Press release - Neuilly-sur-Seine, Friday, March 28, 2025 - 8.00 am
ARGAN and 4MURS inaugurated a new Aut0nom®
for 9,500 sq.m in Metz
In the presence of Christophe Ranchoup (CEO of 4MURS), François Henrion (Augny's Mayor) and Cedric Gouth (Vice-Chairman of the Eurométropole - European community of cities - of Metz), Aymar de Germay - ARGAN's General Secretary - officially inaugurated the new Aut0nom® opened in Augny. With a surface of 9,500 sq.m, this site is operated by 4MURS as part of a nine-year fixed-term lease.
ARGAN is thus back for a second project on this former air base, closed in 2010, which has been turned around into a business area where our real estate company inaugurated in 2020 its most significant project in size: a multi-storey building of 185,000 sq.m operated by AMAZON.
A structuring project
With a surface of 9,500 sq.m, the site of Augny is home to 7,000 SKUs sold by 4MURS and thus helps the company grow, more particularly through an expansion of its catalogues. With 500 employees and a portfolio of 89 stores in France, 4MURS is rethinking its positioning and has become a decoration concept-store, with an expertise in walls arrangements, through a diversified offering, granting easy access combined to an actual know-how.
This new site of 9,500 sq.m is part of long-term plans, as the company has signed a nine-year
fixed-term lease. 4MURS is already very well established in the area with headquarters in the neighbouring city of Marly.
Located in the South area of Metz, at the heart of a metropolitan area of 240,000 inhabitants - with direct access to the A31 French highway - Augny offers an ideal location for logistics businesses.
Combining 'in-use' carbon neutrality and a turn-around of artificialized soils: this new site aims for environmental excellence
This new warehouse is Aut0nom® -labelled. The site is equipped with a photovoltaic power station on the roof that grants 250 kWp coupled with energy storage batteries with a capacity of 250 kWh. This warehouse thus generates its own green energy for self-consumption. On-site heating is ensured by electric heat pumps and lighting with smart LED technology along presence and luminosity sensors. Aut0nom® provides close to half of energy needs for the site, meaning 170 MWh per year with green energy generated locally, drastically reducing the site's CO2 emissions to only 1.2 kg/sq.m/year. Remaining emissions will be compensated by a reforestation plan in France, in the area of Bordeaux. The site is thus carbon neutral for the 'in-use' phase.
Additionally, this development, on the military brownfield of Frescaty, enables to re-use already artificialized land and helps reduce the ecological impact of the whole project.
Christophe Ranchoup, CEO of 4MURS: "This new logistics tool is part of an approach that aims at reshaping 4MURS group's business, by helping deploy a digital and omnichannel strategy.
This warehouse - Aut0nom® -labelled - matches high standards, with a particular attention on environmental requirements. This perfectly encompasses our commitment for a responsible and sustainable approach.”
Ronan Le Lan, Chairman of ARGAN's Executive Board: "This new project is part of ARGAN's long-term partnership with local communities. Four years after a very successful first project, ARGAN is now pursuing its partnership with the Eurométropole (European community of cities) of Metz and the Mayor of Augny for the development of the Frescaty area. We also thank our client 4MURS for their trust and our partners GSE and A26 Architectures”.
2025 financial calendar (Publication of the press release after closing of the stock exchange)
- April 1: Net sales of 1st quarter 2025
- July 1: Net sales of 2nd quarter 2025
- July 17: Half-year results 2025
- October 1: Net sales of 3rd quarter 2025
- January 5: Net sales of 4th quarter 2025
- January 22: Annual results 2025
- March 26: General Assembly 2026
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 in France. Building on a unique customer-centric approach, ARGAN develops PREMIUM and Au0nom® -labelled - i.e., carbon-neutral in use - pre-let warehouses for blue-chip companies, with tailor-made services throughout all project phases from the development milestones to the rental management.
As at December 31, 2024, ARGAN represented a portfolio of 3.7 million sq.m, with about a hundred warehouses solely located in the continental area of France. Appraised at a total of €3.9 billion, this portfolio generates a yearly rental income of close to €205 million (yearly rental income based on the portfolio delivered as at Dec. 31, 2024).
Profitability, well-mastered debt and sustainability are at the heart of ARGAN's DNA. The financial solidity of the Group's model is notably reflected in its Investment-grade rating (BBB- with a stable outlook) with Standard & Poor's. ARGAN is also deploying a committed ESG policy addressing all its stakeholders. Achievements as part of this roadmap are regularly recognized by third-party agencies such as Sustainalytics (low extra-financial risk), Ethifinance (gold medal) and Ecovadis (sliver medal - top 15% amongst rated companies).
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: +33 1 47 47 47 40 E-mail: contact@argan.fr |
Marlène Brisset - Media relations Phone: +33 6 59 42 29 35 E-mail: argan@citigatedewerogerson.com
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