Los Angeles—Feb. 6, 2012—A recently formed business development partnership between financial and professional services firm Jones Lang LaSalle and XY Group, a China-based rail system manufacturer, will enable further exploration of rail investment opportunities within the United States. The manufacturer is targeting the construction and financing of private sector intermodal projects for its North American market entry.
“We are deeply impressed with the depth of Jones Lang LaSalle’s relationships with the major seaports, rail providers and development interests across the U.S.” said Robert Sun, Chief Executive Officer of the XY Group. “We believe that a great opportunity exists for XY Group to collaborate with these key stakeholders in offering both our construction expertise and capital to deliver the rail infrastructure needed for the success of all parties.”
The Panama Canal expansion completion date—estimated for 2014—is helping to push developers to create new solutions and rail improvements within their master-planned projects. To attract shippers, logistics and manufacturing firms, these large-scale developments will be determined by their transportation links connecting inland hubs to a dedicated rail and/or port system.
“Jones Lang LaSalle and XY Group are responding to demand from manufacturing and logistics firms for greater connectivity between domestic seaports and intermodal rail services for their U.S. operations,” said John Carver, head of Jones Lang LaSalle’s Ports Airports and Global Infrastructure (PAGI) group. “The emergence of rail-integrated logistics centers and inland ports are creating a demand for both expertise and investment in new rail infrastructure to enhance future industrial park development.”
Over the coming months, Jones Lang LaSalle’s PAGI desk will begin meeting with principals of development projects with intermodal or rail infrastructure requirements. The XY Group will then seek a dialogue with railroad executives, port officials and project development teams to evaluate the feasibility of the project and suitability matched against XY Group’s investment objectives.
