Posted by Heidi Schwartz

In the latest example of Missouri’s resurgent automotive industry, a major auto supply company based in China is planning to construct a new manufacturing plant in Riverside, Gov. Jay Nixon announced. A Michigan-based subsidiary of Yanfeng Visteon of China, Yanfeng USA Automotive Trim Systems supplies parts to companies such as General Motors and Chrysler and plans to build the new $45 million production facility and create 263 new local jobs.

“The historic expansions by Ford and General Motors during 2011 have transformed Missouri’s economy, putting our state on the map as the leader of the rebirth of the American auto industry,” Gov. Nixon said. “That momentum continues as we once again expand our network of automotive supply manufacturers in Missouri. Yanfeng’s decision to build a new production facility in Riverside and create 263 new manufacturing jobs is more excellent news for our state’s automotive industry sector and economy as a whole.”

Founded in 1994, Yanfeng Visteon has more than 90 production facilities worldwide and exports products to 16 countries. The company’s Riverside plant will manufacture interior trim components including door panels, floor consoles and instrument panels, for General Motors’ plants in Wentzville, MO and Fairfax, KS. The 258,000 square-foot facility is expected to be operational in early 2014.

“Yanfeng USA is pleased to expand its U.S. manufacturing presence with our planned new facility in Missouri,” said David Wang, President of Yanfeng USA. “Missouri offers Yanfeng USA an excellent business climate from which to serve our automotive customers, and we are excited to join the state’s strong community of automotive companies. We appreciate the support and assistance from the state of Missouri, the Kansas City region, and the City of Riverside throughout our year-long process of selecting a new location for this facility.”

A turning point for Missouri’s resurgent auto industry came in 2010, when Nixon called the state Legislature into special session to pass the Missouri Manufacturing Jobs Act, which contained new incentives specifically geared to Missouri auto manufacturers and suppliers. The Governor’s leadership in the Manufacturing Jobs Act, along with the administration’s direct and ongoing consultations with the leadership at Ford and General Motors, led to their major expansion announcements in 2011.

“Yanfeng is precisely the type of long-term, job-creating employer we want to attract to our Horizons development, not from across town or the state line, but from around the country and world,” said Kathy Rose, Mayor of Riverside. “We are honored that a Chinese manufacturer has chosen Riverside to be part of its global-sourcing business strategy. With this announcement, we believe our 260-acre industrial innovations and office development is just starting to provide the economic boost that we expect to contribute to Missouri and the entire Kansas City area.”

“Our Kansas City region is seeing significant new job creation from suppliers to the automotive industry due to the massive reinvestment from our local auto manufacturers,” said Bob Marcusse, president and CEO of the Kansas City Area Development Council. “As both Ford and GM expand capacity or add new products, opportunities are created with suppliers to those companies. Job creation and international investment from a company like Yanfeng USA Automotive Trim Systems also offers further evidence that our region can compete in a global marketplace and is a formidable business and lifestyle destination.”

The state of Missouri helped make Yanfeng USA’s expansion in Riverside possible through a strategic package of economic incentives, which the company can redeem if it meets the strict job creation and investment criteria.

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Four economic development organizations representing five Plains states have signed on to sponsor the ninth annual event, which will take place May 19 – 21, 2013 at the Westin Stonebriar in Dallas, Texas.

LiveXchange sponsors from the Plains will include:

• Joplin Regional Partnership (Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma)
• Overland Park Chamber of Commerce (Kansas)
• Quad Cities (Iowa, Illinois)
• Greater Oklahoma City Chamber (Oklahoma)

Sponsors representing the U.S. South, Southwest, Great Lakes, and New England/Mid-Atlantic will also be participating. A current list of all sponsors can be found by clicking here.

To learn more about LiveXchange, or to apply to attend, please click here.

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From the people to the technology and the resources to the components, the system that moves a product from the supplier to the customer involves many steps. A process needs to be in place to move materials, services, people or any other “product” from point A to point B and possibly all the way to Z. Sophisticated planning is required to account for never ending variables that help to keep supply chain costs down and quality and profits up. Logistics incorporates the complexity of integrating information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling and packaging. It is the largest business practice a company has to manage and to be deemed successful and efficient it should be done in a cost-effective, timely, safe and secure fashion.

According to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals’ (CSCMP) 23rd Annual State of Logistics Report (authored by transportation consultant Rosalyn Wilson of Delcan, Inc.) total U.S. business logistics costs include three main categories: Inventory Carrying, Transportation and Administration. The report reveals that this number rose to $1.28 trillion in 2011, a 6.6 percent increase from the previous year and a 17 percent increase from 2009. This accounts for 8.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), bringing us back to 2003 levels.

Titled “The Long And Winding Recovery,” the report reveals that U.S. exports of goods and services increased by 14.5 percent in 2011 to $2.10 trillion, while imports increased 13.8 percent to $2.66 trillion. 2011 also saw U.S. exports of manufactured goods reach a record $1.27 trillion, up 15.1 percent from 2010. Industrial supplies represented the largest goods export category with a record $499.5 billion worth of exports followed by capital goods with a record $491.4 billion. Record amounts of gasoline, heating oil and diesel were also exported to meet higher global fuel demand, while U.S. fuel consumption dropped.

The Railroad sector was the big winner with a 15.3 percent increase from 2010 to 2011, particularly gaining market share in intermodal. Trucking, which comprises 77 percent of the transportation component, posted a 6.2 percent rise with companies also using intermodal rail help to offset the impacts of driver shortages and the costs of acquiring and maintaining new equipment. The air cargo sector experienced a decline, with domestic revenue down more than 3 percent compared with less than a 1 percent decline in international revenue. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) continues to expect net post-tax profits for the entire industry to fall from $7.9 billion in 2011 to $3 billion in 2012, which is just 0.5 percent of revenues. Ocean cargo also experienced decline with excess capacity, rate erosion, service declines and operational losses.

The United States has the largest freight transportation system in the world. It is comprised of 3.9 million miles of public roads and two million miles of oil and natural gas pipelines. There are networks with 120,000 miles of major railroads, more than 25,000 miles of commercially navigable waterways and more than 5,000 public-use airports. The highway network consists of four million miles of roads and streets with about 600,000 bridges and the transit system is operated by more than 5,000 public transportation systems with 129,000 active service vehicles. But whether traveling by land, air, track or sea, locating in the right area can be a company’s biggest time and profit saver.

Hoosier Energy: Service in a Logistically Magnetic Region
The Hoosier Energy service region is so well suited to the logistics industry that in just the last six months of 2011 five logistics projects in the areas around Indianapolis, Louisville and Greensburg (home of Honda’s auto assembly plant) were announced, as new and existing facilities grew to take advantage of the many favorable factors that southern and central Indiana and southeastern Illinois offer to logistics and distribution companies.

The communities that are served by rural electric cooperatives in this region have the advantage of proximity to the vast majority of the United States population. Within a 900 mile drive of Hoosier Energy services are communities from Dallas to Jacksonville and New York City to Minneapolis. Interstates 64, 65, 70 and 74 all provide access to points along some of the most vital highway corridors east of the Mississippi. In addition, by the end of 2012 a new interstate—I-69—will be open for traffic in southwestern Indiana, a brand new highway that opens up new territory for potential logistics facility sites.

Both Indianapolis and Louisville have established reputations for being communities that logistics projects must examine as potential sites; business parks filled with large distribution centers are available in many communities, and UPS in Louisville and FedEx in Indianapolis are key parts of the air shipping industry. Amazon recently announced that another one of its facilities would spring to life in Indiana as well.

Not only is there a deep pool of existing workers who have experience in the logistics field, but education facilities throughout the Hoosier Energy region also have begun to develop training curriculum materials that are specifically tailored to meet the needs of logistics firms. Six Indiana high schools have started using an Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics (AML) curriculum that is a mixture of hands-on, project-based, and online lessons that will lead to better prepared students who will have logistics training as they enter the work force. Ivy Tech Community College has worked with the AML curricula to position the students for relevant certifications and associate degrees related to logistics.
And the cost of doing business in the communities the Hoosier Energy cooperatives serve is another attractive advantage. According to the Council for Community and Economic Research, all the areas in the Hoosier Energy region have costs that are below the national average composite price index.

