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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Manufacturing / Industrial

Front Line: Brownfields Offer Redevelopment Opportunities

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q4 2023)

Found in both urban and rural areas and often with infrastructure in place, brownfield sites can be revitalized and reused with the proper remediation plan in place. More

Front Line: Satisfying the Semiconductor Industry’s Workforce Needs

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q3 2023)

As the semiconductor industry announces plans to grow domestic production, it is facing a workforce shortage. More

U.S. Attracting FDI From European Manufacturers

Michael Johnson, Shareholder, Baker Donelson and Sebastian Meis, Shareholder, Baker Donelson (Q3 2023)

High energy prices and bureaucracy at home, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain demands are among the factors spurring European companies to expand or relocate operations to the United States. More

E-Commerce and the Struggle Against Space Challenges

Matt Powers, Executive Vice President, Retail/E-Commerce Distribution, JLL (Q3 2023)

In the age of online shopping, retail brand decision-makers must strike a balance between their immediate space requirements and long-term sustainability. More

Critical Considerations for Siting an EV Manufacturing Project

Shannon O'Hare, Executive Managing Director, Business Incentives Advisory, Total Workplace, Cushman & Wakefield and Matt Niehoff, Senior Consulting Analyst, Location & Labor Analytics, Cushman & Wakefield (2023 Auto/Aero Site Guide)

The location process for EV and battery projects must take into account proximity to supply chains and markets, availability of skilled labor, ample power and water supplies, financial and other incentives, as well as cooperation between community stakeholders. More

37th Annual Corporate Survey: Economic Pressures Exerting Greatest Effect on Decision-Makers

Geraldine Gambale, Editor, Area Development Magazine (Q1 2023)

Companies looking to grow are facing an historically tight labor market and rising costs, but their plans to invest may be buoyed by recent government legislation. More

19th Annual Consultants Survey: Clients Challenged by Tight Labor Market, Energy Availability

Geraldine Gambale, Editor, Area Development Magazine (Q1 2023)

Consultants responding to our survey say economic conditions are affecting their clients’ expansion/investment plans, with labor and energy availability and costs of prime concern. More

Federal Legislation Affects Companies’ Investment Plans

Jacob Everett , Founder, Corsa Strategies (Q1 2023)

Companies looking to grow are facing an historically tight labor market and rising costs, but their plans to invest may be buoyed by recent government legislation. More

Corporate Decision-Makers Face a Challenging Environment

Larry Gigerich, Executive Managing Director , Ginovus (Q1 2023)

The rankings clearly reflect the impact of geopolitical and economic instability, as well as technology. More

Labor Related Factors Are Key

Bradley Migdal, Executive Managing Director, Business Incentives Practice, Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. and Matt Niehoff, Senior Consulting Analyst, Location & Labor Analytics, Cushman & Wakefield (Q1 2023)

Companies are searching for the right balance of labor — at all skill levels — that can satisfy their needs not only now but also into the future. More

Energy Costs Come to the Forefront

Lauren Berry, Senior Manager, Location Analysis and Incentives, Maxis Advisors (Q1 2023)

The shift away from carbon-emitting fuels and the unexpected spikes in natural gas pricing in 2022 have made industrial customers increasingly sensitive to energy costs in their location decisions. More

Companies Are Recalibrating Their Priorities

Eric Stavriotis, Vice Chairman, CBRE (Q1 2023)

In recent years many companies have been propelled to recalibrate priorities for their location strategies and resulting real estate footprints. The top site selection factors for occupiers today include the following: More

Manufacturing and Distribution Trends Impact the Value of Credits and Incentives

Jennifer Clement, Strategic Pursuits Leader, Manufacturing & Distribution, CLA and Patrick Hanlon, Director, Business Incentives Consulting, CLA (Q1 2023)

Credits and incentives are just one consideration among many factors that need to be taken into account as your company begins its location search. More

Top-Four Location Considerations for EV Battery Plants

Rob Whitson, Senior Civil Engineer, Gresham Smith (Q1 2023)

Prioritizing needs, identifying unique site constraints, and getting the right people involved from the get-go will ensure the long-term success of your operation. More

Strategies to Overcome Intensifying Industrial Real Estate Challenges

Jacob Everett , Founder, Corsa Strategies (Q1 2023)

Companies facing constraints in the industrial real estate market should build extra time into their site searches and widen their geographic areas of search. More

Reprioritize Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiatives

Terri McClements, Workforce Transformation Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consulting Leader, PwC (Workforce Q4 2022)

Manufacturers must reprioritize their DEI efforts in order to acquire and retain the best talent, which will lead to enhanced employee performance and increased innovation More

In Focus: The CHIPS Act - A Historic Investment in Our Future

Quentin L. Messer, Jr., CEO, Michigan Economic Development Corporation (Q4 2022)

By helping to provide a critical domestic supply chain, the CHIPS Act represents a new era of American industrial competitiveness. More

Only the Best Is Good Enough: The LEGO Group Chooses Virginia for U.S. Manufacturing Facility

Virginia Economic Development Partnership (Q4 2022)

The Chesterfield County plant will help the global toy icon fulfill customer demand in the Americas without increasing its carbon footprint. More

Amid Rebound, U.S. Regains Position as World Leader in FDI

Brian Jones, President & CEO, Gray Construction (Q4 2022)

Traditional and rapidly emerging industries alike are choosing the U.S. for its stable and innovative market, skilled workforce, and favorable tax and regulatory climate. More

