Mature property, modern solutions. How Apsys has managed Manufaktura for twenty years

Apsys Polska has been operating on the market for three decades as an investor, developer and manager of commercial real estate. Manufaktura in Łódź is one of the largest retail and cultural complexes in Europe. It is the project that best illustrates how Apsys manages assets: with a long-term perspective, consistently and with a focus on building the lasting value of the property.

In 2003, Apsys began the regeneration of the derelict site of Izrael Poznański’s former factory in Łódź. The project required more than EUR 200 million and involved approximately 3,000 people. In May 2006, Manufaktura opened as the first property in Poland to combine retail, food, culture and entertainment in a single, coherent space, while preserving the industrial character of the historic halls. In 2012, Manufaktura was acquired by Union Investment Real Estate for the UniImo: Deutschland investment fund, and Apsys remains its manager to this day.

Active management, concrete results

Manufaktura was created in market conditions very different from today’s. At the time, e-commerce was not real competition for bricks-and-mortar retail, smartphones were not used to shop from anywhere in the world, and ESG was not one of the key criteria in investment decisions. Even so, Manufaktura ended 2025 with 100% occupancy of its retail space and a 2.3% year-on-year increase in sales. Manufaktura welcomes up to 21 million visitors a year.

The 100% occupancy rate is the result of a consistent leasing strategy pursued by the Apsys leasing team. In 2025, Manufaktura welcomed many new brands, including Tempur, Adopt Perfumes, Grand Optical and Smoke. The fashion offer was strengthened by Bimba y Lola, Boggi Milano, Łódź-based NAOKO and TATUUM, while Świat Pierogów joined the food and beverage tenants.

We ended last year with 100% of our space leased. For us, this confirms that our existing partners trust us, while new ones see the strength and potential of Manufaktura and want to grow their business right here. When building the tenant mix, we are not driven simply by the desire to fill vacant space; each brand is selected for its business potential and its fit with the property’s positioning and customer expectations,” says Elżbieta Rek, Portfolio Leasing Director at Apsys Polska.

This year, too, Manufaktura’s portfolio has been enriched with new brands such as Oysho, Burger Majster and a climbing wall – Manufaktura Wspinania.

Continuous development

Over the years, numerous improvements have been introduced at Manufaktura that affect the day-to-day operation of the property and the quality of visitors’ experience. In 2015, a three-level car park directly connected to the complex was opened on the Drewnowska Street side, adding 420 spaces. This brought the total number of available parking spaces to 3,500. In 2019–2020, a comprehensive refurbishment costing PLN 90 million was carried out. Among other things, it included the modernisation of the entire food court area, with the addition of a huge skylight above it, the renovation of the malls and common areas, the replacement of furniture, the addition of new indoor play areas, the redevelopment of the main entrance and the façade, and the installation of new lighting and ventilation systems. In 2023, a 500 kWp photovoltaic farm was launched on Manufaktura’s roof – the first installation of its kind on a retail property in Poland. In 2025, Manufaktura obtained a dual BREEAM In-Use certification at the highest possible level, Outstanding, in the asset performance (88.9%) and management (85.3%) categories. This makes it one of three retail properties in Poland and one of twenty worldwide with such a result. The property has been certified since 2011 and has come a long way from Very Good through Excellent to Outstanding – a path that is particularly demanding for a historic building, where the scope for modernisation is limited.

The foundation that sets the direction of management activities, including those related to sustainability, is the coherent, clearly defined vision shared by Manufaktura’s owner, Union Investment Real Estate, and Apsys as manager. The amenities introduced and actions taken over the years not only help to reduce environmental impact, but also allow us to look after the well-being of customers visiting the property and give them the best possible experience,” says Sławomir Murawski, Director of Manufaktura.

The manager as the investor’s partner

Manufaktura is twenty years old, but its results prove that a well-managed property – thanks to a shared vision and cooperation between owner and manager – can still be an attractive asset for an investor, a good choice for brands, both established ones and those just entering the market, and the first choice for a wide range of customers.

Apsys systematically measures the quality of its management, including through its proprietary “At Your Service” programme, which includes an independent audit of more than 60 services and amenities carried out in all properties in the company’s management portfolio. Last year, Manufaktura achieved the highest score – 99% overall. Owner and tenant satisfaction surveys are also carried out every year, and their results have been rising steadily for years.

Today, Manufaktura is one of the most recognisable retail and cultural destinations in Poland and a showcase for Łódź. It attracts tourists not only from the region, but from across the country and abroad. Since opening, it has won as many as 42 industry awards, including for marketing and leasing activities, CSR and regeneration, granted by the most important industry organisations.

In the future, Apsys plans to add greenery to the Manufaktura Market Square, further expand the photovoltaic farm and modernise the HVAC systems (heating, ventilation and air conditioning). Manufaktura also plans to build a connector providing direct access to the Łódź Polesie underground station being built next door, part of the Łódź cross-city tunnel – an underground railway line linking the city’s main transport hubs. This will make it possible to reach Manufaktura from Łódź Fabryczna, Łódź Kaliska and Łódź Żabieniec without changing trains or getting stuck in traffic, significantly increasing the number of customers arriving by public transport.

For owners of commercial assets, Manufaktura answers the question of what to expect from a good manager: not just operational efficiency on the day of the takeover, but the ability to build value over decades.