Gain insights from the annual Manufacturing Business Conditions Survey
conducted by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic
Development (DEED).
AFIRE, the association for international real estate
investors focused on commercial property in the United
States, in late March released its AFIRE International Investor Survey: Q1
2023 Pulse Report, underwritten by Holland Partner
Group. The survey reports that institutional investors
“continue to see the U.S. as a preferred destination
relative to Europe for real estate investment across
property types, led by multifamily and industrial.”
The report finds that New York has regained its status as
the top U.S. spot for investment in 2023, displacing
previous top three cities from the past several years
Atlanta, Austin, and Boston. “While it remains to be seen if
this indicates a renewed faith in gateway markets, secondary
and tertiary market trends continue to be key to the broader
U.S. market,” says AFIRE. “Internationally, London remains
the top global city for planned investment.”
“While continued rising interest rates and the future of
office are identified as areas of concern at this time,”
said Gunnar Branson, CEO of AFIRE, “investors’ long-term
horizon enables them to balance these against opportunities,
in particular the relative strength of the U.S. real estate
market as a preferred global destination for investment
capital.”
Pratt & Whitney, a Raytheon Technologies business, in March announced
plans to invest $255 million through 2028 in a new 845,000-sq. ft.
facility in Oklahoma City that will act as a hub for depot operations
for all Pratt & Whitney military engines, including those for the F-35,
C-17, F-22, F-15, F-16, B-52, and E-3 AWACS. “This $255 million
investment in a world-class sustainment center helps strengthen
Oklahoma’s position as the MRO capital of the world,” said Oklahoma
Governor Kevin Stitt. The site is part of the company’s global
sustainment network that includes “activations” in Australia, Japan,
Netherlands and Norway and U.S. locations in Marine Corp Air Station
Cherry Point in North Carolina and Naval Air Station Jacksonville and
West Palm Beach in Florida. “Pratt & Whitney’s Oklahoma City site plays
a critical role in our global sustainment network,” said Jill
Albertelli, president, Pratt & Whitney Military Engines. “Last year, the
team achieved record output for the F117, F119, and F135 Heavy
Maintenance Centers — this investment in a new facility will further
expand our capabilities and reaffirm our commitment to our customer for
years to come.”
Digital integrated business services company Teleperformance, which
plans to add an additional 20,000 employees over the next 18 months to
the more than 90,000 it already employs in India, last week opened a new
site at DLF Cyber City in the Hyderabad suburb of Gachibowli. Named
“AVINYA” (from the Sanskrit for “innovation”), the campus spans over
52,000 sq. ft. and will accommodate more than 1,000 employees. “The
office is based on the theme of Artificial Intelligence and will house
operations for global clients,” the company said, noting that its
amenities include a 24×7 cafeteria, an indoor gaming zone, meditation
corners, ample parking space and gender-neutral bathrooms allowing for a
more diverse and inclusive workforce. The site joins an Indian portfolio
that includes the recently inaugurated TP Olympiad at Mohali and TP
Campus at Cyber Hub, Gurgaon. The company also noted that in addition to
“building additional state-of-the-art infrastructure across metro and
Tier-2 cities, it also continues to lead the anywhere-anytime work
model, leveraging its Cloud Campus – a global virtual workforce
platform.” Teleperformance employs more than 410,000 people globally.
What’s the largest privately held employer in Texas? It’s the same
company that just got voted by Texas Monthly readers as the ultimate
Texas brand. H-E-B, with more than 430 stores and 154,000 employees,
continues to expand, including the grand opening in February of this new
97,000-sq.-ft., multi-level store in the Austin neighborhood of Lake
Austin. As any H-E-B devotee will tell you, it’s not just a grocery
store, it’s a destination. This one offers a True Texas BBQ restaurant,
SouthFlo Pizza, Lake Austin’s Coffee Spot, and underground parking. The
complex will employ 300 people.
