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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Logistics / Infrastructure

“Future-Proofing” Buildings to Account for Autonomous Vehicles

Randy Thompson, Senior Managing Director, Build-to-Suit Advisory Group, Cushman & Wakefield (2019 Auto/Aero Site Guide)

As self-driving vehicles become more ubiquitous, facility designers and owners will need to develop strategies that cover a wide range of possibilities. More

Where to Invest in the Booming Aerospace Manufacturing Industry

Scott Thompson, U.S. Aerospace & Defense , PwC (2019 Auto/Aero Site Guide)

The U.S. remains top-ranked globally for aerospace attractiveness, but companies must consider labor, infrastructure, and tax policy among other factors when deciding where to locate their next U.S. facility. More

Which Government Policies Will Drive the AV Sector Forward?

Benton Blaine, Vice President, Infrastructure & Economic Development, McGuireWoods Consulting and Michele Satterlund , Senior Vice President, State Government Relations, McGuireWoods Consulting LLC (2019 Auto/Aero Site Guide)

State policymaking geared toward interconnectedness and integration is key to growth of the autonomous vehicle sector. More

How CFOs Should Address Trade Questions — ASAP

Matt Clark, President & COO, Corcentric (Q3 2019)

Recent trade tensions and announced tariffs are proving disruptive to businesses, creating an uphill battle for CFOs, but they can mitigate supplier uncertainties by leveraging data. More

The Ever-Greater Expectations for Infrastructure

Warren C. Matthews, Burr & Forman (Q3 2019)

Companies providing quality jobs have never been in a better position to ask for the infrastructure and incentives they need in order to locate their facility — or remain — in a community. More

Seaports Coping With Rising Trade Volumes, Tight Real Estate Markets

Walter Kemmsies, Ph.D., Managing Director, Economist and Chief Strategist, U.S. Ports, Airports and Global Infrastructure Group, JLL (Q3 2019)

In order to address the challenges of big-ship congestion, U.S. seaports are turning to rail, barges, and off-terminal facilities. More

In Focus: Last-Mile Distribution Drives Industrial Demand in Secondary Markets

Ben Newell, Senior Vice President, Logistics Group, Transwestern Development Company (Q3 2019)

Retailers are rethinking their supply chain management and locating closer to the end customer to meet their lightning-fast delivery expectations. More

First Person: Globalization, E-Commerce, Last-Mile Delivery, and Other Supply-Chain Challenges

Steve Hess, Vice President, Development Americas, DHL Supply Chain (Q3 2019)

Area Development recently asked Steve Hess, VP of Real Estate Development at DHL Supply Chain, about issues affecting companies’ global supply chains. DHL is the largest global operator of logistics space, having acquired and/or developed over 20 million square feet of industrial space in the last several years alone, providing both internal and external customers with individually tailored real estate solutions, says Hess. More

Aerospace and Defense Investment Projects Take the Long View

Von Hatley, Managing Director, Jones Walker Consulting, LLC (Q2 2019)

Von Hatley, Managing Director at Jones Walker Consulting, spoke with Area Development about the state of site selection and strategic planning within the aerospace and defense industry after his presentation at our Miami Consultants Forum on the same subject. More

Laying Down the Tracks for Rail-Served Site Selection

Laurence Kahn, Senior Director, Industrial, Franklin Street (Q2 2019)

Area Development sat with Larry Kahn, Senior Director, Industrial, Franklin Street, at our Miami Consultants Forum for a discussion on rail-served site selection and industrial development. More

Site Selection 2020: Riding the Waves of Disruption into the Next Decade

Bradley Migdal, Senior Managing Director, Business Incentives Practice, Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. (Q1 2019)

Following our Miami Consultants Forum, Area Development discussed the current and evolving state of the site selection industry and industrial real estate market with Brad Migdal, Senior Managing Director at Cushman & Wakefield. More

Infrastructure Investment: Shifting the Focus from Cost to Opportunity

Stephen Gray, CEO, Gray Construction (Q4 2018)

The cost of upgrading and maintaining U.S. infrastructure is an investment that will pay off for industry and the nation as a whole, resulting in job creation and increased GDP. More

