This week’s episode of “WisBusiness: the Podcast” is with Colin Simpson, president of Imperien.
This Illinois-based construction management firm has worked on numerous projects in Wisconsin. Simpson discusses the company’s role in new project development, his approach to working with clients, the latest trends in real estate and associated strategies.
“We try to focus the entire company on industrial manufacturing, logistics, warehousing — and really, on the Wisconsin side of the border, most of it has been the manufacturing sector,” he said. “I really credit the manufacturer’s tax credit for that. I think Wisconsin has done a really good job of being friendly for manufacturers specifically.”
He says some of the firm’s “best, longest-term clients” are located in the Milwaukee market.
According to Simpson, logistics, warehousing and e-commerce development “shows no sign of slowing” right now, despite the possibility of an economic downturn.
He also shares his perspective on supply chain challenges seen in recent years, providing an update on material shortages linked to disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The biggest problem right now is in electrical service equipment … the transformers, the main panels, those are still hard to get. Generally about a year out,” he said. “It just underscores that it’s a process to do a new facility these days, and you really have to know the duration that it’s going to take.”
Listen to the podcast below, sponsored by UW-Madison:
