en.Wedoany.com Reported - Gulf Coast Crating and First Houston Properties announced a strategic partnership on July 7, 2026, and have completed the acquisition of a third industrial property within the past four months. These recent acquisitions collectively provide over 1.1 million square feet of industrial space in key logistics and distribution corridors along the Gulf Coast region. The latest acquired property, located at 4949 Windfern Road in Houston, is a fully climate-controlled facility situated on 12.5 acres with 205,000 square feet of building space.
Gulf Coast Crating is an industrial logistics company specializing in heavy and light export packaging, industrial crating, hazardous materials packaging, warehouse storage, and transloading services. Its subsidiary, XLR8 Delivery, provides transportation solutions including local pickup and delivery, Hot Shot expedited services, drayage, freight brokerage, heavy haul, less-than-truckload (LTL), and full truckload services. Both companies operate under a unified vision, committed to providing customers with end-to-end industrial logistics solutions from packaging to transportation.
Founded in 1982, First Houston Properties is one of Houston's oldest industrial brokerage firms, with offices in Houston and Laredo, Texas. The company has deep expertise in industrial outdoor storage (IOS), representing clients including major U.S. private equity firms, and is recognized as a leading advisor in IOS and industrial asset acquisition, disposition, and leasing in key logistics markets. Earlier this year, the company was acquired by Patrick McKiernan and James Mashni, marking a pivotal transformation for the nearly 45-year-old firm.
Paul Pitman, CEO of Gulf Coast Crating and XLR8 Delivery, stated that the partnership with First Houston enables the company to accelerate growth in a meaningful way while continuously improving service levels for customers. Expanding warehouse space has enhanced operational capacity, efficiency, and geographic coverage, allowing the company to support larger-scale projects, streamline logistics operations, and provide customers with more robust supply chain solutions. Patrick McKiernan, President of First Houston, noted that as institutional investment continues to flow into industrial outdoor storage, the company remains focused on expanding its platform and solidifying its position as a leading IOS operator.
The partnership is actively seeking additional acquisition targets in Houston, Dallas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana to scale operations and meet growing customer demand and long-term growth plans. This collaboration marks new progress for both companies, aiming to enhance their combined capabilities in warehousing, transportation, logistics, and industrial services. The latest acquisition of the Windfern Road facility in Houston further solidifies Gulf Coast Crating and XLR8 Delivery's position as a leading integrated logistics, crating, and transportation platform serving industrial clients in Texas, the Gulf Coast, and beyond.