The regional business climate is so favorable that businesses of all sorts are expanding in these communities. In the past six years almost 300 business attraction or expansion projects on rural electric served sites led to the announcement of 12,500 new jobs to be created. Automotive parts suppliers, food processing firms and furniture manufacturers—all are flocking to the pro-business region that is serviced by Hoosier Energy.

Low costs, trained labor, available sites and proximity to interstates and the eastern U.S. population—these are the factors that have made the Hoosier Energy region a powerful magnet for new business.

Joplin, MO: Well Connected to Deliver
For companies seeking a central location that reaches numerous major metro areas, excellent transportation connections and a capable labor force, Joplin, Missouri is a great place to locate.

Northpark Mall, Joplin, MO.

The Joplin Metro area in southwest Missouri is in the center of North American markets. Major metros such as Dallas, Kansas City, St. Louis, Tulsa, Little Rock and Memphis are just hours away. Transportation to those markets is efficient thanks to Interstate highways and substantial rail connections. Commercial air service is available at Joplin Regional Airport and three other major airports within 90 minutes drive time.

Companies in the Joplin Metro area benefit from a productive, available labor pool of more than 93,000 people. Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) in Joplin offers a broad range of standard and business-specific classes as well as a strong industrial technology program. Crowder College is a source for customized technical training. Overall, between the Joplin schools and MSSU, more than $100 million has been spent on educational facilities.

Joplin’s quality of living is enhanced with two major regional medical centers, more than 150 restaurants and a wide variety of retail options from locally owned shops to the 114-store Northpark Mall.

With Walmart’s headquarters in nearby Bentonville, AR (just 45 miles away), Joplin is well positioned geographically to serve as a distribution center for suppliers who have a directive to provide just-in-time deliveries. Joplin is located within two hours of six Walmart centers, which gives the region a logistics advantage for supplying the Walmart system, the largest retailer in the U.S.

Joplin is an excellent location for distribution based on the population within 150 and 250 miles. A market of 5.2 million people can be reached within a 150-mile radius of the Joplin area. Among its competitors within that radius, Joplin’s population is the largest. The population in the local market has as much of an influence on distribution costs as the overall population within the distribution radius, as it is far cheaper to distribute to local customers than to customers that are at least two hours from the distribution center.

The Joplin Metro area’s position for serving national markets is nearly as advantageous as Chicago or Kansas City. Interstates 40 and 44 (east-west) and US Highway 71 (north-south) connect to every region in the country. Four airports within 110 miles serve the region, providing commercial and cargo service to markets throughout the world. Two Class 1 and one local railroad are important parts of the transportation system. Both UPS and FedEx offer daily early morning deliveries in Joplin and Neosho through their regional hub in Springfield, MO.

The Joplin area already has several back office operations that have prepared a large pool of full- and part-time workers in this industry. Companies such as La-Z-Boy, General Mills and Owens-Corning transport their finished products from the area.

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By Jack Rogers

Every year, Business Facilities selects the highest-impact projects and honors the agencies that brought them to fruition with our Economic Development Deal of the Year Awards. We also choose our State of the Year. Our mid-year double issue is where we unveil our annual State, Metro and International rankings.

We always do our best to make our awards and rankings the most comprehensive and credible in the community we serve, and it is in that spirit that we introduce our first annual Economic Development Awards, which will honor the agencies and organizations that have established and consistently executed the best practices in our industry, bringing measurable success in targeted economic development to the locations they represent.

We have created more than a dozen new awards categories, including overall excellence in economic development, best practices awards that cite achievements in specialized programs like workforce training and incentives, and awards for marketing excellence in the use of new media (including social networks and video).

New Standard of Excellence
The finalists for our new overall Economic Development Excellence awards were asked to prepare a detailed submission that summarized the most-productive project development in their locations and gave our judges an overview of the economic development strategy they have deployed to ensure sustained long-term growth. The information provided to the judges included the top projects (initiated since the beginning of 2011), both in terms of capital investment and job creation. These projects included new facilities, expansions, relocations or corporate headquarters.

In their strategic narratives, finalists identified the growth sectors they are targeting and described the specialized tools being deployed to achieve growth in these sectors. We encouraged them to specify their approach to workforce training, specialized incentives and the support they provide to the development of start-ups, small businesses and other entrepreneurial initiatives. Our judges assessed the diversity and scope of the agency’s overall economic development program (in terms of the expansion of existing industries as well as the attraction of new ventures).

Our new Achievement Awards throw the spotlight on agencies and organizations that have established the best practices in their specified category. In some cases, the selections were obvious, while in others—particularly in our evaluation of the universe of targeted incentives—we had to put on an extra pot of coffee while we winnowed the field.

So, without further ado, here are the winners of our first annual Economic Development Awards.

Population Greater Than 500k
Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce
Our judges had a tough time selecting a winner from among the finalists for our first annual Economic Development Excellence Award (Population Greater Than 500k). There were many worthy contenders, but when all factors were considered one location emerged as the consensus choice: the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.

The cosmopolitan capital of the Lone Star State has consistently impressed us with its diversity of industry, superior system of higher education, top-flight skilled workforce and vibrant culture. The tremendous economic vitality the Greater Austin area has experienced in recent years is a testament to the best practices established by its first-class economic development organization.

The numbers don’t lie, and they are outstanding: In 2011, 51 businesses expanded operations in Austin while 35 new companies chose to relocate to the Texas city from other parts of the country. These activities created more than 8,000 new jobs in Austin, bringing in more than $495 million in new wages and an overall positive economic impact for the region of $1.9 billion.

The Austin Chamber leads a regional five-county strategy for job creation through recruitment and expansion in Central Texas. Working collaboratively with regional partners, the Chamber aggressively promotes the area as a cost-competitive location for targeted industry segments, including clean energy, creative media, convergence technologies, life sciences and corporate/ professional operations. The Chamber also has worked to establish new-growth beachheads in automotive technologies and wireless/mobile industries, while defending and expanding Austin’s established position as one of the nation’s leading semiconductor hubs.

The Austin Chamber has embraced education as a lynchpin to sustainable economic development. Its innovative approach to education reform, emphasizing tracking measurable, outcomes-based performance, already has blown past its original 2010 goal of increasing Austin’s college enrollment by 20,000 students.

The field of contenders for our top Excellence Award was so rich, that we selected not one, but two honorable mentions: Greater New Orleans Inc. and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce.

In the wake of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, many people still think of New Orleans as a wounded city on the mend. The fact is, the Crescent City is now a shining model of diverse, growth-oriented success. 2011 was a remarkable year for Greater New Orleans, capped by being named the fastest improving economy in the United States by The Wall Street Journal.

Among the big ticket projects announced in 2011 in New Orleans were NASA’s manufacturing facility for its new Space Launch System (expected to employ 500), digital media player Gameloft’s second North American studio (bringing 150 jobs) and the expansion of Australian steel manufacturer Bradken’s foundry, an $18-million investment creating up to 400 new jobs.

Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO) takes a bifurcated approach to economic development, focusing on business development (business retention, expansion and attraction) and product development (policy reform, workforce development, regional brand management and access to capital for entrepreneurs.

The Greater OKC Chamber has been a job-creating juggernaut in recent months, with its top 10 projects notching more than $1 billion in capital investment, including the expansions of fabricated metal product manufacturer W&W Steel Co. and oil-and-gas-extraction specialists Helmerich and Payne, and the much-heralded relocation from Wichita of Boeing’s architectural, engineering and related services, which brought up to 900 jobs to OKC.

The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber serves as the one-stop manager of economic development for the Oklahoma City region. The Chamber’s Economic Development Division focuses on business retention and expansion (BRE) activities; recruitment of new companies and investment; research, demographic and economic modeling; and entrepreneurial development. In addition, the education and workforce division, marketing division and government relations division all support the overall economic development mission and goals.

Greater OKC’s research department is the primary source for business and economic intelligence for the 10-county partnership region, the Chamber members and the economic development team, delivering services including detailed demographic analyses, economic impacts of individual and aggregate projects, market and employer profiles and more. The research department produces a number of publications throughout the year including various industry studies, a quarterly cost of living index and an annual economic forecast.