The Impact of Tariffs on Supply Chain Costs

Dan Levine, Practice Leader, Location Strategies and Economic Development, Oxford Economics, Inc. (Q4 2018)

The worsening tariff situation will affect prices throughout the international supply chain that supports companies’ operations both in the U.S. and abroad — and ultimately affect their bottom line. More

The Surprising Impact of E-Commerce on Urban Real Estate Markets

Joe Mikes, Head of Real Estate Solutions, Americas, DHL Supply Chain (Q4 2018)

Distribution is moving closer to end customers, and that means more distribution centers in urban environments. More

Is the Automotive Aftermarket Immune to E-Commerce?

Jeffrey Green, Managing Director, Global Occupier Services, Cushman & Wakefield and Ben Conwell, Senior Managing Director and Practice Leader, eCommerce Advisory Group , Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. (2018 Auto/Aero Site Guide)

Auto parts suppliers are responding to the growth in e-commerce with a multi-pronged strategy, from the expansion of retail locations to the addition of regional and “mega” distribution hubs. More

For Industrial Development, Rail Is the Gravy Train

Jennifer Harris, Account Director, Akrete (Q3 2018)

Rail development has driven economic opportunity across the United States, opening up new markets and efficiently moving freight. More

How Innovation and Tourism Work Side By Side in Orlando

Mark Crawford, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q2 2018)

The success of Orlando’s theme park industry and cross-disciplinary technology innovation have led to the region becoming a leading destination for high-tech companies. More

In Focus: Steel Tariffs to Prevent U.S. Economic Growth

Stephen Gray, CEO, Gray Construction (Q2 2018)

The recently enacted tariffs on steel and aluminum have created an uncertain investment climate for both domestic and foreign firms, causing companies to rethink their supply chain strategies and put their expansion plans on hold. More

In Focus: E-Tail Creating Demand for Urban Warehouses

Joseph Panepinto, Panepinto Properties (Q2 2018)

In order to be close to their target markets, e-retailers are locating warehouses in urban locations and taking advantage of these densely populated areas’ built-in employee bases. More

The New Aluminum and Steel Tariffs: Implementation, Consequences, and Next Steps

Doreen M. Edelman, Co-Leader, Global Business Team, Baker Donelson and Julius Bodie, Law Clerk, Baker Donelson (Q2 2018)

Businesses that use steel and/or aluminum need to understand how the recently enacted tariffs will affect their supply chain as well as their bottom line. More

Why Top Consulting Firms Are Choosing This Location

Mark Crawford, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q2 2018)

An educated labor pool, top-notch international airport, and a unified community of governmental and business leaders facilitated the selection of Orlando by several high-profile professional consulting firms. More

Get On Track With a Rail-Served Site

Colby Tanner, Assistant Vice President, Economic Development, BNSF (Q1 2018)

The economic and environmental benefits of freight rail transportation should be considered when developing your next facility. More

Front Line: A New Age for Trucking

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q1 2018)

High driver turnover, the new mandate limiting drivers’ hours on the road, and the boom in e-commerce are spurring the adoption of driverless trucks. More

Infrastructure and Its Role in the U.S. Economy

Mark Crawford, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q1 2018)

The federal government is leaning toward the creation of public-private partnerships to finance much-needed improvements to the nation’s infrastructure, which is vital to the manufacturing sector as well as national security. More

In Focus: The ELD Mandate - How It Will Change Your Business Operations

Brian Fielkow, CEO, Jetco Delivery (Q1 2018)

The ELD Mandate, which will change how truckers operate, will ultimately benefit both the trucking industry and the shippers/manufacturers that utilize the industry’s services. More

Dinner on the Front Porch: How E-Commerce Is Affecting the Food Industry

Jeff Dearduff, Corporate Director, Baking & Snack, The Austin Company (2017 Food Processing)

As consumers receive more and more of their food through e-commerce, food manufacturers, assemblers, and distribution networks are going to have to think differently. More

Location Notebook: Kentucky Is Prime Ground for Logistics and Distribution

Mark Crawford, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q4 2017)

