR’s self-consumption, it will help cover most of the needs in the warehouse related to heating, cooling and lighting with green, carbon-free electricity generated on site. This power station is completed by batteries for storage and electric heat pumps that are far less energy intensive than traditional gas boilers.
Beyond the focus on the building's energy performance, the land aspect of the project is also exemplary. The rehabilitation of a former 30-hectare STELLANTIS industrial brownfield, which was beforehand depolluted, has significantly limited soil artificialization and reduced the overall ecological impact of the operation.
Finally, this project is noteworthy for its environmental focus and commitment to biodiversity protection, featuring an extensive reforestation and landscaping plan for the site. Existing trees have been preserved, and 11,000 new ones—of native species—were planted following the Miyawaki forest method. In total, 41% of the land area is dedicated to green spaces.
CO2 emissions divided by a factor of 10
The combined action of Aut0nom® and the 11,000 trees will ultimately limit the project's carbon emissions to 1 kg of CO₂/sq.m/year. This is an extremely low level compared to traditional warehouses heated with gas and lacking photovoltaic systems, which, for the same surface area and facilities, emit around 10 kg of CO₂/ sq.m /year.
Combined, all these factors led to a BREEAM Very Good certification, and to a Biodivercity label.
Ronan Le Lan, Chairman of ARGAN’s Executive Board: “Carried out jointly with our main client, CARREFOUR, this new project marks a major milestone in ARGAN's development. The Mondeville platform, covering 82,000 sq.m, becomes the largest Aut0nom® in France and a new demonstration for ARGAN's expertise and commitment to excellence. Only two years after the delivery of the first Aut0nom® in Serris, in the Paris region, this label has been successfully implemented nationwide, confirming the relevance of this model, which places environmental considerations at the heart of real estate and economic development”.
2025 financial calendar (Publication of the press release after closing of the stock exchange)
- January 3: Net sales of 4th quarter 2024
- January 16: Annual results 2024
- March 20: General Assembly 2025
About ARGAN
ARGAN is the only French real estate company specializing in the DEVELOPMENT & RENTAL OF PREMIUM WAREHOUSES listed on EURONEXT and is the leading player of its market. Building on a unique client-tenant-centric approach, ARGAN builds pre-let PREMIUM warehouses for blue-chip clients and supports them throughout all project phases from the development milestones to the rental management.
Profitability, tight control over our debt and sustainability are at the heart of ARGAN’s DNA. Its strongly proactive ESG policy has very concrete results with our Aut0nom® concept, the “in-use” Net Zero warehouse.
As at June 30, 2024, our portfolio represented 3.6 million sq.m, across about a hundred warehouses, exclusively located in the continental part of France, and this portfolio was valued €3.8 billion for a yearly rental income of about €200 million.
ARGAN is a listed real estate investment company (French SIIC), on Compartment A of Euronext Paris (ISIN FR0010481960 - ARG) and is included in the Euronext SBF 120, CAC All-Share, EPRA Europe and IEIF SIIC France indices.
| Francis Albertinelli – CFO Aymar de Germay – General Secretary Samy Bensaid – Head of Investor Relations Phone: 40 E-mail: | Marlène Brisset – Media relations Phone: 35 E-mail: |
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