Sales of industrial assets this year are poised to shatter the $120 billion record set in 2019, according to new research from LightBox and SIOR. 

Investors surveyed were bullish on the sector, especially in markets near growing population centers. Nearly 72% of those surveyed expect investment levels to increase, with nearly half predicting a "notable" increase, sentiments that are no doubt buoyed by the expectation that e-commerce consumer behaviors from the COVID-19 era will become what LightBox dubs "ingrained patterns."  E-commerce sales grew by 40% over the past year and are predicted to reach $1.1 billion by 2025.

"As e-commerce continues to transform our economy, investors are looking for every opportunity to gain entry or expand their positions in the industrial sector.," said Tina Lichens, Senior Vice President, Broker Operations, LightBox. "Industrial is attracting significant amounts of domestic and foreign capital and is well-positioned to withstand supply chain disruption or other volatility that might occur."