US Industrial Market Continues to Strengthen

CHICAGO—Last year the US industrial market hit its lowest vacancy rate in a decade, and since then the continuing economic recovery, the continued growth of e-commerce, a steady housing market and resurgence in domestic manufacturing sent the rate even lower, according to the real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield. The company’s first quarter results showed that the robust demand pushed overall vacancy rate down to 6.7%.

“Market fundamentals continue to be strong, driven by a resilient economy, good job creation and a relatively strong housing market,” says John Morris, the Rosemont, IL-based leader of the real estate firm’s industrial services group. “But the biggest requirement stems from the need for facilities to satisfy the continued growth in e-commerce activity.”