The online store Kokiskashop has grown from a small warehouse in a family house in the village of Stráň near Karlovy Vary to 200 million turnover. The technologically advanced distribution centre in Panattoni Park Ostrov North will give Kokiskashop another opportunity to grow not only in the Czech Republic but also abroad. The construction of the hall with many sustainable features on the former brownfield site of Škoda Ostrov was secured by the development company Panattoni. The investor and owner of the building is the investment group Accolade.
One of the largest e-shops focusing on products for entertainment, home and garden based in the Karlovy Vary region is marking another significant step in its history. After achieving a turnover of CZK 200 million in 2021 and less than three years after the entry of strategic partner Gorilla Sports Holding AG, the company is opening a new modern distribution centre of more than 4,000 sqm in Panattoni Park Ostrov North in Horní Žďár. The centre will be part of the growth of the Global Sports Group, which includes not only fitness products.
“This project confirms that the industrial infrastructure we are building does not only serve multinational corporations. After a challenging demolition and redevelopment, we have managed to prepare an industrial zone for the growth of companies with great potential, such as Kokiska,” says Pavel Sovička, Panattoni’s General Manager for the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
“This is a major breakthrough in the history of a company based on people with family and friendly relationships, towards modernising processes, to ensure the possibility of further growth not only in the Czech Republic, but also in the whole of Eastern Europe,” says Jakub Kokštein, Managing Director of Kokiska. Since the start of construction, the company has expanded its international presence to include Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania, in addition to the existing Slovakia, Poland and Hungary. Since this year, it has also added products from its parent company Gorilla Sports and Maxxus to its portfolio in the Slovak and Croatian markets. “It is clear that the company will expand its presence in its existing foreign markets, with other countries likely to follow soon. We will be among the first to enter new markets and will continue to modernise our processes. It is not easy to stay in the e-commerce market in today’s difficult times, but thanks to the speed and quality of the execution of the new distribution center from the pen of Panattoni, we believe that the growth of the company will continue and the 98% customer satisfaction at Heureka will continue to be our calling card,” concludes Jakub Kokštein.
Panattoni Park Ostrov North was created by revitalising the site of the Škoda Ostrov plant, one of the largest brownfield sites in the Czech Republic. During the remediation, 12,700 tonnes of hazardous waste were sorted for environmental disposal on site, according to the type of contamination. In total, 98.7% of the original construction and demolition waste was recycled during the demolition of the former site. An investment of CZK 5 million also went towards the construction of a cycle path around the industrial park.
“Ostrov in the Karlovy Vary region is historically an industrial area, and we have built on this strong link by successfully regenerating another part of the former brownfield site. We are investing in infrastructure for business and are delighted to support the growth of the regional e-commerce champion, Kokiska. It is a pleasure to see more and more companies with Czech owners among our tenants,” says Milan Kratina, CEO of Accolade.
“After many years when the brownfield after Skoda Ostrov was empty, we have managed to complete the first hall of the new industrial park. I am pleased that the new tenant is a domestic company that was founded in nearby Karlovy Vary and found a base for its expansion here in Ostrov,” adds Pavel Čekan, Deputy Mayor of Ostrov and Chairman of the Regional Development Committee of the Karlovy Vary Region.
