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As the global economy braces for another wave of trade disruption, companies are being forced to rethink their most fundamental assumptions—from where they source materials to where they place factories and warehouses. And with the specter of a second Trump administration looming, the return of aggressive tariffs is no longer just a possibility—it’s an operating assumption.

In Episode 58 of The Real Finds Podcast, host Gordon Lamphere sits down with Richard Barnett, Chief Marketing Officer at Supplyframe and a global authority on supply chain strategy, to unpack how shifting trade policies are redrawing the map of global commerce—and what businesses can do to stay ahead of the curve.

From Global to Local: The End of the Old Playbook

For the last few decades, the name of the game was globalization: build where it’s cheapest, ship where it’s needed, and run as lean as possible. That system delivered massive efficiencies, but also built fragility into the bones of the global economy. One shock—like a pandemic, a war, or a tariff spike,was all it took to bring entire supply chains to their knees.

According to Barnett, we’ve now entered a new era. The goal is no longer just cost efficiency—it’s resilience. And that means businesses are doing something they haven’t done in a long time: seriously reevaluating their physical footprint.

Suddenly, where you build matters just as much as how you build.

Why Tariffs Are Shaping Real Estate Strategy

Barnett argues that tariffs are now acting as a form of industrial policy, intentionally or not. By making imports more expensive, they’re nudging companies to reshore production, diversify suppliers, and bring their operations closer to home.

The result? A surge of demand for domestic manufacturing capacity, more flexible warehousing, and facilities that can respond quickly to regional market needs.

This is especially true in sectors like electronics, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy industries directly affected by tariffs and new legislation like the CHIPS Act or the Inflation Reduction Act.

Whether you’re planning a new factory buildout or looking for logistics infrastructure to support a regional supply chain, Barnett says your next site selection decision may be less about margin and more about survivability.

Lessons from the Pandemic, Applied to Tariff Shocks

One of Barnett’s strongest arguments is that we’ve seen this movie before—and we’re still in the sequel.

During COVID, companies learned the hard way that over-optimized supply chains break easily. In 2020, there was no slack, no inventory buffers, and no redundancy. Tariffs are triggering a similar rethink, but this time companies are moving faster.

They’re adding buffer stock, dual-sourcing from multiple regions, and making bold decisions about their operating models. Some are even redesigning their products to reduce dependence on volatile or tariff-heavy components.

Barnett’s message is clear: the future belongs to companies that are agile, diversified, and willing to pay a bit more upfront to avoid disaster down the line.

The Rise of “Optionality” in Supply Chains

Barnett introduces a term that is becoming increasingly popular in boardrooms: optionality.

It means having choices—multiple paths, alternative partners, redundant facilities, and layered contingency plans. It’s the opposite of over-consolidation, and it’s becoming the dominant principle for supply chain leaders around the world.

This shift is already changing how companies approach investments in infrastructure, workforce, and real estate. Optionality means spreading risk across regions, investing in automation, and locating operations in areas with strong energy, transportation, and labor access.

It’s also prompting firms to make new demands of their real estate teams—whether that’s developers, brokers, or in-house site selection managers. They’re no longer just asking for square footage. They’re asking for strategic value.

Policy Is Driving Strategy

Barnett highlights that public policy—whether tariffs or incentive legislation—is now one of the most important drivers of corporate decision-making.

Take the CHIPS Act. It didn’t just promise funding for semiconductors. It sent a signal to the market that the U.S. government is committed to rebuilding critical manufacturing capacity onshore.

That signal matters.

Foreign investors are watching. Domestic firms are reacting. Entire clusters of industrial space investment are forming around policy-driven initiatives, and the commercial real estate sector is following closely behind.

The same goes for tariffs. When tariff rates change with little warning, companies hedge by building optionality into their operations. That often means new warehouses, new production nodes, or even relocating office teams that manage logistics or procurement.

What Comes Next?

Barnett closes the conversation with a mix of realism and optimism. The challenges ahead are significant—but so are the opportunities.

Companies that can adapt to this new supply chain era will be better positioned than ever. They’ll have greater control over their inputs, closer relationships with their customers, and more resilience against the next global disruption—whatever it may be.

And for those in real estate, logistics, or infrastructure, there’s no better time to listen to the market and help build the new backbone of American industry.

Key Takeaways from RFP 58

• Globalization is no longer the default. Regionalization and reshoring are gaining momentum as firms try to reduce exposure to tariffs and disruptions.

• Policy is strategy. Legislation like the CHIPS Act and tariff decisions from Washington are directly influencing where and how companies build.

• Supply chain leaders are demanding optionality. That means redundancy, flexibility, and resilience—not just efficiency.

• Real estate matters more than ever. Strategic location, infrastructure access, and risk mitigation are now core to operational planning.

🎧 Want More?
Listen to the full conversation with Richard Barnett on The Real Finds Podcast. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.