Wafra Backs Liberty Development Partners’ Rail-Served Industrial Push

Wafra has acquired Liberty Development Partners and made a strategic investment in the developer’s Gulf Inland Logistics Park and CMC Railroad.

The transaction provides capital to expand Gulf Inland, a roughly 3,900-acre industrial development in Dayton, Texas, and to support Liberty’s pursuit of additional rail-served industrial opportunities.

Gulf Inland connects industrial customers to Union Pacific and BNSF Railway freight networks through CMC Railroad, which provides rail switching, storage and related services. The site also has access to U.S. Highway 90 and State Highway 99, known as the Grand Parkway, positioning it for industrial, manufacturing, distribution and logistics activity in the Houston-area market.

Since acquiring Gulf Inland and CMC Railroad in 2022, Liberty has expanded the industrial park from about 1,150 acres to 3,900 acres while investing in roads, rail lines and utility infrastructure. The company said it has attracted a growing tenant base of industrial and manufacturing businesses.

As part of its current infrastructure program, Gulf Inland and CMC Railroad are adding about 1,000 railcars of storage capacity. The additional capacity is expected to become operational by year-end.

“Gulf Inland combines a strategic location in one of the country’s most important industrial markets with substantial rail infrastructure and a leading management team,” Wafra Managing Director Anthony Peek said.

Liberty’s existing management team will remain in place to develop and operate Gulf Inland and CMC Railroad. The companies said they will evaluate further expansion and investment opportunities across the Gulf Coast and beyond.

Wafra manages approximately $30 billion across strategic partnerships, real assets and infrastructure, and real estate.