Industrial Partners, LLC

Doing business for more than three decades, Industrial Partners (IP) is a longstanding Montgomery company with deep roots in the Capital City.

While having three full-time employees may give the initial impression that IP is minor player in the area economy, the company has given the entire River Region some major leverage when it comes to drawing other businesses here, making it a key piece of the economic development puzzle, as CEO Nimrod Frazer Jr. explained.

“Most of our investment is in Montgomery,” he said.  “We are very happy to be here and contribute to our city’s continued progress through increased economic development.”

In the early 1970s, Frazer’s father Nimrod Sr. was doing bond financing for companies looking to locate in the Southeast.  These companies were searching for quality properties to lease for their operations, and there just weren’t many around.  At the same time, over in Georgia, Pattillo Construction Corp. was building industrial buildings for lease in small towns around that state.  Frazer’s father saw an opportunity.

He and H.T. Pattillo came together to form Industrial Partners with one goal: to increase industrial development in Alabama, and specifically Montgomery, by building, leasing and managing the needed rental spaces. In 2006, Frazer Jr. bought Pattillo’s interest in the company.

The company specializes in the construction of speculative industrial buildings situated near major transportation in central Alabama.  These buildings can be finished out quickly to the client’s specifications, and if clients need specialized facilities involving design and construction from the ground up, Industrial Partners can accommodate those requirements as well.  Clients include companies such as GKN Aerospace, Federal Express, Rheem Manufacturing, Graham Packaging, Hager Companies and the State of Alabama.

Today, IP owns 18 buildings, totaling 1.4 million-plus square feet with an additional nine buildings under management. “We have 34 tenants in our portfolio in four industrial parks in Montgomery,” Frazer said.

Frazer joined the business his father started in the mid-’80s. He began at the ground floor, actually working on some of the Pattillo Construction crews.  Now, as CEO, Frazer wears many different hats, and he outlined the principles that he believes have led to IP’s success.  “It is important to work on your business and in your business,” he said.  “You have to be involved in every aspect and stay abreast of changes in your industry.”

To that end, Frazer is a member of the Society of Industrial Office Realtors.  “This keeps me on the cutting edge of my business,” he said.  “I’m always educating myself and keeping up with what’s new.”

During the economic downturn, real estate was one of the hardest hit sectors, yet IP has survived thanks to Frazer’s two-fold approach.  “You have to know when to accelerate and grow and know when to put on the brakes,” he said.  “I liken it to driving a car.”

He also addressed the importance of IP’s product. “IP has brought many businesses here,” he said.  “Companies usually decide on a community and then look for appropriate real estate.  We have created a product that helps the city lure companies here.”

The company’s customer service plays a big part in its longevity, keeping tenants happy and coming back and generating referrals.  “We really take care of our existing tenants and work had to please them,” he said. “It is much easier to extend a lease than to find a new company to fill the space.”

He also credits those that IP works in partnership with locally. “The success for any development depends heavily on the surrounding community,” he said.  “We are really lucky to have our great city leaders like Mayor Strange and the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce.  They both provide wonderful support and resources as we try to bring more and more industry to Montgomery and the area. I feel very comfortable continuing to invest here.”

IP has an exciting project in Montgomery Industrial Park, which is a private/public partnership with Montgomery County.  The park has some strict covenants and restrictions in place governing the types of buildings allowed there. “For example, there will be no metal buildings there,” Frazer said.  “Some companies are specifically looking for higher-quality buildings and are willing to pay for them.  Having an industrial park like this will really help promote Montgomery.” •