The OKC Chamber also takes the lead for business recruitment for the city, county and 10-county Regional Partnership. If a company has workforce training needs, Oklahoma’s CareerTech System and Training for Industry Program (TIP) are available. The TIP program works one-on-one with companies to deliver specific training programs. It also offers ongoing, customized training to keep employees up-to-date and productive.

Population 200k – 500k
Commerce Lexington Inc.
When we assessed the best practices for mid-sized locations, the consistent sparkle from a gem in the heart of Bluegrass Country caught our eye. Year in and year out, the folks at Commerce Lexington Inc. are setting the standard for a full-service, highly professional economic development effort, making the organization a clear choice as the winner of our Economic Development Excellence Award in the Population 200k-500k category. The numbers alone don’t tell the success story for the Lexington, KY region, but they are impressive: overall, in 2011, more than $133 million in new capital investment was pulled into the region, including about $67.5 million for the top 10 projects alone.

Commerce Lexington Inc.’s economic development strategy focuses on three core initiatives—business attraction, business retention and expansion, and entrepreneurial development. The aim of these efforts is to create new primary jobs that increase the per capita income, as well as new income entering the community, and to create greater capital investment in the region. In tandem with these efforts, Commerce Lexington also implements community development strategies supporting minority business and workforce development.

Commerce Lexington approaches these strategies with a regional perspective. Recruiting new industry and investment in the Bluegrass Region is a team effort, with participants including the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and the Bluegrass Alliance, a regional economic development group that brings together professionals, utility companies and assets from the University of Kentucky with a focus on development in the central Kentucky area.

Hardly a week goes by without a major job-creating investment announcement from Commerce Lexington. Most recently, GE Lighting said it will invest approximately $10 million at its Lexington Lamp Plant to produce a new line of energy-efficient lighting products. The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority approved GE Lighting for tax incentives up to $600,000 through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows the company to keep a portion of its investment over the term of the agreement through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.

Our honorable mention for this category goes to GO Topeka/Greater Topeka (KS) Chamber of Commerce. GO Topeka’s efforts on behalf of Topeka and Shawnee counties yielded a combined capital investment of $250 million in 2011. The “icing” on Topeka’s economic development cake came from Mars Chocolate’s decision to build its first U.S. factory in more than 35 years in Topeka. The $250-million factory, which is expected to have an economic impact of $3.24 billion over the next 10 years (creating 425 new jobs), garnered an honorable mention in our 2011 Economic Development Deal of the Year Awards. In addition to food manufacturing, GO Topeka is targeting new development in biomedical, back office/financial services, logistics and distribution and clean technology.

Population 50k – 200k
Midland Tomorrow (MI)
The winner of our Economic Development Excellence Award for the Population 50k-200k category, Midland Tomorrow, serves Midland County, MI, a hub of chemical and alternative energy manufacturing in the Midwest.

The core of Midland Tomorrow’s work involves what the organization likes to call “economic gardening”—providing assistance to local second- and third-stage manufacturers in defining their growth plans and connecting them with available local resources to assist those plans in six key areas: human resources and organization, finance, innovation, sales and commercialization, marketing data and analysis and core strategy/CEO leadership. Midland Tomorrow holds annual retention visits with more than 90 local companies annually.

Dow Corning has invested heavily in Midland in recent years, putting $180 million into local plant expansions from 2006 to 2011. This investment was made possible by a blend of state tax credits and local property tax abatements; for these incentives, Midland Tomorrow acted as the liaison between the company and local and state municipalities.

Dow Chemical, meanwhile, has launched a group of projects in the last two years that are projected to bring over 3,000 jobs to the area and invest over $600 million into the community. Dow is investing heavily in its Dow AgroSciences business this year, with $132 million slated in plant upgrades and improvements to support production. In addition, the Dow Business Process Service Center, a joint venture with India-based Tata Consultancy Services, opened in Midland in the summer of 2011; this facility, which provides back-end business services for Dow and other clients, accounts for 1250 of the jobs total of 3,000.

Dow has also launched two projects that relate directly to Midland Tomorrow’s business attraction efforts: Dow Solar Solutions (manufacturing photovoltaic roof shingles for residential applications) and Dow Kokam Advanced Battery Group (a partnership with Kokam America to manufacture advanced lithium-ion batteries for hybrid vehicles). These two projects form the nexus of Midland’s burgeoning alternative energy manufacturing cluster.

An Honorable Mention in this category went to the City of South Jordan, UT.

The demographics of South Jordan are extremely favorable to retail development. Households in the city have higher than average incomes; In fact, 62 percent of South Jordan’s workforce receives an annual income of $75,000 or more compared to only 36 percent of households in Salt Lake County.

The RiverPark Corporate Office Park on the east side of the City provides over 1 million square feet of Class “A” office space and is the home to the majority of the 27 corporate headquarters within the City.

Population Less Than 50k
Ardmore (OK) Development Authority
An economic development growth philosophy centered on quality and diversity that benefits the community is the hallmark of Ardmore Development Authority, making the Oklahoma organization our Economic Development Excellence winner in the Population Less Than 50k category.

The Development Authority is poised to meet a diverse segment of business needs. With four industrial parks totaling more than 3,000 acres, a variety of shovel-ready sites are available. The Authority also offers unique build-to-suit options and has successfully constructed, leased or sold over 4 million square feet of building space.

Technology development is another target for the ADA. Ardmore’s 40-acre Technology Park is part of a 240-acre, ADA-owned development that includes an innovative housing subdivision started and developed by the ADA, commercial development and the tech park with incubator. Nearly 75 acres is set aside in the park for green space and trails. Targeted companies include, biotechnology, sensors and advanced manufacturing. Companies who have been awarded an SBIR Phase I grant and have been asked to apply for Phase II funding are eligible for a $50,000 incentive should they locate in the tech park. In addition, the incubator offers sophisticated equipment and a clean room for use by tenants.

Aerospace is another development target due to the capabilities at the Ardmore Airpark. This 2500-acre ADA-owned facility includes two runways (the longest is 9,000 feet) and capacity to handle wide-body freight aircraft. The Airpark is a designated foreign trade zone which boasts interstate access, rail on site and air shipment capabilities. A logistics leader that has embraced this location is the 1.2 million square foot Dollar General Distribution Center.

Bioscience development in Ardmore has a significant footprint with the Oklahoma State University Bioscience Center and the Noble Foundation, a 300-employee research institute known worldwide.

An excellent industry tailored workforce development program is found at the Southern Oklahoma Technology Center. Local industries benefit from tailored programs designed to train potential new employees and upgrade training for existing employees. But, Ardmore believes that workforce development begins with K-12 education.

The Ardmore Chamber-sponsored Cornerstone program is a $3.2 million effort that implements and administers a testing program that provides extensive and immediate feedback for instructors, data warehousing, pay-for-performance for teachers, total funding for a summer school program, signing bonuses for teachers in hard-to-fill subjects and the AVID program (Advancement Via Individual Determination).

Our Honorable Mention in the Population Less Than 50k Category goes to Jackson County Industrial Development Corp.

Headquartered in Seymour, IN, the Jackson County IDC was created in 1984 in the midst of double-digit unemployment, a declining tax base and few jobs for the next generation of workers. Located along Interstate 65 in southern Indiana, one hour south of Indianapolis, IN, one hour north of Louisville, KY and 90 minutes west of Cincinnati, OH, community leaders believed the area was ripe for development.

Within the first five years, the area welcomed several new industries, including three international companies, as a result of attraction efforts of JCIDC in partnership with the state and utility companies. By 1990, more than 1,000 new jobs had been created and the assessed value of Jackson County had more than doubled.

In the 1990s, JCIDC created the Workforce Partnership. Today, the Partnership helps facilitate a number of programs for middle school and high school students, plus post-secondary and the incumbent workforce. Among those programs are “Dream It—Do It” (which encourages careers in advanced manufacturing) and Project Lead the Way (which places emphasis on STEM classes: science, technology, engineering and math) as well as job shadowing, senior mock interviews (for all seniors in the five county high schools), company tours, classroom presentations and career days.

