Unpacking Volatility in Today's Industrial Real Estate Market

In this episode of the Industrial Real Estate Show, I spoke with Sean Dalfen, CEO of Dalfen Industrial. We explored his recent significant deals, particularly a large partnership with Goldman Sachs, expanding their portfolio with strategic acquisitions across key logistics hubs like Dallas, Philly, Vegas, and Cincinnati. Sean highlighted the importance of multi-tenant, mid-bay industrial facilities that offer flexibility, emphasizing the critical role labor availability plays in site selection.

He shared insights on the nuances of Last Mile logistics, emphasizing the value of minimizing labor and transportation costs. We also discussed how automation and AI are gradually influencing industrial operations, though labor remains critical. Lastly, Sean highlighted the volatility in today's market and reinforced the necessity of disciplined investing, stressing the importance of acquiring assets below replacement cost in strategic locations.

About Sean:

Sean Dalfen is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Dalfen Industrial and leads the firm’s investment committees and management committees across its platforms. Under Sean’s leadership, Dalfen Industrial’s portfolio has grown to over 50 million square feet of industrial properties from coast to coast, making it one of the nation’s largest owners and developers of industrial real estate and a leader in the last mile sector. Over his career, Sean has transacted on an excess of $10 billion USD. Prior to Dalfen Industrial, Sean worked at NAI Commercial as an Investment Sales Broker where he was one of the company’s Top 10 producers in Canada.

Sean is involved in a variety of philanthropic activities, sits on the boards of multiple charitable organizations and is a frequent speaker and panelist at private equity & commercial real estate industry events. Sean studied Psychology and Finance at Tel Aviv University’s Lowy School and McGill University.

Dalfen Industrial website: https://www.dalfen.com

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