USA – Great Plains
Latest: Making It Happen In Joplin, Missouri - Entrepreneurs are flocking to the Joplin region, where they can leverage a low cost of living, world-class transportation infrastructure and a regional workforce.
Making It Happen In Joplin, Missouri
Entrepreneurs are flocking to the Joplin region, where they can leverage a low cost of living, world-class transportation infrastructure and a regional workforce.
Link Mfg. Building High-Tech Manufacturing, Training Facility In Iowa
Link's 50,000-square-foot expansion project sets the stage for continued growth in Sioux Center, IA and will help the company accommodate a new, broader product line.
Kansas: Setting A Bountiful Table In The Heartland
As the nation’s top wheat producer, Kansas has long been an agribiz leader. The Sunflower State also is in the top tier for food manufacturing.
95 U.S. Manufacturing Plants Earn 2020 ENERGY STAR Certification
These ENERGY STAR certified plants saved nearly $400 million on energy bills — equal to the payroll value of over 8,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs.
Top Utilities: Power Players
Electricity demand in the commercial sector was down by 6 percent while the industrial sector saw a 6.9 percent reduction in 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic on the U.S. economy.
January / February 2021 Issue (Volume 54, Number 1)
The January / February 2021 Issue features our annual State of the Year and Deal of the Year awards. Plus, our editor's top utility picks, the future of electric vehicles, and more.
Honorable Mention Awards: 2020 Economic Development Deal Of The Year
Our 2020 Deal of the Year competition drew the most diverse (and impressive) field of projects to date, making it much tougher to narrow down our annual list of Honorable Mentions.
Mayors Urge Congress To Pass Biden Plan For Direct Aid To All Cities
More than 280 Republican, Democratic, and Independent mayors urge lawmakers to save jobs, boost recovery with desperately needed direct aid to all cities.
Tesla Gigafactory In Texas Is BF’s 2020 Deal Of The Year
Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce has earned BF's 2020 Deal of the Year Gold Award for landing the Tesla Gigafactory project, which will create 5,000 jobs in the region.
Half Of U.S. States To See Minimum Wage Increases In 2021
Many states will make changes to their minimum wage laws in 2021; greatest impacts will be seen in California, Washington and Florida.
California Tops 2020 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard
Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York round out top 5 states for energy efficiency, Nevada is most improved in annual ACEEE report.
Pretzels, Inc. Building New Production Facility In Kansas
The pretzel and snack products manufacturer will make a significant investment in the construction of a new 146,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art production facility at VenturePark in Lawrence, KS.
Empirical Foods Breaks Ground On $250M Facility In Kansas
The ground beef facility in Garden City, KS is expected to be finished between 2022 and 2023, and will create 250 new jobs.
Agribusiness: Both Sides Of The Coin
Even when it would seem so, not everything is simply win-win—especially when adjusting to the reality of COVID-19 and keeping vital supply lines open for essentials.
Nor-Am Cold Storage Adds 90 New Jobs In Kansas
Nor-Am Cold Storage has invested $30 million in a new 148,000-square-foot cold storage warehouse in Dodge City, KS.
Startup Ecosystems: Seeding The Land With Startups
Locations are nurturing startup ecosystems with access to skilled labor, angel investors, higher ed resources and an affordable quality of life that is attracting talent.
Rolls-Royce Investing $13.9M In Minnesota Expansion
The multi-phase expansion will add production lines, testing capabilities, and manufacturing jobs at the company's Mankato, MN Power Systems business unit.
Cybersecurity 2.0
The red-hot growth sector of cybersecurity has created more than a million new jobs. The bad news: half of these critical cyber jobs are going unfilled due to a shortage of skilled workers.
New York City Leads 2020 City Clean Energy Scorecard
Boston, Seattle, Minneapolis, and San Francisco round out the top U.S. cities growing their clean energy efforts, according to ACEEE's newly-released 2020 City Clean Energy Scorecard.
New Electric Transmission Line Will Create 1,000 Jobs In Kansas
The new 800-mile Grain Belt Express electric transmission line will carry low-cost, Kansas wind energy to consumers across the Midwest, and create nearly 1,000 jobs.
Amazon Hiring 100,000 New Employees Across U.S., Canada
In September alone, Amazon will open 100 new operations buildings — including fulfillment centers, delivery stations, sortation centers and other sites.