In 2012, more than 20 businesses and industries contribute to the Partnership, while overall, more than 70 entities help support the efforts of JCIDC. JCIDC worked with the Seymour Redevelopment Commission to help create a new local loan program: ECLIPSE (EConomic Loan Incentive Program for SEymour), which recently helped attract a new distribution center to kick off 2012. That announcement followed a record-year in 2011, when JCIDC reported more than $81 million in promised investment which bettered the previous high of $68 million in 2005.

Achievement in Targeted Incentives
When we decided to create an awards category for Achievement in Targeted Incentives, we knew we were risking eyestrain due to the wealth of worthy candidates from across the nation. As we begin to scan the most impressive incentives and winnow them down to the most creative and effective offerings, it also become apparent that there would have to be more than one winner. In fact, there are five, and here they are:

Louisiana Economic Development takes the award for the Digital Media and Software Incentive, which is fueling the explosive growth of the Bayou State’s digital media industry. This incentive provides a 25 percent refundable tax credit on qualified production expenditures and a 35 percent refundable tax credit for Louisiana resident labor expenditures. There are no minimum investment requirements and no cap on costs. The incentive is eligible to digital interactive media productions in Louisiana, excluding largely static Internet sites and products regulated under the Louisiana Game Control Law.

While we generally skewed our evaluation in favor of recently introduced incentives, a venerable program from the heartland could not be ignored. Thus, we award the Nebraska Department of Economic Development for the Nebraska Super Advantage program, which specifically rewards all non-retail companies that create higher-paying jobs. To qualify, the new jobs must pay at least 150 percent of the state average wage, or 200 percent of the county average, whichever is greater. Companies that create 75 new jobs and make a $10-million capital investment—or 50 new jobs and a $100-million investment—can receive a sales and use tax refund on capital purchases; a 10 percent wage credit on new employee compensation; a 15 percent investment tax credit; and a 10-year exemption on all personal property.

In our New Jersey Business Report this month, we highlight some major projects that were spurred by the state’s Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit, which has garnered our Achievement in Targeted Incentives Award for the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. This forward-thinking financial tool is designed to spur private capital investment, business development and employment by providing tax credits for businesses planning a large expansion or relocating to one of New Jersey’s designated Urban Transit Hubs. The program offers developers, owners or tenants up to 100 percent of a qualified capital investment made within an eight period. Taxpayers may apply 10 percent of the total credit amount per year over a ten-year period against their corporate business tax, insurance premiums tax or gross income tax liability. Developers or owners must make a minimum $50 million capital investment in a single business facility, and at least 250 full-time employees must work at that facility. Tenants in a qualified business facility can represent at least $17.5 million of the capital investment in the facility, and up to three tenants may aggregate to meet the 250 employee requirement.

The Mississippi Development Authority earned an award for the Mississippi Aerospace Initiative Incentives Program, which provides tax incentives to companies that manufacture or assemble components for the aerospace industry or provide research, development or training services for the sector and are looking to locate or expand in the state. These incentives include a 10-year exemption from income and franchise taxes, as well as a sales and use tax exemption for the start-up of the facility. In order to qualify, companies must invest a minimum of $30 million and create at least 100 full-time jobs.

With a vision to fuel economic growth in Northern Kentucky and lay the foundation of an informatics-industry cluster, a super business accelerator called UpTech has been created to provide startup companies with what every new business seeks—financial and developmental support. We are pleased to bestow our Achievement in Targeted Incentives Award on Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corp. for the UpTech Super Business Accelerator.

In a highly creative and unique initiative, UpTech is committed to funding 50 of the best and brightest early-stage informatics companies from the United States and abroad. UpTech will invest up to $100,000 into each of the 50 winning startup companies that demonstrate their commercial potential through an application and review process. UpTech will also provide each business with six months of free, premium riverfront office space in, with a view of the Cincinnati skyline, along with essential business support.

The UpTech winners will also receive support from faculty, staff and graduate assistants and two student interns from Northern Kentucky University’s College of Informatics for each company along with on-campus informatics labs and facilities for collaboration, events, and seminars.

Achievement in Public-Private Partnership
Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance
Over the past decade, we have chronicled the proliferation of public-private partnerships as an alternative or supplement to state-run economic development agencies and/or departments of commerce. Not all public-private partnerships are created equal. A few have emphasized the private side to the extent that transparency and credible metrics for job creation get lost in the equation.

But the best public-private partnerships bring together a high-powered team of business leaders and economic development specialists who leverage the assets of a region to establish a coherent strategy for development and brand the location as a prime site for new business.

The winner of our Achievement in Public-Private Partnership Award has set the standard for best practices in this dominant new economic development model. Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance has forged a powerhouse collection of area CEOs into a driving force for growth. The CEO Council of Greater Fort Lauderdale recently has been involved in several high-profile initiatives that are raising national awareness for the region. A TV commercial produced by Zimmerman Advertising has featured CEO Council members Wayne Huizenga, Mike Jackson, Roy Krause and Keith Koenig along with County Administrator Bertha Henry and NFL Hall of Famer Dwight Stephenson. The TV ads, which aired for six months in the NY/NJ/CT and Boston markets and on JetBlue’s in-flight TV, conclude with Huizenga’s memorable tag line: “Hey, it’s not what you make, it’s what you keep” The top execs also appeared in print display ads.

Our Honorable Mentions in the Achievement in Public-Private Partnership category went to Buffalo Niagara Enterprise (BNE), Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Upstate South Carolina Alliance.

BNE was cited for its success in branding an eight-county region of Western New York as a prime venue for development which offers excellent infrastructure, a superior workforce, a positive business climate and abundant natural resources. We were particularly impressed with effectiveness of the partnership’s efforts to draw new business to New York from Canada through its marketing campaign, A Million Reasons to Expand Your Business to Buffalo Niagara.

Achievement in Downtown Revitalization
Brick City Development Corp.
For our first annual Achievement in Downtown Revitalization Award, we took note not only of recent progress in the cities that made our list of finalists, but also how far they have come in breathing new life into their urban centers. After a decade-long malaise, Newark, NJ is undergoing a renaissance that is transforming its downtown into a model of 21st Century urban development. This effort has been spearheaded by our award winner, Brick City Development Corp.

As detailed in this month’s New Jersey Business Report, Newark has made wise use of the state’s Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit incentive to spur major projects, including the relocation of Panasonic and the planned new headquarters for insurance giant Prudential.

Construction has begun on the new Courtyard by Marriott at the Prudential Center, a mixed-use hotel and retail project that is being billed as a significant catalyst to the economic growth of the downtown Newark area by bringing added new investments, ratables, and employment to the Brick City.

Located just a few blocks from Newark Penn Station, the Courtyard by Marriott will be the first new hotel for the City’s downtown in nearly four decades. The development is expected to generate approximately 175 one-time construction jobs, and a total of between 50 and 75 permanent jobs through the hotel and retail operations. Marriott International will manage the hotel operation.

Tucker Development Corporation, a developer of shopping center and mixed-use properties throughout the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, is developing the project, and will lease and manage the development’s approximately 14,000 square feet of ground floor retail space.

Some of the biggest names in politics, finance and real estate broke ground recently on Teachers Village, a mixed-use development in downtown Newark that will create two school buildings, which will house three schools and a daycare center; more than 200 moderately-priced rental apartments for Newark teachers; and more than 20 on-street retail establishments, which will include restaurants, medical offices and local and national stores.

Ron Beit, managing member of lead developer RBH Group, was joined by Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker and deputy mayor for economic development, Adam Zipkin; Governor Chris Christie; Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs, which is a capital provider in Teachers Village; international investor Nicolas Berggruen, president of Berggruen Holdings and a major partner in the project; and Richard Meier, the Newark-born, nationally renowned architect, who created the master plan for the project.

The first phase of a larger development, Teachers Village will result in 460 temporary construction jobs and 460 permanent jobs, according to estimates. Retail tenants will be able to begin building out their spaces by the end of this year and open for business in the summer of 2013, and the first residents will be able to occupy apartments in the fall of 2013. The residential units cover about 200,000 square feet, and the units are being pre-marketed to Newark-based teachers.

