Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE: JLL) today announced that it represented European luxury automaker Audi AG in strategic planning, incentive negotiations and real estate site search, selection and acquisition of a 460-hectacre site to host a new 3.2 million-square-foot North American automotive production facility that will be expandable to more than 5.4 million square feet. After conducting an extensive site selection process that included more than a dozen locations, the Ingolstadt, Germany-based manufacturer selected a site in San Jose Chiapa, Puebla, Mexico, for Audi’s first production facility in the Western Hemisphere.
Construction is expected to start on the state-of-the-art assembly facility in mid-2013, with on-site production beginning in 2016. Audi is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, and the site is located approximately 50 miles from an existing Volkswagen plant.
“Audi’s new site is the culmination of a disciplined location analysis and negotiation process,” said Jones Lang LaSalle’s Gregory Y. Lubar, International Director, who represented Audi and was the project head in the selection of the site. “Automakers are continuing to choose to locate vehicle assembly and production close to their U.S. customer base. By investing in North American locations, these manufacturers realize supply chain efficiencies and are able to respond more rapidly to demand fluctuation.”
Jones Lang LaSalle’s Matt Jackson, Managing Director, teamed with Lubar to lead Audi’s consulting and negotiations strategy. He remarked, “Supply chain advantages were an important factor in Audi’s decision, as were the plentiful and skilled local labor force, strong logistics infrastructure, availability of advanced technological training, and the infrastructure and economic support from the federal and local governments.”
“As the site of Audi’s first plant in the Americas, the San Jose Chiapa acquisition marks a major milestone in our global growth strategy,” said Matthias Mueller, Managing Director of newly founded Audi Automotive S.A., Mexico. “For this important project, it was essential for us to work with a site selection partner who understood our long-term goals and the results we are seeking as a result of our investment. Jones Lang LaSalle’s team leveraged global resources and deep expertise to help us secure a competitive location aligned with the productivity we needed to achieve in our business strategy.”
Jones Lang LaSalle’s team also included advisory from Gerardo Ramirez Barba in the firm’s Mexico City office. Jones Lang LaSalle has operated in Mexico for the past 28 years. With its Mexico headquarters in Mexico City, the firm also operates out of Monterrey and Tijuana. The firm’s service offerings in Mexico include, among others: Tenant and Landlord Representation, Consulting, Energy and Sustainability, Investment Sales and Acquisitions, Retail, Hotels, Valuation Advisory, Project and Facility Management, Resort Development. In 2011, the firm completed more than $65 million in transactions in Mexico.
About Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE: JLL) is a financial and professional services firm specializing in real estate. The firm offers integrated services delivered by expert teams worldwide to clients seeking increased value by owning, occupying or investing in real estate. With 2011 global revenue of $3.6 billion, Jones Lang LaSalle serves clients in 70 countries from more than 1,000 locations worldwide, including 200 corporate offices. The firm is an industry leader in property and corporate facility management services, with a portfolio of approximately 2.1 billion square feet worldwide. LaSalle Investment Management, the company’s investment management business, is one of the world’s largest and most diverse in real estate with $47 billion of assets under management. For further information, please visit www.joneslanglasalle.com
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