Primed For Expansion In York County, Nebraska

Collaboration and connections: partnerships—and large infrastructure projects—are key components of York County, NE’s development strategy.

By the BF Staff
From the May/June 2021 Issue

York County Development Corporation (YCDC) is York County, Nebraska’s primary economic development organization. YCDC is a public-private not-for-profit organization working confidentially and offering unbiased, detailed and customized information to clients and businesses. YCDC is also the lead economic development organization in York County, and utilizes a team approach to ensure access to all agencies and programs that can be of assistance to your project. Collaboration, connections and partnerships are key components of how YCDC performs economic development. The YCDC Strategic Plan centers around five legs—people (talent), business growth, housing expansion and rehab, organizational structure and large-scale infrastructure projects.

York County Development Corporation
The southwest warehouse at the SWB Industrial Park. (Photo: York County Development Corporation)

In the past five years, York County has seen Klute Inc. finish three phases of expansions, and the company is now taking on the next one, ordering a $2.5 million piece of equipment which will increase the capacity by the same workload as eight staff. In 2017, PTUSA-York located their first production facility in York County with a $30 million investment. Nutrition Services, Inc. broke ground in June 2018 on a new warehouse, which is now in operation. Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer finalized a merger into Corteva, and York was able to retain both production facilities, with the business upgrading equipment at both production facilities in the County. In December 2020, YCDC announced a $4 million manufacturing expansion with York Cold Storage, Inc. McLean Inc.’s Meat locker, announced in 2020, a $3 million investment, will open in summer of 2021 and be able to process 100 heads of cattle or swine each week.

York has property and buildings ready to go. A virtual spec building on a city-owned, 34-acre green site can be seen here. A 122,745-square-foot facility with multi-tenant lease options and seven acres to be developed includes three warehouses (square footage of 33,650, 17,430 and 17,175, respectively) updated with a fire suppression system and bathrooms and can be found here.

There are many competitive advantages to doing business in York County, Nebraska—its central location with logistic and transportation access, agricultural assets and skilled workforce. It is strategically located in the geographic center of the Unites States. Sitting at the intersection of two of America’s busiest roadways, Interstate 80 (runs East to West) and U.S. Highway 81 (runs North to South, also known as the Pan-American Highway), a York, Nebraska location quickly becomes a valuable asset to companies serving all markets in the Unites States and around the world. It locates businesses halfway between New York City and Los Angeles and numerous East-West/North-South markets. The logistics offer four-lane highway systems—west, east and south. The community offers a local general aviation airport, the York Municipal Airport (JYR) in York, Nebraska. There are two runways—Runway 17/35 is 5,898 feet long and Runway 05/23 is 4,500 feet long. There are three commercial airports within 90 miles of York, providing quick air service for customers, partners and corporations. The major employers in York tend to cluster around manufacturing, agriculture and healthcare.

YCDC and York County are looking for companies that will be involved in the community and fit the following industrial sector growth targets: advanced manufacturing (Ag-tech, hemp production and processing, GPS services, metal fabrication), bio/R&D in the ag sector, tech companies who want a rural environment, and logistics and distribution facilities.

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