Centrally located on Halsey Street, Teachers Village will also allow for the expansion and relocation of three charter schools—Great Oaks, Discovery Charter School and Team Academy—as well as the CHEN School daycare. The two school buildings will represent about 90,000 square feet and serve about 800 students from kindergarten through eighth grade. CHEN will occupy about 11,000 square feet and will service about 150 children.

New Jersey’s largest city has made steady progress in attracting new businesses to the city while maintaining its traditional employment base, a growing center of leading institutions of higher education and a world-class logistics and transportation hub. We are confident Newark has set in place the foundation for future success and have adopted an economic development strategy that will continue to produce positive results.

Achievement in Workforce Training
Louisiana Economic Development
Loyal followers of our annual state rankings report will not be surprised that Louisiana Economic Development is the hands-down winner of our first Achievement in Workforce Training Award for the Louisiana FastStart program. FastStart’s innovative training initiative has been the perennial front runner in our ranking of state training programs. FastStart’s innovative, customized programs are available to companies that meet eligibility requirements and are aligned with Louisiana’s diverse economic develop- ment targets, which include digital media, headquarters and business operations, service industries, advanced and traditional manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, and research and development.

To qualify for FastStart, a company must first commit to creating a net of at least 15 new, permanent manufacturing jobs, or a net of at least 50 new, permanent service-related jobs. Each request is evaluated prior to project commencement to ensure all eligibility requirements are met.

FastStart played a pivotal role in the development of Moonbot Studios in Shreveport, which recently produced an Academy Award-winning animated short.

Honorable Mentions in our Achievement in Workforce Training category went to Georgia’s Quick Start program and the readysc Training Program in South Carolina.

Quick Start Employee Training provides customized training for new employees in skill-based jobs at no cost to qualifying companies. The training program is given to the company for its future use. Quick Start provides training space, instructors and all needed materials related to the program, potentially saving companies millions of dollars in training costs. The readysc™ program, offered through the S.C. Technical College System, provides pre-job training at little or no cost for eligible new or expanding companies with curricula tailored to meet a company’s workforce requirements. The comprehensive program includes recruiting, screening, testing, developing customized instruction material along with coordinating and upfitting training space.

Achievement in Reorganization of Economic Development
New Jersey Partnership for Action
The Garden State for many years has had to fight an uphill battle against the perception that its business climate has been, to put it diplomatically, a bit surly. Two years ago, a new governor set about to change that perception with one of the most comprehensive reorganizations of statewide economic developments we’ve seen in a long time. Under the umbrella of the New Jersey Partnership for Action and headed by Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, the plan consists of three highly-focused organizational elements—Choose New Jersey, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, and the Business Action Center—that provide economic development services, link companies to incentive programs and attract international investment to others. The change has been dramatic and effective, and it made our choice for the first annual winner of our Achievement in Reorganization of Economic Development Award an easy one.

Achievement in Ports/Foreign Trade Zone Development
Philadelphia Regional Port Authority
Philadelphia has one of the oldest and most venerable ports in the United States. It’s harbor often was the point of arrival for the nation’s founding fathers when they emigrated from Great Britain in the early 1700s. But Philadelphia is not resting on its laurels: the port is busy preparing to meet the challenges of 21st Century commerce, including an expansion of the Panama Canal that will see huge cargo ships arriving at East Coast ports directly from Asia beginning in 2014. Thus we bestow our first annual Achievements in Ports/Foreign Trade Zone Development Award on the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority. PRPA has renewed its MOU for the Panama Canal Authority and it has undertaken a channel-deepening project along the 102-mile Delaware River shipping lane. We also are impressed with PRPA’s ability to maintain and grow a thriving shipping hub while undertaking these improvements, evidenced by double-digit increases in cargo tonnage at the port in the past two years, despite a very challenging national and regional economy.

Achievement in High-Tech Cluster Development
When we decided to honor Achievement in High-Tech Cluster Development, we quickly realized that we could not limit this award to a single technology sector. So we have selected five standard-bearers to be our first recipients of this award, which is our recognition of the national centers of excellence in each of these emerging high-tech growth clusters. Our winners are: Kansas Bioscience Authority, for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, soon to be the nation’s premier biodefense facility, located in the heart of the Kansas animal health corridor; Commerce Lexington and the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development for the Kentucky-Argonne Battery Manufacturing R&D Center, which is in the forefront of the development of lithium-ion batteries for use in electric vehicles; Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities for the Solar Zone at UA Science and Tech Park, located in the heart of Arizona’s “solar city,” the leading U.S. hub for solar energy manufacturing; the Capital Region (NY) Economic Development Corp., for the CNSE Nanotech complex, perhaps the most advanced research facility in the world for the development of nanotech-scale semiconductors; and the Virginia Partnership for the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing. The Commonwealth Center is anchored by jet maker Rolls Royce’s two major facilities in northern Virginia (the first of which was our 2008 Deal of the Year Gold Award winner).

Building Inspiration Award
The Group C Media Building Inspiration Award is a our recognition of an economic development agency that has exhibited exceptional character and a professional, coordinated response to an unexpected challenge that tested the resolve of the community. Our first annual Building Inspiration Award goes to the Joplin (MO) Area Chamber of Commerce.

On May 22, 2011, the deadliest tornado to hit the U.S. in more than a century tore through the heart of Joplin, MO. The mile-wide twister, with 200 m.p.h. winds, left a 12-mile-long path of destruction and took 161 lives from a city of 50,000. It flattened more than 7,500 homes and 557 businesses. Nine of the city’s schools were destroyed or severely damaged, including Joplin High School. Fortunately, the tornado hit on a Sunday and all of the schools were empty.

Within hours of the deadly May 22 storm, the world began to understand the solid character of the people of Joplin as story after story emerged of heroic acts of individual courage and sacrifice in the face of certain death, including the nurses at St. John’s Regional Medical Center who ran upstairs to save bedridden patients as the tornado slammed directly into the hospital, carrying away its top floor. Six people died at the medical center, but thanks to the heroic staff, 183 were safely evacuated.

The medical center became an iconic image of the May 22 storm, its windows blown out and its Medivac helicopter lying on its side. So did the local Home Depot, demolished beyond recognition, shards of its familiar orange sign winding around twisted debris on the ground.

Even while they were still assessing the damage in the hours after the tornado struck, Joplin’s can-do residents rolled up their sleeves and began to rebuild.

Less than a week after the storm wreaked havoc, St. John’s resumed operations. A temporary tent hospital was set up across the street from the wrecked building. At the ravaged Home Depot, employees in orange vests were busy helping customers stock up on building materials piled high on tables in the parking lot of the demolished store. Workers hammered away in another section of the lot, putting up a 30,000-square-foot temporary building.

On May 26, just four days after the storm hit, Joplin opened a Business Recovery Center (BRC), the fastest BRC opening in the history of the U.S. Small Business Administration. A Business Recovery Fund was established which raised $50,000 in its first 48 hours. Joplin’s businesses managed to keep 3,000 of a total of 5,000 displaced workers on their payrolls without interruption.

Perhaps most impressive of all, within two days of the disaster Joplin Schools Superintendent C.J. Huff announced that, without a doubt, schools would reopen on schedule on Aug. 17, 2011. On the date Huff had designated, a new Joplin High School opened its doors in a facility that was constructed in just 55 days in a vacant department store at the back of a shopping mall. Temporary modular facilities also opened to replace the eight elementary schools that were damaged during the storm. Despite the widespread displacement, 6,978 students were marked present for the first day of school on Aug. 17, just 750 less than the enrollment at the end of last year.

Today, less than a year after the disaster, 443 of the businesses that were damaged or destroyed by the tornado have reopened. The Small Business Administration has approved $11.7 million in disaster loans for the businesses of Joplin. The Joplin Tomorrow Fund, launched by former Sen. John Danforth, has raised $1.4 million.

It is our privilege to bestow our first Building Inspiration award to the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce—and to the people of Joplin, MO, whose courage and tenacity have inspired everyone.

