Houston’s industrial sector has maintained strong activity heading into 2025. Back in 2024, the market saw $3.4 billion in industrial sales, trailing only Dallas nationally. A standout transaction within this volume was private equity firm Stonepeak’s $244 million acquisition of a 2.3-million-square-foot logistics portfolio near the Port of Houston – a bet on the port’s ongoing $1.7 billion modernization to handle increased cargo volumes.

“We are thrilled to add these high-quality assets to our port logistics platform, which has grown rapidly over the past year,” said Stonepeak’s Phill Solomond. “We continue to believe in the power of supply chain real estate anchored by essential port infrastructure, given its mission-critical role in local and national supply chains, and we are excited to continue investing behind this theme.”

As of early 2025, Houston ranked third nationally for industrial construction activity with 13.17 million square feet under development — a 37% year-over-year jump. Moreover, despite headwinds in other Southern markets, the region’s industrial vacancy rate remains at a regional low of 6.5% (compared to the national average of 8%), buoyed by steady demand from energy, aerospace and logistics tenants.

More recently, plans have emerged that underscore this momentum. For instance, Tesla is set to convert a logistics center near Katy, Texas, into a 1-million-square-foot facility dedicated to producing Megapack batteries. The project will also feature a 600,000-square-foot distribution and manufacturing complex that’s supported by a 10-year tax abatement from Waller County and is expected to create 1,500 jobs.

This initiative highlights Houston’s growing role in the energy transition and reflects a broader manufacturing boom across the South. Notably, according to CommercialEdge’s latest industrial report, mega-projects like Tesla’s are creating downstream demand for ancillary logistics and other complementary industrial projects.

In parallel, Apple is investing in Houston by establishing a 250,000-square-foot server manufacturing plant that’s set to open in 2026. The $500-million facility is part of Apple’s national push to expand its production capabilities by leveraging Houston’s affordable land, business-friendly policies and proximity to global supply chains via the Port of Houston.

“Last year, Chevron announced its move from California to Houston,” said Mayor John Whitmire. “Today, Vestas, a leading global wind turbine manufacturer, is opening a new corporate office in Houston. Apple’s announcement is a powerful message to everyone that the City of Houston is recognized as a place to live and work and the best major city America to do business.”

For more analysis across all major industrial markets in the U.S., see CommercialEdge’s original report.