

The Industrial Real Estate Podcast
Questor Media
Join host Chad Griffiths as he interviews industry experts on a variety of industrial & commercial real estate topics.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 26, 2025 • 1h 1min
How to Get Ready for 2025 featuring Dr. Jim Tompkins
An honor to co-host this episode of the Industrial Real Estate Podcast alongside Matt Carroll and the iconic supply chain thought leader, Dr. Jim Tompkins.
This episode dives into key issues shaping global supply chains and industrial real estate, offering insights you won’t want to miss:
• Election Impact: How the current political landscape—and a potential new Trump era—could reshape global supply chains.
• The Power of Optionality: Strategies for navigating uncertainty and staying agile in a fast-changing world.
• Industrial Real Estate Trends: How shifts in trade, manufacturing, and policy are influencing warehouse locations.
• 3PLs in the Spotlight: Why third-party logistics providers are uniquely positioned to thrive amid these changes.
• Macroeconomic Implications: Broader trends affecting manufacturing, logistics, and industrial sectors.
This was an insightful and dynamic conversation packed with valuable takeaways. Whether you’re in supply chain, industrial real estate, or just trying to stay ahead of the curve, this episode will have something for you!
Connect with Matt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewcarroll1/
Connect with Jim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimtompkins1/
About Jim:
Dr. James A. Tompkins is an international authority on designing and implementing end-to-end supply chains. Jim is an entrepreneur who has started 15 businesses that have done over $2 billion in revenue, worldwide, during his 50-year career. Jim is known for his ability to make the complex, simple and turning chaos into order. His passion is to help people and help organizations achieve their goals.
In April 2020, he founded Tompkins Ventures, a global hands-on solutions network that helps executive teams turn Entrepreneurship, Facilities, Leadership, Logistics, and Technology problems and opportunities into competitive advantage. He founded Tompkins Leadership in 2022, focusing on Leadership Development, Organizational Transformation, Strategy & Innovation. He previously built Tompkins International from a backyard startup into an international consulting and implementation firm.
Jim also recently became Chairman of Task4Pros, a digital platform that connects warehouse service jobs with a base of registered professionals.
About Matt:
Driven leader with fifteen years of international business experience in Logistics and Supply Chain. I am multilingual, speak fluently in Spanish and German, while having an in-depth understanding of the complex dynamics of supply chain management, contract negotiations and thought leadership after spending more than a decade managing operations in China, Europe, Australia, Canada, and the USA. My understanding of global business environments, monetary impacts, and rules of engagement for real estate integration for successful business results, benefit the clients I work with.
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Jan 17, 2025 • 59min
What You Need To Know About Warehouse Racking
Warehouse racking might seem like a fairly simple topic, but after hearing from Jonathan Hirst, I've realized it's far more complex than I would have thought!
Not only are there crucial safety considerations, there are also numerous factors that need to be taken into account.
About Jonathan Hirst, P. Eng – Vice President and General Manager of North American Storage, Vice President of Hi-Cube Storage Products:
Jonathan Hirst has worked as a prominent figure at NAS and the Industrial Storage Industry as a whole for over a decade. He is currently the Vice President and General Manager of North American Storage, as well as Vice President of Hi-Cube Storage Products in Western Canada.
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Jan 9, 2025 • 45min
Restoring a 105 Year Old Factory in Rural America
In this week's episode of the industrial real estate show I was pleased to be joined by Chris Matin who is restoring a 105 year factory in Charleston, Illinois.
It was previously a shoe factory and has had years of neglect.
Hear how Chris has been working on this ambitious project for the past 2 years including all the challenges he's encountered along the way, the outpouring of support from others and his plans for the future!
Chris's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-YfK2WRdfvWYjGR9kRXZCA
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Dec 30, 2024 • 21min
The Visionary Behind Kevin O'Leary's Ambitious Data Center Plans
Kyle Reiling, Executive Director of the Greenview Industrial Gateway, has 25 years of economic development experience focused on industrial growth in Alberta. He shares insights on the ambitious plan for the world's largest data center, emphasizing the unique site and the complex challenges of adequate power, water, and internet. Kyle discusses the region's economic transformation, job growth, and the strategic advantages of the data center's cooler location. His perspective shifts skepticism into optimism about the project's potential impact by 2027.

Dec 20, 2024 • 50min
How a Manufacturer is Expanding Across the USA
Jim Belosic, CEO and co-founder of SendCutSend, revolutionized sheet metal fabrication by merging software innovation with traditional manufacturing. He discusses the revival of American manufacturing and the importance of facilities in their growth strategy. Jim shares insights on overcoming logistics challenges and the significance of adaptability as they scale. He also highlights the role of social media in modern manufacturing, showcasing how digital platforms enhance knowledge sharing and customer relationships while navigating unpredictable demands.

