Logistics Joint Venture Formed to Invest $2.4 Billion

Ares Management and PSP Investments have launched a massive new venture to acquire U.S. logistics and industrial assets.

Updated on Sept. 19, 2026 in Commercial

Isometric editorial illustration featuring industrial warehouse walls and loading docks, representing national logistics infrastructure investment.
Ares Management and PSP Investments have launched a $2.4 billion joint venture to acquire and manage a portfolio of industrial logistics properties across the United States. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Is now a good time for major investors to increase their bets on U.S. logistics infrastructure?

Ares Management and PSP Investments have formed a $2.4 billion joint venture focused on the U.S. logistics sector, launching with an initial 14-property portfolio. This initiative aims to secure industrial real estate across the country to meet ongoing demand for logistics infrastructure.

Why it matters

The investment strategy is fueled by growth in e-commerce, a rise in corporate onshoring, and the development of essential digital infrastructure. These factors have created a environment of durable demand and constrained supply in the national industrial market.

The venture launches with 5 million square feet of space, part of a broader U.S. industrial market that saw a 6.5 percent vacancy rate in the second quarter of 2026. Ares also recently expanded its holdings with a separate $84 million purchase of a 10-property industrial portfolio in Chicago.

The players

Ares Management

A global alternative investment manager that provides credit, private equity, and real estate investment options.

PSP Investments

One of Canada's largest pension investment managers that oversees assets for the federal public service and military.

Marq Logistics

A logistics management firm responsible for sourcing and overseeing industrial assets for real estate investment partnerships.

The details

The joint venture will target cash-flowing assets in high-growth markets, with Marq Logistics serving as the primary manager and sourcer for the properties. This setup allows the firms to deploy capital into a supply-constrained market where the cost of existing industrial space remains significant, evidenced by the $84 million Chicago acquisition at $117 per square foot. By focusing on established logistics hubs, the venture aims to capitalize on the continued necessity of industrial storage near major population centers.

Timeline

  1. 2020-2022: Period during which the Chicago industrial portfolio was assembled.

  2. Q2 2026: The U.S. industrial vacancy rate reached 6.5 percent.

  3. Q2 2026: Ares reported $671 billion in total assets under management.

  4. September 18, 2026: The official announcement of the $2.4 billion joint venture.

Money Landscape

This joint venture follows the pattern set by the post-2020 industrial real estate expansion driven by rapid e-commerce growth. It highlights the continued institutional focus on logistics as a stable asset class despite broader shifts in commercial real estate.

While institutional logistics deals may seem distant, they signal ongoing demand for industrial space that influences local commercial property taxes and employment trends. Readers should monitor their local property tax assessments for potential adjustments if industrial activity increases in their area.

The takeaway

Institutional investment in industrial assets remains a primary signal of the ongoing economic shift toward e-commerce and resilient supply chains. Households should consider how logistics developments in their region might impact local municipal tax revenues and infrastructure investment cycles.

Further reading

For more on how shifts in corporate infrastructure affect the market, see our Commercial section.

Live Poll

Is now a good time for major investors to increase their bets on U.S. logistics infrastructure?