Achievement in New Media
Best Use of Social Media
Pasco County (FL) EDC
Pasco County Economic Development Council realized that their audience was to be reached not only through their website, but also through various networking tools. A set of five goals were defined at the outset of their campaign, which supported them in knowing what action steps needed to be taken. They understood that social media marketing is a moving target and took the proper actions to strengthen their efforts (i.e., hiring a social media specialist, creating a campaign around their slogan, and producing their own content). Pasco County’s branding and design was also very consistent across all platforms, something that a lot of organizations miss the mark on because they are trying to do too much with social media.

Pasco’s actions have yielded impressive growth. Their Facebook page has received close to 5,200 post views (up 264 percent) and their Twitter page has grown from 30 to more than 185 followers (up 375 percent) since January 1. While there is no direct correlation between their social media efforts and their main website, they have seen 60 percent growth in their page visits in 2012. Their rapid growth shows that their efforts have been successful in this campaign.

Best Use of Video
Sumter County, SC
We received nearly a dozen online video submissions for our first annual Best Use of Media Award. The standout came from Sumter County, SC. Sumter’s video was a highly professional and eye-pleasing presentation which concisely detailed the business opportunities in the area while giving a nod to its history and quality of life.

Business Facilities thanks Jason Hickey (president, Hickey & Associates), Philip Anderson (president, PW Anderson and Partners), Jan Dickinson (president, The Dickinson Consulting Group) and Jay Garner (president and founder, Garner Economics) for their assistance in judging our Economic Development Awards.

The post FEATURE STORY: 2012 Economic Development Awards appeared first on Business Facilities.

Port Freeport

By Dominique Cantelme
From the January/February 2012 issue 

There are many specific definitions of logistics but they all generally mean the same thing—a process needs to be in place to move materials, services, people and/or information from point A to point B and possibly C and D or more. It should be done in a cost-effective, timely, safe and secure fashion in order to be deemed successful and efficient.

The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) released their 22nd Annual State of Logistics Report delivered by author Rosalyn Wilson. The report offers insight into the state of the logistics industry over the course of the last few years. Specifically that:

• Logistics costs increased 10.4 percent in 2010 after dropping in both 2008 and 2009, and logistics costs as a percent of nominal GDP moved back up to 8.3 percent.
• Inventory carrying costs increased 10.3 percent in 2010, due to higher costs for taxes, obsolescence and insurance, which were offset by declines in inventory carrying rates and warehousing costs.
• Transportation costs increased 10.3 percent in 2010. Motor carriages, which comprise 78 percent of the transportation segment, rose 9.3 percent, while air, rail, water and pipeline combined increased an average of 15.4 percent in the same period.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) referred to 2010’s results as “the best year of the decade” with an $18 billion profit in air freight; however, only a 3.2 percent profit margin was realized. Air carriers started to see business dwindle in the second half of 2010 and into the first half of 2011 as customers, facing higher transportation costs due to rising oil prices, went with cheaper options whenever possible. IATA expected overall profits for the global airline industry in 2011 to be $6.9 billion; a net income drop to $3.5 billion is expected in 2012.

While ocean traffic through U.S. ports declined in 2010 (even though most top ten ports registered a rise in TEUs moved), costs for the water sector went up 14.1 percent. Prior to the downturn, the sector had ordered mega containerships, nearly doubling its available volume. Having received the new vessels through 2009 and 2010, ocean carriers have had to deal with excess capacity and weakening demand.

The railroad industry appears to be back on track. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) released the 2011 Edition of Railroad Facts. The publication notes that in 2010 rail traffic began to recover from recession-related decreases of 2009, which helped railroads bring equipment back into service and hire employees. According to a Progressive Railroading interview with

Norfolk Southern Railway’s Chairman, President and CEO Wick Moorman, its freight customers would agree with the company’s outlook that “they don’t see extraordinarily robust growth…in 2012, but neither do they see anything which would portend a downturn.” He added, they “are anticipating a stable economy that continues to grow…[at] a somewhat reduced pace.” In interviews with Progressive Railroading, railway CEOs advise that the key factors to impact traffic growth next year likely will be consumer confidence and employment levels, but executives also seem to think the worst has passed.

Less than truckload (LTL) shipments (AKA motor freight) range from 110 to 15,000 pounds and are usually palletized, shrink-wrapped and packaged for a mixed-freight environment. This $27.5 billion sector has not been profitable recently due to overcapacity, high overhead costs and losses from some of its biggest players. Shipments larger than about 15,432 pounds are typically classified as truckload (TL) freight. These shipments have exclusive use of one larger trailer rather than share space on a smaller LTL trailer. The TL sector, which supplies some 95 percent of capacity in the $403 billion for-hire intercity trucking industry, is finally on the rise after setbacks in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

A Logistics Management article notes that, “according to analyst consensus, trucking, rail and intermodal rates are forecasted to inch up by 2 percent to 3 percent over the course of 2012. Ocean and air cargo providers are seeking similar improvement, but will encourage shippers to sign long-term contracts designed to give carriers sustainable returns to cover their capital investments.” The article adds that, “the biggest rate jump…has…been announced by parcel shipping players—and shippers say they’re ready to live with at least a 5 percent hike when going express air and ground.”

Companies looking to build a durable business need to continuously offer added value. The procedure can be more or less complicated for a business depending on where it is physically situated, logistically speaking. Setting up facilities in the right location can mean a world of difference to a company’s success and the following locations can help with that precise positioning.

I-69 is Nearing Completion in the Hoosier State

Construction of the extension of I-69 in southwestern and south central Indiana continues with a vengeance. The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has announced that 107 miles of the southwest portion of Indiana will be open by the end of 2012. The new interstate will provide an important north/south corridor connecting two interstates that run east and west: I-70 and I-64. In the longer term, future construction of I-69 in Kentucky, Tennessee and additional southern states will extend the highway from the Mexican border to the Canadian border.

According to economic development leaders who serve this area of Indiana, the interstate can’t open soon enough.

Here are just a few of the immediate benefits to the area:

• New interstate interchanges will provide premium sites for logistics firms to locate; four new interchanges between Bloomington and Evansville will open in 2012.
• Increasing range of trade for manufacturers since I-69 will make it easier and faster for producers and manufacturers to tap a larger pool of raw materials.
• Decreased commute time for workers.
• Safety impact on rural communities—separate routes for interstate and local traffic means school buses, tractors and combines will no longer share roads with commercial trucks and long-distance commuters.
• Technology and retail infrastructure for rural communities; rural areas will benefit from the technology and infrastructure growth.
• Easier access to healthcare facilities.

David Cox, former Daviess County Economic Development Commission Director, discussed Perdue Foods in Washington, Indiana. “Perdue needs an efficient supply line, both into its facilities and out. Perdue is a meat processing company, and a huge consumer of corn.” Another nearby food processor who will be positively impacted by I-69 is GPC. “Among their (GPC’s) products is Maltrin, a corn syrup solid used in a variety of sweeteners.” Perdue and GPC are only two of several manufacturers who will be able to enhance their productivity thanks to improvements in interstate access.

Cox also referenced Crane Naval Weapons Support Center, Indiana’s military munitions storage and electronics manufacturing facility. “Reduced transportation costs and access to the interstate mean Crane can bid lower and provide a higher quality product.” The U.S. Hwy 231/I-69 interchange will be located about three miles from the Crane facility gate. Westgate at Crane Technology Park is already developing into a location of choice by defense contractors, in part, because of the promise of easy access to Crane via I-69.

Paul Lake, executive director of the Pike County Economic Development Commission, says they’ve been “blessed with an excellent state highway infrastructure, but I-69 provides us with a new high speed route to reach Bloomington and Indianapolis. Businesses have embraced a ‘just in time’ delivery system, and maneuvering though stoplights and traffic is not conducive to good business.” Lake cites coal as a staple product of southwest Indiana. “As the cost of transportation decreases, local manufacturers can move product more efficiently, and at a more competitive rate. I-69 will connect us to the world marketplace.”

Lake added, “If you look at a 500 mile radius, there are over 50 million people. That circle touches Nashville, Atlanta, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Chicago and Detroit—significant markets that the interstate will draw us closer to.”

Todd Mosby, president and CEO of the Gibson County Economic Development Commission, referenced their Toyota auto manufacturing plant in Princeton. “North American Lighting, a supplier of the Toyota plant, is building a new facility in Warrick County’s Industrial Park on the promise, in part, of how simple I-69 will make it to conduct business.”

