Hello, industrial. There's a record backlog for construction work, reflecting strong demand for build-to-suit industrial space of all types, Clayco CEO Bob Clark tells us. (He'll be a panelist at Bisnow's Chicago Industrial Summit on Jan. 19.) In fact, demand is darn near pre-recessionary levels from coast to coast, and Clayco is readying for a banner year.

Bob says Clayco is doing fast-track, design-build work on projects 1M SF and larger, often costing $50M for construction. This includes light manufacturing plants, distribution centers, and sophisticated logistics facilities in places like Midland, Michigan and Spokane, Washington. (Its clients include Dow, Caterpillar, and Amazon.com.) Build-to-suit activity, in particular, has picked up in the past six months. Want to learn more about this improving sector? Join Bob and other industrial experts Jan. 19 at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. Register here!