Oxford Properties' industrial real estate portfolio has topped the 10 million-square-foot mark, and it intends to double its size by 2018.

Construction firms should expect a buoyant 2014, but the first half of the year is likely to remain tough for main contractors as the supply chain dictates terms, analyst KPMG has said.

Swiss manufacturer ABB has said it will focus on reducing cost to offset economic uncertainty. In order to combat the sluggish global economy that has damaged sales for many providers of industrial equipment, ABB has focused on the bottom line. "In the short term, there are still a lot of questions around the pace of growth in Europe and the U.S. and the timing of the rebound in China," said Joe Hogan, chief executive officer of ABB.