Long-established brand leases back approximately 19,500 m² on a long-term basis – Deed to be executed in just under four weeks – Angermann NRW acts as exclusive broker
Cologne, September 23, 2026. The brand that gave “Einwecken” its name has sold its distribution center in Alfter near Bonn—and will continue to use it as before. The KARL Group from Hengersberg acquired the property on Maarbachstraße / Alter Heerweg, immediately on the outskirts of Bonn, as part of a sale-and-lease-back transaction. WECK glass and packaging GmbH is leasing the approximately 19,500 m² back on a long-term basis. Less than four weeks elapsed between the initial contact and the notarization in February 2026; the transaction was finalized with the closing. Angermann NRW acted as the exclusive broker.
“Small and medium-sized businesses are discovering that their most valuable financing tool is right on their own property. A sale-and-lease-back is not a distress sale, but rather the decision to let capital work within the business rather than in concrete,” says Paul Rieker, Investment Manager at Angermann NRW. “The fact that this transaction was notarized in just under four weeks was due to a financially strong buyer with short decision-making processes—and to a process that was designed for closure from the very beginning,” adds Patrick Sohns, managing partner of Angermann NRW GmbH.
Approximately 19,500 m² of warehouse space on a 33,900 m² lot
The site comprises approximately 19,515 m² of leasable space, almost all of which consists of warehouse and logistics space, on a plot of approximately 33,900 m² with 125 parking spaces. The warehouses are accessible via ramps, loading docks, and sectional doors and are directly connected to the neighboring WECK glassworks, which is not part of the transaction. Via the B56, located 300 meters away, as well as the A565 and A59, the site is directly connected to the highway network of the Cologne/Bonn region.
Successful Investment Strategy and Leaseback by WECK
The lease agreement is long-term and value-protected; operations at the site will continue as usual.
“With this acquisition, we are successfully continuing our strategy of purchasing and restructuring real estate. The long-term leaseback arrangement ensures stable planning and underscores the sustainable quality of the investment. At the same time, the transaction demonstrates that attractive opportunities can be realized even in a challenging market environment when all parties involved collaborate in a spirit of partnership, swiftly, and with a focus on finding solutions,” says André Karl, Managing Director of the KARL Group.
Context: Business Properties Are Becoming a Source of Capital
Rising financing costs and cautious banks are changing the calculus for small and medium-sized enterprises: Owning a business property ties up capital that has a greater impact on day-to-day operations than it does in the property records. The structure is key—a long-term, value-protected leaseback arrangement means that the sale is not a retreat but rather a way to secure the company’s location. For investors, this creates properties with predictable cash flow and a tenant that has been tied to the location for decades.
The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.
Photo: Angermann NRW
About Angermann NRW
Angermann NRW GmbH, headquartered in Cologne, is part of the nationwide Angermann Real Estate Group and one of the leading commercial real estate advisory firms in North Rhine-Westphalia. Across the three asset classes—office leasing, industrial & logistics, and investment—the team of approximately 20 professionals supports tenants, owners, and investors with the agility of an owner-managed firm and the backing of a nationwide corporate group founded in 1953. What sets Angermann NRW apart is the combination of owner relationships cultivated over decades, in-house asset management and investment experience, and a consistently digitized sales process.
About the KARL Group
The KARL Group, headquartered in Hengersberg, is a nationwide, family-run corporate group with over 60 years of experience in the transformation and revitalization of real estate and brownfield sites. Approximately 350 employees bring together comprehensive expertise across the real estate life cycle in the areas of revitalization, real estate, energy, and construction. As an investor and transformation partner, KARL develops existing industrial and commercial sites into economically viable, sustainable living and working spaces. The principle of “revitalization before land sealing” stands for responsible land use, a circular economy, and recycled building materials. Strong equity, technical expertise, and streamlined decision-making processes enable fast, reliable transactions—even in cases involving contaminated sites, historic preservation, or complex ownership structures. The acquisition focus is on sites of 5,000 m² or larger, as well as sale-and-lease-back, NPL, and distressed situations.