Talking Advanced Manufacturing with JLL’s Greg Matter and Meaghan Elwell [Area Development Podcast]

Why now? What makes this moment different for manufacturing site selection?
GM: There’s been a decade of talk about reshoring and regionalization, but the last four years made it real. First it was clean energy. Now it’s national security. Clients aren’t just interested — they’re under pressure to get to market fast. That speed has exposed how limited our existing site and power infrastructure really is.

How is that pressure playing out inside the facilities themselves?
ME: Many of our clients are in plants that are 50+ years old. We’re still maintaining pre-WWII boilers. So, when a company wants to expand or modernize, they're not starting from scratch — they’re patching systems and racing the clock. What they often need is a capital strategy that prioritizes uptime and innovation.

So greenfield isn’t always the answer?
ME: Not unless you have three years to wait. We’ve seen clients adapt spec logistics buildings into advanced manufacturing with some structural upgrades — new slab, added power. It’s faster than building new and offers better flexibility than most aging manufacturing stock.
GM: The average age of our manufacturing buildings nationally is 55 years old. Several of the top infrastructure-ready buildings got picked off fast after the Inflation Reduction Act. Since then, everyone else has had to get more creative — or more patient.

What makes a site “ideal” right now?
GM: We use a simple framework: people, place, and power. That’s your scorecard. If any one of those is weak — labor, ecosystem, or energy — the project is going to struggle.

Is power availability now a bigger issue than power cost?
GM: Right now, yes. Clients need megawatts and they need them fast. Even if you're a high-usage user like a semiconductor or aluminum producer, availability is the first gate.
ME: And there are workarounds on cost — microgrids, batteries, solar, AI-driven energy optimization. Clients are learning to mix and match sources to manage spend.

What’s the biggest blind spot you see among corporate leaders?
GM: Underestimating the timeline. CEOs often think of site selection as a six-month decision. It's not. Grid capacity, workforce pipelines, permitting — these things don’t happen on executive timelines unless you start early.
ME: And not considering the people on the plant floor. There’s been so much focus on corporate return-to-office amenities. Meanwhile, your operators never left. Break rooms, outdoor access, lighting — if you want to retain skilled labor, the facility has to support them, too.

Has the Inflation Reduction Act changed the game for your clients?
GM: Absolutely. It triggered a frenzy for existing sites with infrastructure in place. The best power-ready buildings got picked off fast. Since then, everyone else has had to get more creative — or more patient.

What advice do you give mid-sized manufacturers entering the market now?
ME: Be ready to retrofit. A logistics box with the right bones — clear height, column spacing — might be your best option. Don’t wait for a perfect building. Build your team around the ability to adapt what’s available.
GM: And do your diligence. A site that worked for warehouse use doesn’t necessarily work for your machinery. You might need a 24-inch slab, reinforced roof, or 5,000 amps of power. That’s not plug-and-play.
We're seeing facilities blend solar with storage and traditional grid access to stay flexible and resilient.

Let’s go deeper on talent. Are clients thinking enough about workforce development?
ME: Some are. We had a client retraining their entire floor staff to operate CNC routers and laser machines — that’s real transformation. But others still treat labor like a fixed input. That doesn’t work in advanced manufacturing. You need to invest in training, in the workplace experience, and in partnerships with community colleges and workforce boards. We help with that planning, too.
GM: Meaghan’s exactly right. A lot of companies still think labor is a plug-and-play equation. It’s not. You’re either building pipelines in these markets, or you’re going to lose your advantage.

Is this challenge getting worse with all the new projects chasing the same inventory?
GM: Yes. There was a brief pause following the original tariff announcement, but since then the pace has picked up. There’s more competition for the same handful of viable properties.
ME: And the gap is only growing. We’re not building enough modern industrial stock, and what we are building tends to be designed for logistics — not the power or process needs of advanced manufacturing.

One innovation that keeps you up at night — in a good way?
GM: AI on the production floor. It’s going to help us bring more work back to the U.S. — better stability, better security, better jobs.

Biggest misconception about advanced manufacturing?
ME: That it’s completely different from regular manufacturing. It’s not. It’s still manufacturing — just done smarter. We’re using AI in facilities too — predictive maintenance, better uptime, smarter systems.

Let’s wrap with a quick look ahead. One word or phrase that defines what’s coming?
GM: Reindustrialization. We’re in the middle of the biggest U.S. manufacturing surge since World War II.
ME: A manufacturing boom — and a reimagination of skill sets. We need more people choosing trade paths and technical training. We can’t do this without them.