Many of the sites along the expanded I-69 interchanges will be served by rural electric co-operatives, with Hoosier Energy as the power supplier. On this, Cox said, “Hoosier Energy’s partnerships have allowed smaller communities to attract more significant manufacturing business than they could otherwise.” Through the rural electric cooperatives in the region, the needed site development at the new I-69 interchanges can be promoted and enhanced. Several state-certified shovel-ready sites have already received an assist through the local REMC’s.

New interstates are not constructed very often in the U.S. anymore, so the emergence of I-69 during the opening years of the 21st century is an exciting opportunity to see the modern logistics industry get in on the ground floor to take advantage of newly opened interstate interchanges and adjacent developments. Indiana is the epicenter for this exciting new development—all 107 miles of it opening in 2012.

Topeka: Center of the Heartland

Right in the heartland of the U.S., Topeka, Kansas is the perfect place for transport. Direct access to a 12,800-foot runway with a load bearing capacity of 300,000 tons, major interstates (I-70 and I-35) and railroad arteries allow for inexpensive, simple shipment and delivery to business sites.

Whether it’s bringing raw materials in or shipping finished product out, Topeka’s central location makes for timely and cost-effective delivery throughout North America. Within one day, goods shipped by truck reach 25 percent of the U.S. population, reaching 90 percent by day two. In addition to convenient access to major roadways, Topeka offers rail service and an air logistics facility at Forbes Field, with Kansas City International Airport only one hour away.

Because Topeka is conveniently located right in the middle of everywhere, products make it to customers quickly and efficiently. The city also has available sites, low energy costs, aggressive development incentives and a highly skilled workforce. If a company wants to ship all over America, Topeka, Kansas is a great place to be.

• Two large, shovel ready Commerce Parks with BNSF rail-served sites
• Major North-South, East-West Interstate transportation network
• Forbes Field Air Logistics Facility offers direct access to two runways (12,800 feet and 7,000 feet)
• Foreign Trade Zones are “user friendly” site specific and allocated on an individual company basis
• Region has five intermodal yards and is served by two Class I rail companies, BNSF and Union Pacific
• Already home to major logistics centers including Home Depot Rapid Deployment Center and Target Distribution Center
• Kansas Turnpike Authority provides the opportunity for trucks to haul multiple trailers on sections of the highway, reducing overall transportation costs
• Existing Business Program fields the needs of logistics companies in the region and offers support as they grow their operation
• Washburn Institute of Technology offers two in-depth certifications for the logistics industry workforce

For information on the ideal location for your company and how GO Topeka can help you grow, contact Dawn Wright at 785-234-2644 or dwright@gotopeka.com.

Dyersburg, TN: Gateway to the American Marketplace

Dyersburg, TN is located at a strategic point on the North American transportation grid, very near the center point of the United States population. As a result of this location, Dyersburg/Dyer County offers a number of logistical features and attributes.

Dyersburg is positioned on the interstate highway system roughly equidistant from Chicago and New Orleans, within a two-day drive by truck to 65 percent of the U.S. population. Situated on the main line of the Canadian National Railway, also halfway between Chicago and New Orleans, it provides direct rail connections from as far away as Prince Rupert Sound in Canada and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Dyersburg/Dyer County is home to Dyersburg Municipal Airport, a general aviation airport which can accommodate corporate and some commercial jets on its 5,800-foot long runway. In addition, it is only 75 miles from the World Headquarters and SuperHub of FedEx at Memphis International Airport, which has international freight and passenger service.

Dyersburg has been designated a federal Scenic Byway along the Great River Road through Dyer County for the purpose of preserving alternative travel routes with scenic views and vistas to auto travelers, runners and bicyclists throughout the United States. And its Riverfront Park is part of a newly designated federal Blueway, which connects Dyersburg to Memphis via a canoe and kayak route that begins in Dyersburg and terminates at the cobblestone wharf in Memphis. This park is within easy walking distance of the newly renovated McIver’s Grant Public Library in downtown Dyersburg. The Forked Deer River, a tributary of the Mississippi River, runs through downtown Dyersburg with a Riverfront Park currently under development that is set to include a scenic hiking trail, a Farmer’s Market, a canoe and kayak floating dock, a River Center (for study and preservation of the inland water system), a walking trail and scenic overlooks along the riverfront.

Dyersburg is served by Interstates 69, 55 and 155, as well as by US Highway 51 and US 412; the distance to I-40 is only 40 miles via US 412. The area boasts an abundant amount of telecommunications capacity, including fiber optic cable service in its industrial parks with telecommunications options provided by a number of national carriers. And the Dyersburg/Dyer County connection does not end there.

• It is located only 75 miles from Memphis, Tennessee, which has the third largest rail center and fourth largest inland port in the U.S.
• It is located on the corridor of Interstate 69, which will connect Canada to Mexico through seven U.S. states.
• Dyersburg/Dyer County has an interstate highway bridge crossing the Mississippi River into Missouri—the only such bridge between Memphis and Cairo, IL.
• The Port of Cates Landing, an intermodal river port on the Mississippi River, is now under construction only 25 miles from Dyersburg.
• The Port of Cates Landing will be a Foreign Trade Zone, and will allow barge shipments from the Gulf of Mexico via the Port of New Orleans, as well as northward along the river system.

Port Freeport: First-Class Business Opportunity

Port Freeport came into being more than 100 years ago when the first jetty system was built in Freeport, Texas. Since that time, Port Freeport has become one of the fastest growing ports on the Gulf Coast and currently ranks 16th among U.S. ports in international cargo tonnage handled. With a current channel of 45-foot depth, soon to be widened and deepened, just 3 miles from open Gulf of Mexico waters, Port Freeport offers more than 7,500 acres for future development. Port Freeport serves its customers and stakeholders through development and marketing of competitive world-class navigational capabilities, technically advanced marine and multimodal terminal services and port-related industrial facilities while achieving profits and creating jobs as a leading economic catalyst for the Texas Gulf Coast.

Port Freeport offers the following benefits: rail, highway, vessel and/or barge transportation can be seamlessly utilized; direct access to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Brazos River Diversion Channel, State Highway 36, State Highway 288 and Union Pacific Railroad; only a few minutes commute from quality schools, housing and medical care and just 59 miles south of downtown Houston, Texas—the nation’s fourth largest city; surrounded by a highly qualified, technical labor pool; available existing water supply, wastewater collection, electrical distribution, gas and telephone; existence of adjacent properties that could support future growth and development; air freight service by all national carriers from multiple surrounding airports within a 60-mile radius; availability of local, high-quality trainable workforce and close proximity to universities and technical colleges; ability to manage inventory and/or manufacture duty deferred, inside the Foreign-Trade Zone; Texas is a right-to-work state, which leaves you the right to choose between union and non-union labor; and the state of Texas, Brazoria County and Port Freeport offer competitive incentives, tax credits and exemptions.

Recent developments at Port Freeport include the construction of the first phase of Port Freeport’s Velasco Terminal, adding further cargo-handling capabilities at the Port, with a new 800-foot-long dock and 20 acres of backlands, promising an eventual offering of 2,400 feet of berthing and more than 90 acres of supporting land.

Meanwhile, the Port continues to work in conjunction with federal and state authorities to advance the project to deepen the Port’s channel to 55 feet from its present 45 feet, plus substantially widen the channel as well. It is hopeful that the seven-year feasibility study will indicate, as have preliminary analyses, that benefits of the channel project should exceed its $300 million cost.

With so many developments pointing toward growing diversified activity at Port Freeport, the people look forward to the Port expanding upon its already impressive status as an economic cornerstone of the community and region—a dynamic force directly and indirectly responsible for nearly 60,000 jobs and having an overall annual economic impact in Texas of $10.2 billion.

Unlike many ports, which are running out of available land, Port Freeport boasts thousands of acres of currently undeveloped tracts, all proximate to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The Port is a mere three miles—45 minutes by ship—from the open sea.

