MARCH 2008 E-NEWS

Kansas City SmartPort E-News

KC Industrial Market Forecast 2008

-          The trend toward larger speculative   warehousing/distribution buildings will continue to increase in coming years.

-          In the next 12 to 36 months, KC's industrial development-ready land will increase as national and local developers begin to prepare the next generation  of industrial parks; three new intermodal parks come online; and improvements are made in Riverside, Northland Park and the KCI area.

-          Kansas City will find more national developers increasing their presence in the market.

-          Kansas City's industrial diversity, initiatives in biosciences (both life and animal sciences) and the positioning of Kansas City as an inland port will lead to mid   and long term growth for the Kansas City industrial market.

-          Market conditions are creating historically low capitalization rate/high price per square foot but they are still competitive and attractive, compared to the major market opportunities in Chicago, New Jersey and Southern California.

-          Companies in need of manufacturing or distribution space will be putting Kansas City on the list of areas to consider.

Forecast statements courtesy of CB Richard Ellis and Colliers Turley Martin Tucker. The Colliers forecast is available upon request.

Kansas City Southern featured in USA Today

"A railroad based smack in the center of the country isn't the most obvious play on globalization. But tiny Kansas City Southern is emerging as a major beneficiary of surging trade between the USA and an increasingly prosperous Mexico."

A recent article in USA Today featured KC's very own Kansas City Southern, highlighting the railroad's ability to weather the current weakness in the U.S. economy due to their investments in Mexico.

Read the entire article.

KC=Access

Kansas City is the most centrally located market in the U.S., with three established interstate highways (with a fourth soon to be added - Interstate 49). These assets offer distribution centers and manufacturers access to 98% of the U.S. market and 60% of the U.S. population within a two-day truck move. KC is also home to large regional facilities for FedEx, UPS, DHL and BAX Global. With the existing and expanding intermodal assets in the KC area, regional trucking services are flourishing.

Trade Data Exchange Update

The positive impact the TDE is having on the supply chain industry leads to additional projects and developments.  SmartPort and our technology partner EDS, have begun work with several projects that connect well with the TDE framework.  Projects include a rail test project being developed in cooperation with the University of Kansas, Oak Ridge National Labs and the KCS; several supply chain test shipments in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, Battelle, Booz Allen Hamilton and Transentric; other projects still being discussed include work with different Federal agencies from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Commerce.  For more information please contact Chris Gutierrez.


Investor Profile: Warehouse1 

Warehouse1 is an international provider of materials handling equipment and systems.  Based in Kansas City, Missouri, the company is a WBENC certified woman-owned small business.  Warehouse1 provides full project development and management including application design and installation of moving and storage systems for distributors, manufacturers, and retailers from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies and government agencies.

Through an experienced professional staff and a network of highly trained specialists, Warehouse1 customizes solutions that best suit client objectives.  These solutions fully utilize the cubic space within new and existing distribution centers and warehouses. The company's unique ability to integrate new and reconditioned products into an existing infrastructure results in cost competitive solutions.

Warehouse1 takes pride in building remarkable client relationships through our commitment, accountability and results.

For more information visit Warehouse1.