Houston’s Onshoring Boom Hits Record Levels Amid Global Trade Shakeups
Record exports, booming port traffic, and new AI manufacturing investments are fueling Houston’s industrial surge.
In partnership with
Good morning. Global trade disruption is increasingly working in Houston’s favor. As manufacturers rethink supply chains and move operations closer to the U.S., Houston is seeing record foreign investment, booming port traffic, and growing demand tied to energy and AI manufacturing.
🎙️ This week on No Cap: From historic bank vault gyms to luxury hotels, Equinox Co-President Jeff Weinhaus breaks down the real estate strategy, expansion playbook, and wellness trends powering one of the world’s most recognizable lifestyle brands.
This episode is brought to you by Henry—the fast track to investor-ready decks that actually stand out.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ZIFF REAL ESTATE PARTNERS
The Time for Retail is Now
For 35 years, Ziff Real Estate Partners has delivered strong returns across multiple market cycles. Today, the opportunity in necessity-based retail is as compelling as ever — undersupply and robust demand have made it one of the most attractive asset classes in commercial real estate.
ZRP is actively executing on this opportunity, having already closed $60M in retail acquisitions totaling 300,000 SF in 2026.
*This is a paid advertisement. Please see the full disclosure at the bottom of the newsletter.
Market Snapshot
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
Growth Corridor
Houston’s Onshoring Boom Hits Record Levels Amid Global Trade Shakeups
Port of Houston
Trade tensions and supply chain disruptions are turning Houston into a magnet for foreign manufacturers and exporters looking for stability on U.S. soil.
By the numbers: Houston recorded 117 new foreign business announcements in 2025, up sharply from 81 in 2024 and 72 in 2023, according to the Greater Houston Partnership. Much of the growth is tied to companies' reshoring manufacturing operations as tariffs and geopolitical tensions reshape global trade.
Taiwan leads the charge: Taiwan-based firms led several of Houston’s largest announcements. Foxconn unveiled a $450M AI server manufacturing project expected to create 600 jobs, while Inventec committed $251M to AI hardware manufacturing that will add 2,000 jobs. Arizon and Tension Steel Industries also announced $50M investments.
Why Houston wins: Access to Port Houston, a large workforce, and proximity to U.S. consumers continue to fuel the region’s industrial growth. Port Houston handled a record 4.3M containers in 2025, up from 4.1M in 2024 and 3.8M in 2023 as supply chains increasingly shifted through the Gulf Coast.
Energy exports remain king: Houston remained the nation’s top exporting metro for the ninth straight year, posting $177.3B in exports in 2025 — more than Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas combined. Energy products continued to dominate trade activity as European nations increased purchases of U.S. oil and refined products following sanctions on Russia after the Ukraine invasion.
Global disruption creates local opportunity: Despite tariffs, retaliatory trade policies, and Middle East tensions creating global uncertainty, Houston’s role in advanced manufacturing and energy exports continues to grow. Business leaders say demand remains strong for products moving through the region.
➥ THE TAKEAWAY
Expansion ahead: Houston’s industrial economy is benefiting from geopolitical instability, supply chain shifts, and rising demand for AI manufacturing. For CRE, that likely means continued demand for industrial space, logistics infrastructure, and energy-related development.
Around Texas
➥ Dallas-Fort Worth CRE is recovering as capital returns to multifamily and industrial projects, though growth remains uneven across sectors.
➥ Dallas-Fort Worth’s build-to-rent market is outperforming the nation with rising absorption and falling vacancy, even as new supply and federal policy uncertainty slow future development.
➥ Lite-On Technology USA is considering a $300M headquarters and manufacturing expansion in McKinney, adding to North Texas’ growing dominance in the semiconductor industry.
➥ Houston hotel bookings are rising ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but demand is falling short of expectations as visa issues and weaker international travel temper forecasts.
➥ Rising ingredient, labor, and operating costs are forcing longtime Texas candy makers Lammes Candies and Kate Weiser Chocolate Shop to shut down stores after decades in business.
➥ Dutch architecture firm UNS opened its first U.S. office in Austin, betting on the city’s long-term growth despite slowing corporate relocation momentum and office market challenges.
Follow the Money
| INDUSTRIALHOUSTON A SpaceX-Tesla-xAI joint venture is eyeing a Texas site near College Station for a potential $55B chip manufacturing campus designed to power the next wave of AI and computing demand. |
| OFFICEDFW JPMorgan Chase provided a $400M construction loan for AT&T’s new $1.4B Plano headquarters, accelerating the telecom giant’s move from Downtown Dallas to the suburbs. |
| INDUSTRIALAUSTIN The Opus Group is planning a $125M industrial project in Hutto near Austin, betting on rising tenant demand despite elevated vacancy in the Georgetown submarket. |
| INFRASTRUCTUREAUSTIN Austin-Bergstrom International Airport closed a record $1.2B bond sale to fund major expansion projects as passenger demand continues to outpace capacity. |
| INDUSTRIALAUSTIN METRO Blue Origin is considering Hutto near Austin for a $650M manufacturing and R&D campus, further accelerating Texas’ emergence as a major aerospace hub. |
| MIXED-USEHOUSTON NewQuest and Pelican Builders are planning a mixed-use development in North Katy with retail space and a 334-unit apartment community slated for delivery by 2028. |
| OFFICEDFW The Texas Stock Exchange signed a lease at Uptown Dallas’ Parkside tower, where it plans to add a stock ticker and replace Wall Street’s bell with a cannon blast. |
📈 CHART OF THE WEEK
DFW’s post-pandemic retail sales boom, which fueled years of rent growth, is beginning to cool, signaling a potential turning point for retail landlords as softer sales trends start to weigh on rent gains.
-
📬 Newsletters: Stay ahead of the market with our national CRE Daily newsletter — or get hyper-local insights from CRE Daily New York.
-
🎙️Podcast: No Cap by CRE Daily delivers an unfiltered look at the biggest trends—and the money game behind them.
-
🗓️ CRE Events Calendar: The largest searchable calendar of commercial real estate events—filter by city or sector.
-
📊 Market Reports: A centralized hub for brokerage research and market intelligence, all in one place.
-
📈 Fear & Greed Index: A fully interactive sentiment tracker on the pulse of CRE built in partnership with John Burns Research & Consulting.
You currently have 0 referrals, only 1 away from receiving Multifamily Stress Test Model.
What did you think of today's newsletter? |