The Foreign-Trade Zone Program adds to Port Freeport’s appeal. Since established in 1988, Port Freeport’s Foreign-Trade Zone No. 149 has helped American companies involved in global commerce to save money on the products they import into the U.S. through deferral, reduction and/or elimination of Customs duties assessed on foreign merchandise, and port officials have been fielding a lot of inquiries about the FTZ of late.

Port Freeport Managing Director Phyllis Saathoff, a past president of the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones, pointed out that there may be no better time for businesses engaged in international trade to explore the benefits FTZ No. 149 has to offer.

“Especially in challenging economic times,” Saathoff said, “we are pleased to be able to offer businesses in the region another tool to stay competitive and reduce costs.”

Those seeking additional information are encouraged to visit Port Freeport’s web site or contact Mike Wilson at 1-800-362-5743, ext. 4325 or wilson@portfreeport.com.

Wheeling, IL: Regional Winner

Wheeling, IL enjoys an infrastructure most communities would envy. Located in Chicago’s north suburban market, it is in the heart of the Chicagoland area, a region companies value for its central location to markets across the nation. With two interchanges and direct entry onto I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) and Illinois Route 53, Wheeling businesses enjoy easy roadway access to and from destinations throughout the Midwest. Rail service in the community provides freight service to its business parks, and commuter service to the Wheeling Metra train station, offering convenient transit options for the region’s workforce.

The Village is nine miles north of O’Hare International Airport and in conjunction with the City of Prospect Heights, owns Chicago Executive Airport (formerly Palwaukee Municipal Airport). Chicago Executive is a low-cost/no delay alternative to O’Hare for business travelers and for the shipping of airfreight. It is the third busiest airport in Illinois—handling nearly 200,000 private and corporate flights each year—and offers a flight training school and an additional transportation option for executives in the region.

Chicago Executive Airport has begun a series of multi-million dollar improvements, including runway enhancements and new hangar construction, to hold its position as the location of choice for major companies that maintain private fleets, as well as for individual pilots. The Village recently encouraged development of a new 40,000-square-foot corporate office and hangar, which will be a significant property tax and traffic generator for the community and has led to additional development inquiries regarding available land at the airport.

Wheeling also is experiencing community-wide investment and redevelopment in its industrial, retail and office markets and its Economic Development staff is available to discuss current and upcoming development opportunities with prospective businesses and investors. The local government administration is aggressively encouraging the development of new retail and industrial businesses and has implemented a number of incentive and financing programs to encourage its continued growth.

In the heart of Wheeling’s Town Center TIF District, the Village purchased a 10-acre former Wickes furniture site on Dundee Road, directly adjacent to the Metra commuter train station. The Village anticipates a $120 million project with a large anchor store, smaller retailers, two residential towers, a greenway and parking. Plans are still being worked on but the town center is expected to open by summer 2014.

The Village’s Economic Development Department regularly monitors local real estate conditions and maintains an updated list of available buildings and land development opportunities. The Village encourages inquiries about site availability and has professional staff at hand to assist your company in finding a home for your business in Wheeling. Visit www.wheelingil.gov for more information.

Welcome to Hendricks County

With a location that is within a days drive to so many of the nation’s population centers, an extensive transportation network, a skilled workforce and an outstanding quality of life, Hendricks County, IN has become one of the nation’s premier business locations with accessibility second to none.

All kinds of businesses, from service providers to steelmakers, have found a supportive, productive environment in Hendricks County. Local government officials understand the value healthy businesses bring to communities, and the community’s workforce is skilled and enthusiastic.

Hendricks County’s proximity to the Indianapolis International Airport and FedEx, along with interstate and rail access has been a key factor in the growth of three of the county’s most active business sectors—logistics and distribution, motorsports and life sciences. This location has been able to combine the many resources available to those industries in central Indiana with an extraordinary quality of life and an abundance of highly talented people.

There is an astounding 28 million square feet of prime distribution center space under roof in Hendricks County, which is designated as an Alternative Foreign Trade Zone. There also is an abundance of open land, allowing you to construct facilities to meet your own specifications.

Hendricks County provides fast, easy connections to Interstates 65, 74, 70, 465 and 69, putting them less than a one-day drive from major population centers such as New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas, Cincinnati and Atlanta. Its location allows overnight trucking access to more than half of the nation’s population. In addition, the county is improving access to the Interstate network with the Ronald Reagan Parkway, which will provide direct links between Interstates 65, 74 and 70; the CSX Avon yard; and Indianapolis International Airport, bypassing the city.

Hendricks County is adjacent to the new Indianapolis International Airport, which has extensive international air cargo operations. The airport is also home to the 2nd largest FedEx hub, so critical shipments can travel from your loading dock to the plane in a matter of minutes. Corporate aircraft can travel quickly in and out of Hendricks County Airport-Gordon Graham Field in Danville, as well as nearby Eagle Creek Airpark, an ILS-equipped facility located just east of Brownsburg.

Hendricks County is at the center of the CSX railroad network of more than 1,700 miles in Indiana. The CSX rail yard in Avon offers intermodal and bulk transfer services, including regular service to West Coast ports. That gives local companies easy connections to obtain raw materials and ship finished goods worldwide. The southeast corner is also served by RailAmerica’s Indiana Southern Railroad, with connections throughout the southwestern part of the state.

A key resource for companies doing business in Hendricks County —or who are thinking about locating there—is the Hendricks College Network. This non-profit connects local employers and residents with Indiana’s wealth of educational and workforce development resources.

Through one-on-one guidance; success workshops; local access to university classes, programs and resources; onsite business training and workforce development; and community support, the Hendricks College Network provides the path to success at any point from GED to PhD. The Network’s staff is experienced at helping employers and individuals overcome obstacles by identifying opportunities available through more than a dozen colleges and universities.

Their efforts include helping employers develop specialized training programs for employees. As a result of the Network’s work, Ivy Tech Community College, Vincennes University, Trine University and Indiana Tech have all launched local campuses and programs to serve Hendricks County residents and companies.

Joplin, MO: Center of Activity

For companies seeking a central location that reaches numerous major metro areas, excellent transportation connections and a capable labor force, Joplin, MO is a great place to locate.

The Joplin Metro area in southwest Missouri is in the center of North American markets. Major metros such as Dallas, Kansas City, St. Louis, Tulsa, Little Rock and Memphis are just hours away. Transportation to those markets is efficient, thanks to Interstate highways and substantial rail connections. Commercial air service is available at Joplin Regional Airport and three other major airports within 90 minutes drive time.

Companies in the Joplin Metro area benefit from a productive, available labor pool of more than 93,000 people. Missouri Southern State University in Joplin offers a broad range of standard and business-specific classes, and a strong industrial technology program. Crowder College is a source for customized technical training. Overall, between the Joplin schools and MSSU, more than $100 million has been spent on educational facilities.

Joplin’s quality of living is enhanced with two major regional medical centers, more than 150 restaurants and a wide variety of retail from locally owned shops to the 114-store Northpark Mall.

With Wal-Mart’s headquarters in nearby Bentonville, AR (just 45 miles away), Joplin is well positioned geographically to serve as a distribution center for suppliers who have a directive to provide just-in-time deliveries. Joplin is located within two hours of six of Wal-Mart centers, which gives the region a logistics advantage for supplying the Wal-Mart system, the largest retailer in the U.S.

Joplin has an excellent location for distribution based on the population within 150 and 250 miles. A market of 5.2 million people can be reached within a 150-mile radius of the Joplin area. Among its competitors within that radius, Joplin’s population is the largest. The population in the local market has as much of an influence on distribution costs as the overall population within the distribution radius, as it is far cheaper to distribute to local customers than to customers that are at least two hours from the distribution center.

The Joplin Metro area’s position for serving national markets is nearly as advantageous as Chicago or Kansas City. Interstates 40 and 44 (east-west) and US Highway 71 (north-south) connect to every region in the country. Four airports within 110 miles serve the region, providing commercial and cargo service to markets throughout the world. Two Class 1 and one local railroad are important parts of the transportation system. Both UPS and FedEx offer daily early morning deliveries in Joplin and Neosho through their regional hub in Springfield, MO.

The Joplin area already has several back office operations that have prepared a large pool of full- and part-time workers in this industry. Companies such as La-Z-Boy, General Mills and Owens-Corning transport their finished products from the area.

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