ProLogis has pre-let 1.2m sq ft in the US to car company BMW.

The developer has signed a deal to develop two distribution facilities for BMW in Illinois and Pennsylvania.

ProLogis has also bought a 252,000 sq ft shed from BMW in Mount Olive, New Jersey in a sale-and-leaseback deal, which BMW will continue to occupy until the Pennsylvania warehouse is complete.

The larger centre to be built for the car company at ProLogis Park 22 in Lower Nazareth, eastern Pennsylvania, will comprise 870,000 sq ft and the other centre, in ProLogis Internationale Centre South in Minooka, surburban Chicago, will total 306,000 sq ft.

BMW will use the facilities for storage and handling of automotive and motorcycle parts as well as accessories.

Both facilities will be built to the US Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.

Larry Harmsen, ProLogis managing director, said that the automotive industry was one of ProLogis’ most important sectors, accounting for more than 17m distribution space in its overall industrial portfolio. ProLogis, the world’s largest owner, manager and developer of distribution facilities, controls 446.9m sq ft worldwide.

CBRE represented BMW.