Topeka Will Pay Up To $10K To Remote Workers That Buy A Home
The Choose Topeka Relocation Incentive is expanding to encourage remote workers to relocate to Kansas’ capital city, recently named a top 10 housing market by realtor.com.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Opens COVID-19 VTM Manufacturing Plant
The new $40 million facility in Lenexa, KS was built in six weeks to rapidly expand the company's production of viral transport media (VTM).
Tourism & Gaming: Adjusting To A New Normal
Your favorite attractions will have a different look this year. Hint: Star Wars troopers will be enforcing social distancing rules and Mickey will be wearing a mask.
Renewable Energy: Shifting The Balance Of Power
EIA’s Energy Outlook 2020 forecasts a rapid decline of coal and nuclear power in this decade, the continuing expansion of renewables and the growth of U.S. exports of oil and gas.
Kansas No. 1 In Wind Power Generation, Georgia Leads Film Production
Kansas is the top-ranked state for the percentage of electricity generated from Wind Power, Georgia is the frontrunner among Film Production Leaders in Business Facilities' 16th Annual Rankings Report
Business Facilities’ 16th Annual Rankings: State Rankings Report
Business Facilities didn’t let the COVID-19 crisis skew the results in our 16th annual rankings report: They remain the most credible and comprehensive location leaderboards.
Business Facilities’ 2020 Metro And Global Rankings Reports
Business Facilities' 2020 Metro Rankings Report takes a look at hot topics in economic development on the city and global level, including logistics, startup ecosystems, job growth, cost of living, and more.
Chewy To Expand, Create Over 1,200 New Jobs In Missouri
Online petfood retailer Chewy, Inc. will open a new 800,000-square-foot eCommerce fulfillment center in Belton, MO.
Merck Animal Health Investing $100M In Kansas Expansion
The investment will bring capital improvements, expansion of manufacturing capacity and capabilities, and advanced technology to the company's DeSoto, KS operations.
AFS To Create Up To 1,400 Jobs At New Missouri Facility
Accenture Federal Services will open a new Advanced Technology Center in St. Louis, MO to serve U.S. federal government clients.
Dot’s Pretzels Investing $15M In Kansas Expansion
The pretzel maker has selected Logistics Park Kansas City in Edgerton, KS for a new manufacturing facility that will create 22 new jobs.
COVID-19 Response And Recovery
The COVID-19 crisis is bringing out the best in communities from coast to coast. Economic development organizations are giving small businesses financial lifelines. They’re also teaming up with local businesses to create a supply chain for critical medical supplies.
Missouri Launches PPE Marketplace
Missouri's PPE Marketplace matches companies that manufacture and sell personal protective equipment (PPE) with companies that need to purchase it.
Topeka Launches HOST Relief Program In Response To COVID-19
Through private donations and matching public funds via GO Topeka, Helps Others Support Topeka provides capital to Topeka and Shawnee County, KS businesses.
State Associations Release Roadmap To COVID-19 Recovery
A bipartisan response to COVID-19, the roadmap outlines 10 key steps for governors to protect the public’s health while preparing to reopen the economy.
Food Processing: The Good And The Bad Of It
Two current upward trends show us how consumers are responding to both the power of plants and the power of panic with the demand for food.
Manufacturing 4.0 Has Arrived
Locations that have diversified their high-tech growth sectors are well-positioned to thrive in a new age of manufacturing efficiency. The factory of the future has arrived, a.k.a. manufacturing 4.0.
March / April 2020 Issue (Volume 53, Number 2)
The March / April 2020 Issue features the manufacturing and automotive industries. Plus, a look at biotech, food processing, and sustainable development.
Rally Reno Program Provides Local Economic Relief
Rally Reno County supports local businesses and employees in the retail, service and hospitality industries impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Business Facilities Featured Location Spotlight
Location Spotlight: Business in Michigan
Businesses are choosing Michigan for our diverse and abundant workforce, business-friendly environment, low cost of living and global supply chain assets
Business Facilities Featured Location Videos
BF Location Video: REDI East Texas Logistics Center
AR-TX REDI, Texarkana’s regional economic development organization, is home to the REDI East Texas Logistics Center. The 850-acre site is publicly owned and controlled by AR-TX REDI, offering short development timelines with no risk. Learn more.