JSE-listed Growthpoint Properties has concluded a deal with book publisher Penguin Random House to consolidate and relocate the publisher’s offices and distribution centre to 3 657 m² of upgraded business space at Growthpoint Business Park in Midrand, Gauteng.

Penguin Random House is a longstanding Growthpoint tenant.

It is relocating its offices from 800 m² of space in Growthpoint’s Rosebank Office Park to 1 428 m² of office space at Growthpoint Business Park.

At the same time, it is moving its distribution centre from Pretoria into a cost-effective, efficiency-boosting, high-profile 2 229 m² warehousing unit at Growthpoint Business Park.

The brief from Penguin Random House for its new premises focused firmly on functionality. It wanted its premises to support as broad a range of bookselling as possible so that people can easily access content.

Growthpoint says the new warehouse will enable this, making it much easier for Penguin Random House to distribute its titles, for booksellers to receive the stock they need and for readers to enjoy their books.

“Penguin Random House South Africa is excited to relocate our Johannesburg and Pretoria operations to the new, centrally located base in Midrand. In the new world of hybrid work models, we have taken the decision to combine all Gauteng operations together, rationalise office space and increase our distribution capacity.

“Growthpoint have provided us with a well-designed, safe and accessible home in which to expand our operations in the Highveld,” says Penguin Random House CEO Steve Connolly.

Growthpoint has invested R12-million in an extensive overhaul and modernisation of the premises, inside and out, to prepare the new premises for Penguin Random House’s occupation on July 1.

Growthpoint sought to lighten the environmental impact of the entire upgrade project in several ways, including reusing non-renewable resources.