Apac logistic occupiers more cautious, but most still looking to expand: CBRE survey
According to CBRE, Singapore remains to stand apart among logistics occupants, specifically for hi-tech manufacturing and life sciences fields. “Singapore remains to attract global occupiers, due to its credibility as a strategically situated, neutral, and steady logistics hub,” says Graeme Bolin, CBRE’s Singapore head of occupier and leasing for industrial and logistics business.
The study, which in turn gathered answers from over 380 firms across Apac between March and April, discovered that occupants in China mostly generated the more mindful sentiment, due to potential negative impacts from tougher US trade protocol. Just about 70% of participants in mainland China identified trade uncertainty as their leading hurdle in the following two years.
However, expansion desire varies across individual markets. Based on the poll feedbacks, India, the Middle East and Korea documented the biggest net expansion interest at 66%, 49% and 40%, respectively. Vietnam (34%), Singapore (33%) and the Philippines (33%) registered the next-highest attention levels, adhered to by Thailand (28%) and Australia (25%).
Logistics occupiers in Asia Pacific (Apac) remain confident in long-term business prospects, regardless of expanding cautiousness amidst recurring trade protocol uncertainty. According to CBRE’s 2025 Asia Pacific Logistics Occupier Poll, near-term optimism among inhabitants has dropped this year, with 69% anticipating service performance to enhance in the subsequent 2 years, compared to 81% in 2023.
Despite the unclear international trade atmosphere, many tenants are looking past temporary industry volatility, says CBRE. Some 76% of its survey participants suggested strategies to broaden their realty portfolio scale in the following three to five years, signalling positive outlook across the medium- to long-term outlook and a strong hunger for growth, the business adds in.
CBRE’s questionnaire also revealed a shift amongst tenants in the direction of more cost-driven property methods. Respondents ranked lower rental fees and better lease terms as the top factors influencing relocations and lease renewals, while several are also looking for distance to transport hubs, consumer bases, and supply chains to enhance functional performance.
Overall, 44% of CBRE’s poll respondents indicated trade-related regulative obstacles as a major concern, up from 32% in 2023. Nonetheless, respondents continued to rate economic unpredictability and expense acceleration as the two greatest challenges dealing with inhabitants in the following two years, at 60% and 56%, respectively.
Graeme includes that government-led framework financial investments, combined with growth by top-tier logistics participants and durable capital inflows into modern logistics assets, are reinforcing Singapore’s role in the global supply chain.
