Development Trends Stemming From America’s Industrial Boom

It’s no secret that industrial markets are booming across the nation. Throughout Bohler’s footprint, and particularly in the Southeast, we are seeing a continued rise in the number of warehouse, distribution, and data center land development projects taking shape.

I recently joined a panel of industry experts at the REAL Professionals Network event, “Industrial and Supply Chain Overview,” to take a look at why, and where the latest trends are leading developers.

What’s Causing America’s Industrial Boom?

• Retailers are experiencing record sales on goods.
• Consumers have more money to spend. Many have significantly increased their personal savings since 2020.
• Challenges in the transportation industry, specifically trucking, have increased the cost of long-hauling. Retailers are reacting by adding more distribution facilities in closer proximity to their consumers.

Where Are the Latest Opportunities?

• Cold Storage. As people are eating fresher and healthier, online grocery orders are increasing. Existing cold storage facilities are aging and inefficient. Sizeable investments are being made to rebuild and upgrade these facilities. Additionally, new facilities are needed to keep up with increased demand.
• Data Centers. Outside of Loudoun County, VA – the data center capital of the world – data centers are being developed anywhere there is available land, water, power, and fiber. We are seeing a particular increase in data center activity throughout Texas, the Carolinas, and Ohio.
• Life Sciences. Historically developed in clusters near cities with strong pharmaceutical and biotech university programs like Boston, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh, life sciences facilities are now expanding across the nation, particularly throughout the Research Triangle in North Carolina. With the increased use of automated manufacturing, these facilities no longer require as many employees to operate them, and can be located anywhere.
• East Coast Seaports. From Boston to Miami, port authorities are creating deeper, wider ports to accommodate larger ships. To avoid back-ups at major West Coast ports, companies are now coming directly to the East Coast. Distribution, logistics, and warehouse spaces are needed around these ports to support the incoming goods.

Through our experience across all of these industrial markets, we understand the goals, ambitions, and challenges of warehouse, distribution center, and data center owners and developers. Here is a look at our proof of partnership and ability to move projects forward faster.

Ready to seize your next opportunity in land development?