Companies like UPS, DHL, Amazon, and others are taking advantage of Kentucky’s centralized location and highly developed infrastructure to move freight by air, water, rail, and road. More

Technological and Other Changes Steering Logistics Decisions

Bill Luttrell, Director of Corporate Real Estate, Werner Enterprises, Inc. (Q4 2017)

For manufacturing and distribution…it’s logistics, logistics, logistics, which is revolutionizing the supply chain — including the location decision process. More

Industry Sea Changes Affecting U.S. Shipping Gateways

Walter Kemmsies, Ph.D., Managing Director, Economist and Chief Strategist, U.S. Ports, Airports and Global Infrastructure Group, JLL (Q4 2017)

Damage from recent hurricanes could have a ripple effect across U.S. seaports, underscoring the rising demand for more sophisticated industrial real estate and infrastructure. More

First Person: A 20-Year Take on the Supply Chain Revolution

Rich Thompson, International Director and Leader, Supply Chain & Logistics Solutions, JLL (Q3 2017)

Supply chain and logistics activities have become a much more visible part of the real estate industry and crucial among developers over the past 20 years. As the Trump administration prepares to renegotiate NAFTA and possibly other free trade agreements, Rich Thompson, JLL’s Global Head of Supply Chain and Logistics Solutions, has been consulting with the firm’s clients about what the future might bring. In this interview, Thompson discusses how supply chain and logistics has been a major driver of industrial development over the last couple of decades — and where it’s headed next. More

Advanced Manufacturing Drives Iowa’s Economy

Iowa Economic Development Authority (Q3 2017)

Supply chain mapping, data on autonomous fleets, and low-cost renewable energy can all be found in Iowa…surprised? You shouldn’t be. More

The Factors Fueling a Resurgence in U.S. Multimodal Freight

Kevin Mohoney , Vice President, Ridge Development Company (Q3 2017)

Whether or not a facility takes immediate advantage of a site’s access, intermodal proximity has become an increasing priority for many industrial users. More

Special Investment Report: Infrastructure Investment, Educational Resources Support Florida’s Diverse and Growing Economy

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q2 2017)

Florida has a dynamic and diverse economy that spans a wide range of industries and employs some 8.5 million people. More

Location Notebook: Louisville-Southern Indiana Offer Bi-State Regional Advantages

Dale D. Buss, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q2 2017)

Although these two locales compete for business to a certain extent, each benefits from the advantages provided by its neighbor, as do the businesses located there. More

Textile Industry Making a Comeback in the U.S. Southeast

Beth H. Land, Vice President, Site Selection Group (Q2 2017)

As the textile industry becomes transformed by technology, companies are considering highly automated, environmentally conscious production facilities in the U.S. Southeast, where the infrastructure necessary for this industry’s success is already in place. More

31st Annual Survey of Corporate Executives Commentary: Survey Factor Rankings Borne Out By Location Decisions in Kentucky

Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development (Q1 2017)

The factors considered most important when making a location decision have been cited by many of the corporate executives who have made the decision to locate or expand facilities in Kentucky. More

In Focus: Why America’s Supply Chain Is Shifting East

KC Conway, Senior Vice President, SunTrust Bank (Q1 2017)

With a vast rail and intermodal network, East Coast ports are well positioned to support the growing e-commerce trend. More

Site Certification Is Not a Substitute for Due Diligence

Courtney Dunbar, Economic Development Leader, Industrial Site Consulting Team, Olsson  (Q1 2017)

While a good amount of information can be obtained through site certification programs, underlying questions with regard to the end-user’s specific timelines and needs as well as how risks will be mitigated still need to be addressed. More

Record Demand Brings New Heights and Challenges to Industrial Real Estate Market

Craig Meyer, President, Logistics and Industrial Services Group for the Americas, JLL (Q1 2017)

The continued growth of e-commerce, promised infrastructure upgrades, and new and creative development are some of the trends affecting the industrial real estate market. More

Frontline: Fourth Industrial Revolution Takes Off, “Localizing” Site Selection Requirements

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q1 2017)

The adoption of new technology — in what’s been called “the fourth industrial revolution” — will benefit the entire manufacturing ecosystem. More

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