May 16, 2018

The business park at Twinwood, a new west Houston destination for companies dedicated to research and development, distribution and light manufacturing, has finalized its first agreement to bring MAN Diesel & Turbo’s new North American headquarters to the 650-acre property.

Located just south of I-10 between Woods Road and FM 1489, the business park at Twinwood is part of a proposed 14,000-acre master-planned community of low, medium and high-density residential along with retail, hospitality, higher education and office. The property is owned by Houston businessman Putera Sampoerna.

MAN Diesel & Turbo’s new North American headquarters, a 137,434 square-foot build-to-suit owned by Houston-based Welcome Group, will house 105,309 square feet of air-conditioned service shop space and 32,125 square feet of office space. The Design/Build project by Houston-based KDW is slated to span one year, beginning in the second quarter of 2018.

The Augsburg, Germany-based manufacturer of marine propulsion systems and turbomachinery will combine its two current operations in Houston and Deer Park in order to broaden its equipment servicing capabilities in the new Twinwood location.

“Our goal has been to bring our two Houston area operations under one roof,” notes Tony Ruegger, managing director of MAN Diesel & Turbo. “We’re certainly looking forward to expanding our equipment servicing capabilities in Twinwood.”

The new plant is expected to employ 142 workers.

“The property offers global companies a convenient west Houston location with immediate access to Interstate 10,” says Glenn Plowman, president of Twinwood. “We’re thrilled to welcome MAN Diesel & Turbo as our first corporate resident.”

MAN Diesel & Turbo represents another in a long line of projects developed by Welcome Group and KDW, including several in Texas for Germany-based companies. The two firms also have teamed to develop millions of square feet of other commercial and industrial projects throughout the state.

“We are proud to kick off the business park at Twinwood and add to our four million square-foot Texas portfolio with a well-respected tenant such as MAN Diesel & Turbo,” says Welcome Wilson, Jr., president and CEO of Welcome Group. “After an extensive land search, the Twinwood site was selected for its quality location within the growing west Houston market.”

Half of the world’s trade is powered by MAN marine engines, including those which power the CSCL Globe, one of the world’s largest container ships capable of transporting 19,100 containers, and Pioneering Spirit, the world’s largest vessel ever built in terms of gross tonnage, breadth and displacement. MAN Diesel & Turbo also offers a wide range of process turbomachinery, including compressors, steam turbines, expanders, and gas turbines for oil and gas, chemical processing, and general industrial applications.

“Our pre-construction group and in-house architectural team worked with MAN to program its entire campus from the inside out with future phases that will eventually double the square footage of this initial phase,” says Keith Dalton, president and CEO of KDW.

Bob Berry and Jacob Bravo of Avison Young represented MAN Diesel & Turbo in the lease negotiations. Welcome Realty Advisors represented Welcome Group.

Acquisition and construction financing was provided through Katie Sandoval of Hancock Whitney Bank. Vince Yokom of the Waller County Economic Development Partnership and Waller County Judge Trey Duhon also collaborated on the project.