Higher Borrowing and Construction Costs Impacting Industrial Users

David Welch, CEO & President, Robinson Weeks Partners (Q4 2022)

As interest rates rise, industrial developers are prepping for a ramp-down of new projects. More

Major Projects Embrace Wide Open Rural Spaces

John W. McCurry (Q3 2022)

Available land, lower costs, and the desire to co-locate with suppliers and customers draw companies to rural locations, but satisfying infrastructure needs and access to talent shouldn’t be overlooked. More

Mississippi’s Shovel-Ready Sites Are Open for Business

Mark Crawford, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q3 2022)

Shovel-ready sites give companies a jump-start in getting their operations up and running, while helping communities quickly create jobs. More

Gaining Community Approval for Your Next Big-Box Project

Benton Blaine, Vice President, Infrastructure & Economic Development, McGuireWoods Consulting and Joseph Beasley, Assistant Vice President, McGuireWoods Consulting LLC (Q3 2022)

Partnerships with local economic developers and other community stakeholders are key to a company getting approval to site a big-box distribution center. More

The New Industrial Ecosystem

Amy Fobes, Managing Director , Savills (Q3 2022)

Resiliency in manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution requires a robust, data-driven approach to understanding the financial and operational influences across the new and ever-evolving industrial ecosystem. More

In Focus: “Golden Age” of Spec Development

Josh Wheeler, Senior Vice President , Stonemont Financial Group (Q3 2022)

The e-commerce revolution and its related supply chain challenges have created a surge in spec development of industrial and logistics space. More

2022 Gold & Silver Shovel Awards Project of the Year: Blue Star Manufacturing Ramps Up PPE Production in Virginia

Steve Kaelble, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q2 2022)

The establishment of a facility for the production of medical-grade gloves in Virginia is an important step in alleviating supply chain issues with Asian-made products. More

2022 Gold & Silver Shovel Awards Project of the Year: EV Startup Canoo Inc. Plans Oklahoma “Mega Microfactory”

Steve Kaelble, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q2 2022)

Mid-America Industrial Park will be the site of Canoo’s new auto manufacturing facility. More

First Person: ESG Propels Honeywell in New Directions

Evan van Hook, Chief Sustainability Officer, Honeywell (Q2 2022)

Policies with regard to environmental, social, and governance issues have become increasingly important to all companies, as well as their shareholders, in the 21st century’s “sustainability revolution.” More

In Focus: The Impact of E-Commerce on Industrial Real Estate

Carolyn Salzer, Director, Logistics & Industrial Services, Cushman & Wakefield (Q2 2022)

E-commerce fulfillment often demands three to four times the logistics space of traditional brick-and-mortar retail replenishment. More

Front Line: Performing Physical Tasks Remotely

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q2 2022)

Rapid advances in automation are even allowing some tasks in manufacturing facilities to be tackled remotely. More

How Industrial Companies Can Avoid Security Breaches

Cristi Waterson (Q2 2022)

Your company needs to have a plan in place to protect its data from a costly, devastating security breach — and a backup plan in place for if and when a breach occurs. More

Taking Action Now for An Increasingly Automated Future

Jacob Everett , Founder, Corsa Strategies (Q2 2022)

The jobs created by automation will ultimately exceed those that are lost, but a federal program is needed to successfully navigate the transformation of the labor force. More

The Evolution of the Megasite

Courtney Dunbar, Site Selection & Economic Development Leader, Burns & McDonnell and Corey Kingsland, Civil Engineering Section Manager, Burns & McDonnell (Q2 2022)

As the need for next-generation megasites continues to grow, economic development professionals are helping end-users reimagine the site selection and site preparedness process. More

36th Annual Corporate Survey: Executives Focus on Labor, Energy, Shipping Costs

Geraldine Gambale, Editor, Area Development Magazine (Q1 2022)

A tight labor market, supply chain challenges, and rising costs have resulted in some surprising changes in corporate respondents’ location priorities. More

18th Annual Consultants Survey: Access to Major Markets and Skilled Labor Are Clients’ Primary Concerns

Geraldine Gambale, Editor, Area Development Magazine (Q1 2022)

Supply chain considerations, the shortage of skilled workers, and a lack of industrial space are top of mind for their clients, according to consultants responding to our annual survey. More

Labor Challenges in the Industrial and Manufacturing Sectors Persist

Carolyn Salzer, Director, Logistics & Industrial Services, Cushman & Wakefield (Workforce Q4 2021)

Despite an improving economy, businesses are continuing to face obstacles in finding, training, and retaining enough qualified workers. More

Shaping Compliance for Your New Biomanufacturing Facility

Roger Humphrey, Division President, Life Sciences, JLL (Q4 2021)

If you have a new biomanufacturing site in the works, you can open doors to a productive, compliance-forward facility with these strategies. More

On the Hunt for a Productive New Biomanufacturing Site?

Travis McCready, Executive Director, U.S. Life Sciences Markets, JLL (Q4 2021)

Real estate and facility strategy can fuel efficiency, scale, and speed to market for your new biomanufacturing operation More

In Focus: A PFAS State of Mind

Bina Joshi, Partner, Schiff Hardin (Q4 2021)

While the law concerning PFAS is still in flux, property owners and operators need to consider its implications. More

In Focus: The Future of Sustainability in Real Estate

Kristin Mueller, COO, JLL Property Management (Q4 2021)

As they realize the impact the built world has on the environment, companies are increasingly transitioning to cleaner, greener facilities and operations. More

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