NFI’s Jeff Brown, Vice Chairman and President, Speaks at the University of Miami’s Inaugural Real Estate Impact U-Talk Series

CAMDEN, N.J.

Jeff Brown, Vice Chairman and President at NFI, contributed as a panelist during the University of Miami’s inaugural U-Talk session entitled, “The Real Estate Winners as the Amazon / E-Commerce Lion Roars: Who, Why, and How?” on Friday, October 9, 2020. The session featured an in-depth conversation with leaders about the changes currently reshaping the industrial and retail real estate industry, including the growth of e-commerce demand amidst COVID-19. 

“While there is tremendous growth from Amazon in the marketplace, as well as retailers trying to stay relevant in the e-commerce world, NFI has seen the biggest changes in industrial real estate development come as a result of COVID,” said Brown in response to a question surrounding the 300 million square feet of new industrial space being built in the United States. “Before the pandemic, shippers had just-in-time inventory strategies. After those shippers were caught with short supply in April, warehousing needs have increased dramatically. Supply chain strategies are shifting to house safety stock in the warehouse, and companies are working with 3PLs like NFI to design and build solutions to accommodate for the shortage of space.”

With more than 65 years of experience in the industrial real estate space, NFI’s team of experts understand what it takes to construct, develop, own, and operate a modern distribution facility. The division of NFI offers customers a unique perspective as both a real estate owner and operator, managing a vast portfolio that spans automated e-commerce fulfillment centers, crossdocks, multi-temperature distribution centers, and food-grade warehouses. Flexible real estate solutions include development, leasing, transportation analysis, incentives procurement, LEED certification, and more. The company also operates one of the largest distribution and transportation networks in North America, with a portfolio of more than 50 million sq. ft. across 350 locations. 

In addition to industrial real estate, NFI’s suite of supply chain solutions spans dedicated transportation, distribution, transportation management, port drayage, brokerage, intermodal, and global logistics. NFI serves customers throughout a variety of industries including food and beverage, manufacturing, consumer packaged goods, retail, and e-commerce.

To learn more about NFI’s end-to-end solutions and the company’s ongoing resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, watch the U-Talk session recording above.