The May / June 2024 Issue
ON THE COVER
Reaching Markets: Supply Chain Strategies | Shifting locations is a piece of the supply chain puzzle, while labor needs and resilience strategies also loom large.
FEATURES
Growing Global Investments | The United States continues to attract the lion’s share of foreign direct investment, and here’s a look at several hot spots.
Top Logistics Hubs For 2024 | Shifting conditions bring new leading logistics locations to light, while longstanding hubs provide reliable options for companies.
Business Facilities 2024 EDO Awards | For the second year, Business Facilities recognizes economic development organizations for initiatives making a difference in communities.
LiveXchange Event Marks 20 Years | This past spring, site selection professionals and economic developers convened in Richmond, VA for the annual conference presented by Business Facilities.
SPECIAL REPORTS
Steering Towards Success | Following a post-pandemic slowdown in manufacturing and purchasing, the automotive industry is poised to gain speed.
Moving Along | As total U.S. exports and imports grow with global trade, waterborne vessels are handling a large share of the goods.
Commercial Properties & Sites: Range Of Options And Opportunity | Commercial parks and properties are meeting speed to market needs with features in demand.
Banking On The Future | Evolving technology propels efficiencies for financial services firms.
Workforce Focus: At Your Service | Customized workforce training programs support companies in finding the right employees early on during a relocation or expansion.
Virginia Is Keeping Pace | A stable business climate, east coast location, and talent pipeline support steady growth in the Commonwealth.
Growing Ready Sites In Alabama | With $30 million approved under the SEEDS Act, industry-ready sites across the state are under active development.
Nebraska: The Silicon Prairie | The Cornhusker State is seeing tech investments as part of its broader business climate.
New Hampshire Celebrates An Economic Upturn | Tech firms, healthcare, and recreation are flourishing in this New England state.
Washington: High Tech Keeps Evergreen State Clean | With a statewide goal of carbon neutrality by 2045, a focus on clean energy advancements is in motion.
Nevada: The Silver State Looks To Shine | A strategic five-year plan, including opportunities in energy, is guiding the future of the Silver State’s economy.
BUSINESS REPORTS
U.S./Mexico: Double The Opportunity | Manufacturers are among those finding favorable conditions when locating operations along these nations’ borders.
Canada: Economy Of The Future | A highly educated workforce and thriving emerging industries keeps this nation on a growth trajectory.
North Carolina: Welcoming The World | The Tar Heel State attracts and retains companies across many industries, from the U.S. and abroad.
Texas: Broad Reach | The Lone Star State offers expansive opportunity to companies of all sizes.
DEPARTMENTS
Why Michigan? A Q&A With Hilary Doe, Michigan Economic Development Corporation | The business climate in the Great Lakes State is full speed ahead for mobility, clean energy, and other growth industries.
Q&A: Austin, TX Region | Investments into this Central Texas region are moving at the speed of global business.
The Last Word: A Look At Incentives | In the evolving manufacturing landscape, a thorough review of incentives is essential.
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FIRST WORD
Looking A Few Steps Ahead
What is the next move? That’s the question many of us ask ourselves and our colleagues on a daily basis. How do we get from “here to there?” When it comes to corporate relocation and expansion, the next move is crucial. And to consider the virtues of one location over another is a multi-faceted process. Access to markets and to workforce remain top considerations, even amidst changing and uncertain conditions.
This issue’s coverage of supply chain, logistics, and foreign direct investment brings some of this into focus. Businesses need to be a step ahead of the next potential wrinkle in their supply chain, and one key is locating where available logistics offer options in response to what might be next. From manufacturers being able to receive materials to employees traveling with ease, it’s important to have a reliable, flexible system available. Our list of “Top Logistics Hubs of 2024” showcases locations that offer a combination of established transportation resources, while also looking at what’s coming online to expand market reach.
Expanding economic growth and flexibility is the aim of economic development organizations (EDOs), and for the second year Business Facilities has recognized a selection of EDOs for initiatives that are delivering results for their communities, both large and small. The Business Facilities 2024 EDO Award recipients are among those that are a step ahead.
And looking ahead, the planning for our Business Facilities LiveXchange Fall Forum is underway. The event brings together site selection professionals and economic developers for one-on-one meetings, conference sessions, and networking—and will take place November 13-15, 2024 in sunny Hollywood, Florida.
Read “LiveXchange Event Marks 20 Years” to learn more about the 20th Annual LiveXchange that took place in Richmond, Virginia this past March.