Dec 17, 2024 • 54min
Emerging Trends in Industrial Real Estate (🇨🇦 edition)
PwC recently released their 46th edition of their Emerging Trends in Real Estate which also included a separate report for Canada (the 20th version).
This is a must read report for anyone involved in the commercial real estate industry.
To discuss their findings for 2025 I was pleased to be joined by Fred Cassano, Partner and the National Real Estate Leader with PwC Canada.
We discussed the current state of the market as well as what they expect to transpire in 2025.
About Fred:
Fred provides strategic business and tax advice, including structuring of personal and corporate transactions and reorganizations, assistance with shareholder/owner remuneration and designing tax-effective strategies for wealth preservation and accumulation in the context of tax, estate and succession planning.
As the National Real Estate Tax Leader, Fred dedicates most of his time servicing the real estate sector and has experience in effective tax planning for the acquisition, ownership, leasing and disposition of real estate and structuring / restructuring partnership and joint venture arrangements. His real estate clients are involved in residential, industrial and commercial development and the ownership of office, industrial and residential properties.
Together with technology partners, Fred also assists in developing strategies and structures for PropTech related ventures.
Fred is a Chartered Accountant and a graduate of York University's Schulich School of Business.
Connect with Fred: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/fredcassano
Reports:
PwC Emerging Trends in Canadian Real Estate: https://www.pwc.com/ca/en/industries/real-estate/emerging-trends-in-real-estate.html
PwC Emerging Trends in Real Estate:
https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/financial-services/asset-wealth-management/real-estate/emerging-trends-in-real-estate.html
PwC Emerging Trends in Real Estate Europe:
https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/financial-services/real-estate/emerging-trends-real-estate/europe.html
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Dec 12, 2024 • 1h 5min
Industrial Real Estate Investor's Thoughts on the Market
Joel Friedland is one of my favorite people in the industrial real estate market.
I was pleased to have interviewed him a couple years ago and we were well overdue for a follow up interview.
In this captivating interview Joel provides a ton of insights into the state of the market!
About Joel:
Joel has a 42 year track record in industrial real estate. He co-founded Epic/Savage Realty Partners in 1991 where he oversaw hiring and mentoring 60 industrial real estate professionals, many of whom became his partners. His group sold the firm to an international real estate company in 2014 and Joel started Brit Properties.
As an industrial real estate broker and owner, Joel has secured over 2,000 industrial property leases and sales, totaling over $2 billion in transactions. His greatest accomplishment is maintaining valued relationships with brokers, tenants and investors spanning five decades.
He does fully syndicated deals with 0% debt, an unheard of approach in real estate which caters to his wealthy investor base primarily concerned with conservation of principal. His experiences during the Great Recession in 2008 have informed his investment approach to be hyper-conservative while still allowing an ~8% cash return, plus upside, for his investors.
Joel attended the University of Michigan. He enjoys playing golf and spending time with his family, particularly his three young grandchildren.
Connect with Joel:
(847) 345-5534
joel@britproperties.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-friedland-sior-5508a791
Website: https://britproperties.com/
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Dec 6, 2024 • 1h 9min
Environmental Site Assessments (Phase II)
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Following Pat 1 of this interview I had many more questions to ask Jim.
Join in as we do a deep dive into phase II's!
About Jim:
Jim is a familiar voice in commercial real estate consulting, advising clients for over 25 years on environmental and property condition due diligence, asset management, construction project management, ADA/accessibility, and policy/training programs. He chairs ASTM International’s Subcommittee E50.02 on Real Estate Assessment and Management and leads ASTM task groups on Phase-I ESAs (E1527), Limited Moisture Assessments (E3026); Drone Assessments of Commercial Real Estate (WK86230), and Facility Condition Assessments (WK92482).
Connect with Jim:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesebartlett
Bureau Veritas website: www.bvna.com
ASTM website: https://www.astm.org/
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🙋♂️ Chad Griffiths
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Nov 20, 2024 • 1h 5min
Environmental Site Assessments (Phase I)
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There's a lot more that goes into a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment than I thought!
I was joined by Jim Bartlett, Senior Vice President at Bureau Veritas, to do a deep dive into the topic.
About Jim:
Jim is a familiar voice in commercial real estate consulting, advising clients for over 25 years on environmental and property condition due diligence, asset management, construction project management, ADA/accessibility, and policy/training programs. He chairs ASTM International’s Subcommittee E50.02 on Real Estate Assessment and Management and leads ASTM task groups on Phase-I ESAs (E1527), Limited Moisture Assessments (E3026); Drone Assessments of Commercial Real Estate (WK86230), and Facility Condition Assessments (WK92482).
Connect with Jim:
LinkedIn: / jamesebartlett
Bureau Veritas website: https://group.bureauveritas.com/
ASTM website: https://www.astm.org/
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Nov 18, 2024 • 49min
Manufacturing & Industrial Real Estate
Zane Hengsperger, a manufacturing expert with a unique blend of software and industry experience, dives into the fascinating world of modern manufacturing. He explores whether China can be dethroned as the world's factory, discusses the balance of automation and manual labor, and emphasizes the need for reshoring to address labor shortages. Zane also advocates for making manufacturing appealing to younger generations and highlights how strategic site selection impacts operational efficiency. Tune in for insights on optimizing factory spaces and the evolving landscape of the industry!


