ARGAN announced the delivery of its new 18,000 sq.m AutOnom® logistics platform located in the Ouest Park development zone in Louailles (72). The site will host the teams of NORTENE HOME DEPOT, a specialist in the distribution of garden and outdoor landscaping products, under a firm 12-year long-term lease.
NORTENE HOME DEPOT is one of the leading players in the European gardening and DIY market. With more than 50 years of expertise, the company operates as both a manufacturer and a distributor. Part of the CATRAL Group, which is present across Europe through six subsidiaries, the brand markets its products through an extensive distribution network that includes DIY stores, garden centres, agricultural cooperatives, and hardware stores, representing nearly 4,000 points of sale in France, in addition to its e-commerce channels.
Ideally located midway between Angers and Le Mans, with immediate access to the A11 highway, the warehouse benefits from a strategic location just 30 kilometres from NORTENE’s French headquarters. This new facility will enable the company to optimize its logistics operations and sustainably support its growth.
Adapting to meet an urgent need
ARGAN and its partners successfully met NORTENE’s urgent requirements by delivering and making the new facility available in successive phases within a very short timeframe. This phased handover enabled the teams to move in and begin operations even before construction was fully completed. The first phase was delivered as early as the end of 2025, just 10 months after the start of construction works.
An AutOnom®-labelled project: the warehouse that generates its own energy
As with all new developments undertaken by ARGAN, this logistics platform has been AutOnom®-labelled.
A rooftop photovoltaic power plant with a capacity of 300 kWp has been installed and coupled with battery storage systems offering a total capacity of 200 kWh, covering the site’s lighting and heating requirements. Heating is provided by high-performance electric heat pumps. Overall, the AutOnom® features reduce the facility’s CO₂ emissions by a factor of ten, with the remaining emissions offset through a reforestation program in Cestas (Gironde, France). As a result, the site achieves carbon neutrality during its operational phase.
Ronan Le Lan
Chairman of ARGAN's Executive Board
This project is a true showcase of ARGAN’s expertise in logistics real estate development. Agility and adaptability are at the core of our value proposition. The success of this project, delivered within a very short timeframe and made available through a phased early handover process, is also the result of the commitment and dedication of all our partners, particularly A26 Architectures, IDEC, and the Communauté de Communes du Pays Sabolien
Olivier Morel
CEO of NORTENE HOME DEPOT
We are delighted to move into this new facility, which meets the highest standards, particularly in terms of environmental performance. The AutOnom® label, and especially the building’s energy self-consumption capabilities, are perfectly aligned with our ambitious ESG strategy, embodied in our Group signature: For a Sustainable Garden. We would like to extend our sincere thanks and congratulations to the ARGAN teams for their ability to deliver this project in a partially occupied environment and within a record timeframe.
