< PreviousT he social media spotlight series “I am IAMC” kicked off with a bang this summer, highlighting members’ professional experiences and personal refl ections on community, leadership and connection in a fast-moving industry. Here we present an example from corporate end user member and IAMC Vice Chair Matt Boehlke of Xcel Energy. Whether you’ve been part of IAMC for years or are just beginning your journey, you are IAMC. When you’re ready to share your story, reach out to Rya Hazelwood at rya. hazelwood@iamc.org to get the ball rolling. 8 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION ‘I Am IAMC’ Campaign Takes Flight Matt Boehlke Senior Director, Property and Aviation Services, Xcel Energy “I am Matt Boehlke with Xcel Energy. I am industrial . And I am IAMC .” What do you value most about IAMC? The relationships formed that create a network for me to leverage when needed. What’s the best connection or insight you’ve gained through IAMC? All corporate real estate folks face similar issues/challenges. I’m not alone! What does being part of industrial real estate mean to you? Providing the infrastructure that gets things done. What advice would you give to someone new to IAMC? Don’t be shy and make friends. Business will evolve naturally. It all starts with the personal connections you make over time. What advice would you give to someone considering joining IAMC? Get involved, as that will help you understand the secret sauce to why this group is successful. How has IAMC impacted your career or company? Having connections across the country and the globe provides me with a better grasp of what’s trending and why. If you had to describe IAMC in three words, what would they be? Social, committed, and smart. Finish this sentence: “IAMC is the one organization that _____.” Has the resources I need to take my business to the next level.10 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION From Seattle to São Paulo, Events Continue To Deliver Insights S ummertime may have offered a break from school, but it certainly didn’t slow down IAMC learning opportunities. Between the successful IAMC Spring Forum in Sacramento in the spring and the forthcoming Fall Forum in Indianapolis in October, the organization’s calendar includes not one but two IAMC International events in São Paulo, Brazil (the second to take place October 8); one in London, England; and two in Mexico (Monterrey and Mexico City). IAMC Local events during the same time span have taken place in Princeton, New Jersey, in April; Phoenix in May; Seattle and Atlanta in July; and Chicago in August. Toledo, Ohio, will host an IAMC Local on September 24. The incomparable expertise shared across these venues has come from a roster as deep as it is wide, including leaders at Newmark; ARCO; Cacheaux, Cavazos & Newton; Cresa; Romark Logistics; Colliers International; TileBar; Savills; Broadrange Logistics; Crux Commercial Partners; Lee & Associates; CBRE; Kidder Mathews; Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM); Bridge Industrial; FIBRA Macquarie; Cushman & Wakefield; Dermody Properties; Caterpillar; Clayco; Georgia Department of Economic Development; Georgia Power; Metro Atlanta Chamber; Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Co.; the Development Authority of Bulloch County, Georgia; and Citius Advisory Group. Topics have ranged as broadly and deeply as the expertise: monetizing surplus property and infrastructure; shifting supply chains; trade, tariffs and industrial real estate; local market analysis; impacts of One Big Beautiful Bill; how AI is being used in corporate real estate; the strain data centers are placing on the power grid; and teaming up to support Hyundai’s “Metaplant.” And every IAMC Local always includes a rapid-fire Local Trends & Topics session modeled after the IAMC Forum’s signature Get Some Help! Sessions. Among the handful of members attending multiple IAMC Locals in the space of a week in Atlanta and Chicago was Chloe Heiligenstein, development associate at Sansone Group. “Another week, another Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC) Local meeting in #Chicago!” she noted on LinkedIn. “Compared to our conversations last week at IAMC Atlanta, general market confidence was extremely positive! The programming was engaging, yet informative, all focused on how busy everyone has been and what specifically has been keeping them busy. “Economic developers are seeing increased project activity, brokers are working new requirements and upcoming renewals, developers (like Sansone Group) are actively transacting and developing, and corporate end users are staying nimble and adapting,” she observed. “We’ve been so absorbed with negative headlines and questionable data, this was a fantastic indicator of what’s actually occurring in the market and what’s to come moving forward. Just something to think about from Sansone’s standpoint in terms of market activity: We closed on two major transactions last week and have capitalized a number of deals in the last three months. All of our active projects are seeing strong tenant activity across the U.S. These are both clear indicators of where the market is going. Great to collaborate and put heads together with my peers at IAMC!” Chloe Heiligenstein, Development Associate, Sansone Group12 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION by DUC LE, TRACTUS VIETNAM COUNTRY MANAGER editor@siteselection.com V ietnam is no longer just catching up. After decades of steady reforms, infrastructure development and economic liberalization, the country is now pushing to join the ranks of Asia’s most dynamic economies. Its story echoes that of the original Asian Tigers — Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan — whose rapid growth transformed them into global trade and investment hubs. From Reforms to Results Vietnam’s transformation began in with the Doi Moi economic reforms, a turning point that shifted the country from a centrally planned economy to a more open, market-oriented system. ese reforms allowed private enterprise, reduced trade barriers and opened the door to foreign investment. e impact was swift. In the late s, GDP per capita hovered just above US$. By , it had surpassed US$, (PPP). Poverty rates fell, exports surged and Vietnam began to emerge as a credible manufacturing destination. With the signing of major trade agreements, Vietnam’s access to global markets deepened. Vietnam continues to post strong economic growth, often between % and % annually, excluding pandemic years. e country’s manufacturing sector remains a key driver, with electronics, apparel and footwear as top exports. Major global brands such as Samsung, LG, Intel, Nike