Features

he strengthening economic outlook, fueled by a surge in consumer confidence and an increase in business expenditures, is mirrored in the commercial real estate market. The bottom line? The future looks bright for commercial real estate.       The National Association of REALTORS? (NAR) reported in May 2004 at the NAR Midyear Legislative Meetings […]

From Site Selection magazine, July 2004 ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION Tech Transfer Thrives In Mountain States University research is generating startups, jobs. The scenic University of Utah campus launches three to eight startup companies each year. by JOHN W. McCURRY T       ocky Mountain states have long had a leg up in the all-important […]

I t didn’t take long for the Industrial Asset Management Council to hit full stride. In just its second year, IAMC has grown to nearly 300 dues-paying members and carved out a niche in industrial corporate real estate management.         IAMC defines itself as “the premier professional association for corporate real estate […]

A Pfizer patent attorney may have won the 2004 World Series of Poker, but his Connecticut-based Global R&D facilities colleagues work best when their hand is showing to everyone at the table.         That’s why they travelled the world to assess their assets firsthand following the 2002 announcement of their pending acquisition […]

When BASF AG’s first quarter numbers came in, its chemical division’s sales volume had boosted net income by 17 percent. BASF Chairman Juergen Hambrecht said, “We are seeing synchronized growth in the global economy, driven by the dynamically growing economies in the Far East – especially in China – and by solid growth in North […]

ntibiotic resistance is a growing public health problem as disease-causing bacteria continue to find ways to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. It’s a challenge being answered by Rib-X, a young biotech company in New Haven, Conn. Rib-X researchers are using a multi-disciplinary approach to discover new types of antibiotics that will kill or […]

Y ears of championing his state as a top location for business and industry have paid off for Indiana Gov. Joe Kernan in the form of Site Selection magazine’s 2003 Competitiveness Award. As Lieutenant Governor until 2003 – when he took over as governor following the sudden death of Gov. Frank O’Bannon – Kernan personally […]

ndustrial real estate is still riding the coattails of the warehouse/ distribution marketplace, as companies determine where to move their movement operations against the rising background noise of stricter trucking laws, the prospect of radio-frequency identification systems (RFID), tighter shipping security and rising overall shipping and fuel expenses. Regional grocery chain Stater Bros. will build […]

ant to gain an edge over your global competition? Consider locating your next plant in a Foreign-Trade Zone.         If you thought that FTZs were only for distribution centers and freight-forwarding facilities, think again. Locating in an FTZ can save your operation millions of dollars per year, and you can do a […]

H ead East is the name of a semi-famous 1970s rock band that was founded in St. Louis and continues to tour the clubs of the heartland some 30-plus years later. Today, head east might best describe the mindset of automobile makers as they assess the lay of the land in Europe.       […]

T he top economic development groups in the U.S. for 2003 know how to strike the ideal balance – between confidentiality and telling your story; blockbuster corporate deals and incremental company growth; new development and the infrastructure and redevelopment to go with it; simple processes and sophisticated methods of obtaining them.         […]

D ALLAS, Texas – When Texas Instruments opened the world’s most modern semiconductor manufacturing plant in Dallas in 2001, no one knew that this facility would become the first choreographed move in a unique “Texas Two-Step.”         On June 30, 2003, that’s exactly what happened when TI announced that it would build […]

H ungering for some good Tex-Mex cuisine? Well, you’re not alone.         Some of the world’s largest companies soon will be buying a lot of food in Texas and Mexico, which together captured four of Site Selection’s Top Ten Deals of 2003.         From Texas Instruments and Toyota in […]

by MARK AREND A s this issue was going to press, the Dept. of Labor released some new-jobs numbers that must have left the outsourcing-is-evil crowd in a heightened state of bewilderment. Word that 308,000 new jobs had been created in March alone in the U.S. was no less troublesome to the pols who were […]

orporate America is increasingly seeking ways to move real estate assets off balance sheets and free up capital for operations. The sale/leaseback model is a resourceful way to gain immediate access to cash and decrease debt. Sale/leaseback arrangements improve a firm’s debt-to-equity ratio and reduce depreciation and interest costs. What’s more, by selling a real […]

From Site Selection magazine, May 2004 WORLD REPORTS Edited by JOHN W. McCURRY Europe Emphasizes Other Means to Power Alternative energy continues to draw more emphasis in Europe. Two recently announced projects take aim at harnessing power from the wind and sun and a third is studying the feasibility of building a power plant based […]

acilities services will play a strategic role in achieving corporate financial goals this year, a new study of corporate executives finds.         The research study by EMCOR Group Inc. of Norwalk, Conn., reveals a growing demand for facilities services among corporate real estate executives. According to the report, nearly half of all […]

“Great news for Pike County!” Gov. Bob Taft exulted, raising clenched fists aloft after USEC announced plans in January 2004 for a US$1.5-billion uranium enrichment plant in tiny Piketon, Ohio (pop. 1,900).         USEC’s massive news, though, is a complex mix of both past and present, old and new.       […]

I n December 2003, Canada’s new prime minister, Paul Martin, appointed Jim Peterson as his minister of international trade after sweeping into office himself earlier in the month. Martin, a former executive in the shipping and power industries, served as the country’s Minister of Finance from November 1993 until June 2002. Peterson worked under him […]

  Dear IAMC members and prospective members: What happens when you combine a delightful venue, captivating speakers, enthusiastic sponsors, outstanding and cordial staff and over 60-percent corporate active attendance? Well, you kick it up a notch.         And that’s what IAMC did at its Spring Forum in Tucson. There was a wonderful […]

A myriad of property management software is available today to handle account and reporting needs of industrial sites. One product that has been around awhile and continues to draw favorable reviews for its latest version is Skyline II. SS&C, a Windsor, Conn.-based software developer for a variety of applications, is the creator of Skyline.   […]

T he North American customer contact center industry, historically in a constant state of flux, has seen turbulence rise to new levels over the past year. Sea changes have been aplenty whether it be the early returns of the Do Not Call registry’s effect on telemarketing jobs or increased offshoring of inbound customer service jobs […]

ith office vacancy rates low and rents high on what is available, quality office space is scarce. And, even though vacancy rates may be rising in the industrial property sector, many companies want a custom-designed facility that fits their specific needs, but they do not want to purchase the building. What’s more, lenders and developers […]

ore communities, regions and states are turning to the concept of Cluster Development. The advantages of close relationships between key industries and their suppliers, complementary industries, economic development and support institutions have been proven in many regions around the world.         But how do corporate real estate executives, site location consultants and […]