Bac Ninh leads the way in northern industrial growth
New Knight Frank study highlights key trends and drivers for northern Vietnam factories, warehouses and industrial parks
A new study by Knight Frank into industrial real estate in Vietnam’s northern provinces has shown that Bac Ninh province, on the outskirts of Hanoi, is a driving force behind the region’s industrial growth.
In the factory sector, the average asking rent for ready-built factories across the entire Northern market reached US$5 per sqm per month in Q3 2024, an increase of 0.6% quarter-on-quarter and 3.4% year-over-year. This reflects strong demand for modern, high-standard factory spaces in the region. Bac Ninh province, located on the outskirts of Hanoi, is driving the industrial growth of the area. Its strategic location and well-developed industrial infrastructure have made Bac Ninh a hotspot for leasing transactions, with projects from international developers such as Frasers Yen Phong Phase 1 and KTG Yen Phong attracting tenants from various industries.
Meanwhile, the launch of the BWID ESR Nam Dinh Vu project in Hai Phong has added over 70,000 sqm of new factory space. Despite this significant addition of supply, the overall market occupancy rate across the Northern region remained high at approximately 90%, highlighting strong demand for factory spaces throughout the area.
Warehouses tell a similar story, with Bac Ninh emerging as the preferred destination for the development of ready-built warehouses (RBW). The province’s proximity to major transportation routes and strong investment waves have contributed to its dominance in the market, accounting for around 44% of total inventory as of Q3 2024. Thanks to new supply, the market-wide asking rent for modern RBW saw a 3.2% year-on-year increase to US$4.6 per sqm per month. During the quarter, the occupancy rate of the northern market remained stable at 85%, an increase of 4.6% year-over-year, in which new transactions were mainly recorded in the recent launches in Hai Phong and Bac Ninh provinces, reflecting the steady demand for renting high-quality warehouses in prime locations.
The industrial land sector on the supply side moves a little more slowly due to extensive permitting processes and infrastructure build-outs. The average asking price for industrial land reached US$130 per sqm per lease term in Q3 2024 with an increase of 3.1% year-on-year, reflecting sustained demand in the region. Land lease activity remained robust, with approximately 60 ha of net absorption recorded during the quarter, an increase of 33% quarter-over-quarter, but decreasing 48% year-on-year. Bac Ninh and Hung Yen provinces led the market for absorption, registering the highest number of new investment projects.