and Adidas have established production facilities in Vietnam, drawn by competitive labor costs and improving infrastructure. Vietnam’s trade relationships are diverse. e United States is the largest buyer of Vietnamese goods, while China serves both as a supplier and export destination. e EU, Japan and South Korea also play central roles, trading across sectors such as electronics, seafood, coff ee and machinery. is geographic spread reduces overreliance on any single partner. Demographics are another strength. With % of its million people at working age and a median age of , Vietnam boasts a young, literate and increasingly urbanized population. e country’s growing middle class adds another layer of resilience, fueling domestic consumption and attracting investors seeking stable long- term markets. ASIA Ho Chi Minh City 2024 photo by wichianduangsri: Getty Images Vietnam’s Bid FOR Tig Status14 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION Building a Platform for Investment Infrastructure, once a major constraint, is catching up fast. Vietnam has expanded its expressway network, linking major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City through projects like the North– South Expressway. Airports including Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai have been upgraded, while new facilities in Van Don and Phu Quoc are boosting both tourism and trade. Port capacity has also grown. Deepwater terminals such as Cai Mep–Thi Vai and Lach Huyen can now accommodate some of the world’s largest container ships, reducing dependence on foreign transshipment hubs. Urban mobility is advancing too. Hanoi’s first metro line is operational, and Ho Chi Minh City’s Line 1 is set to follow. Ambitions for the next decade are even higher. The under-construction Long Thanh International Airport is designed to handle up to 100 million passengers annually. A planned high-speed rail line could reduce travel time between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to under six hours. By 2030, the expressway network is expected to quadruple in size. Alongside physical infrastructure, digital upgrades are underway. Vietnam is investing in 5G networks and smart city technologies, particularly in key urban and industrial zones. Making Things and Making Things Work Better Vietnam’s rise in manufacturing has been driven by more than just low wages. Its location near key Asian markets, coupled with an extensive network of free trade agreements, makes it an attractive hub for global supply chains. The U.S.–China trade tensions accelerated this trend, as companies looked to diversify sourcing and reduce geopolitical risk. Still, challenges remain. High-tech industries face a skills gap. Logistics costs, while falling, are still higher than in some neighboring economies. And while FDI continues to flow, the bulk of exports come from foreign-owned enterprises, highlighting a lag in the development of local firms. Environmental pressures also loom larger as industrial activity expands. Vietnam’s government has played a central role in shaping the investment environment. The 2020 Law on Investment streamlined processes for foreign businesses and opened more sectors to private and foreign participation. Customs clearance has improved through the National Single Window Portal. High-tech, renewable energy and R&D projects now benefit from targeted tax incentives. The country’s ambitions for Industry 4.0 are backed by policies promoting automation and semiconductor manufacturing. Education reform is accelerating, with vocational programs expanding in industrial regions and more focus on STEM curricula. International education partnerships — especially with institutions in Japan, Australia and the United States — are helping build a skilled, globally competitive workforce. Sustainability also features prominently. The National Green Growth Strategy 2021–2030 commits to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 15% and has already made Vietnam a leader in solar power across Southeast Asia. Wind energy and electric vehicles are also growing priorities. The government is also working to decentralize growth. Special economic zones in Van Don, Phu Quoc, and Chu Lai are drawing investment beyond the main urban centers, while rural infrastructure projects are improving connectivity for farmers and small producers. Vietnam is following a familiar path, one paved by the original Asian Tigers, with export-led industrialization, education investment and growing global integration. Its fundamentals are strong: low labor costs, a strategic location, diversified trade ties and political stability. But it is not alone. Regional rivals such as Indonesia, Thailand and India are also competing aggressively for investment. Vietnam’s response has been to accelerate infrastructure delivery, improve technical education and align industrial policy with innovation and sustainability. In an era where ESG standards matter more in trade and investment, Vietnam’s early moves into renewables and green industry could prove to be a competitive advantage. Duc Le is Vietnam Country Manager for Tractus. Tractus has 30 years of experience supporting global companies with market entry, site selection and implementation across Asia. Visit tractus-asia.com for more information. Rendering of Long Thanh International Airport courtesy of IC İçtaş Construction16 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION A Port Privatization Program is under way in Mexico aimed at modernizing infrastructure and enhancing the country’s competitiveness as a facilitator of global trade. Plans to upgrade six key ports with public investment of $ . billion were announced by the government in December . In July, that fi gure rose to $ . billion. e government anticipates private investment at the six main ports and three others to reach nearly $ . billion for a combined public-private investment of almost $ billion. “Today, Mexico has port terminals across strategic ports, where % of the investment is private, while the federal government provides the remaining %,” notes Mexican business expansion consultancy Prodensa in a December report, ‘Mexico’s Port Terminals: e Backbone of International Trade Effi ciency.’ “ is model has been highly successful, but it faces signifi cant challenges. Sustained growth in demand, technological by MARK AREND mark.arend@siteselection.com APM Terminals’ operation at the port at Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico, opened in 2017. It’s the country’s largest seaport, handling 25 million tons of cargo annually. Photos courtesy of APM Terminals Public, Private Investment Set for Ports Modernization MEXICONext >