23rd Annual Corporate Survey & 5th Annual Consultants Survey Complete Results

This year’s survey results appear to show early reactions to one major trend — the slowing economy. Surprisingly, the results also suggest respondents are not yet consistently focused during location searches on another major trend — climbing transportation costs. More

Evaluating Labor Costs —in Good Times and in Bad

Has the loss of 5.7 million jobs had an impact on the consideration of labor costs in the site selection decision? More

Who’s Got Talent? Skilled Labor and the Location Decision

While immediate financial concerns may cause companies to shift focus, skilled labor still drives long-term success. More

Environmental Issues Not As Important To Site Selectors

With the downturn of the economy and uncertainty about the future, companies have gone into survival mode, focusing on cost savings instead of environmental concerns. More

Factoring Energy into a Location Decision

The current economic slowdown presents an opportunity for companies to assess energy costs and reliability at their present location. More

The Rising Importance of Tax and Incentives Considerations

Today’s bad economic news has heightened companies’ awareness of avoiding high tax locations and maximizing incentives when conducting site searches. More

Occupancy and Construction Costs Taking On Increased Significance for Site Selectors

As the economy continues its downward spiral, site selectors are paying closer attention to occupancy and construction costs, and the results of Area Development’s 2008 Corporate and Consultants Surveys reflect their concerns. More

Expedited Permitting: Time is Money

The results of Area Development’s 2007 Corporate Survey reflect the growing importance of fast-track permitting as speed to market becomes more and more critical to manufacturers. More

Worker Training: How Important Is It?

Access to training programs — and proximity to a technical university — are really more important than reflected by the low ranking given these factors by the respondents to Area Development’s 2007 Corporate Survey More

Highway Accessibility Underpins Location Decisions

Highway accessibility — the number-one ranked factor by Area Development’s 2007 Corporate Survey respondents — undeniably forms the essential nexus between workers, suppliers, producers, distributors, and markets More

Who Needs — Or Wants — to be Near The Consumer?

Proximity to major markets was only ranked 10th in importance by the respondents to Area Development’s 2007 Corporate Survey, but economic and environmental trends may increase this factor’s relevance. More

Is “Right-to-Work” Relevant When Considering Relocation and Expansion Projects?

Declining levels of unionization may have been responsible for the right-to work factor receiving a middling ranking from the respondents to Area Development’s 2007 Corporate Survey. More

Finding the Real Cost of Labor

The executives responding to Area Development’s 2007 Corporate Survey ranked cost of labor second in importance among the site selection factors, but determining a region’s true wage rates is not always at easy task. More

Site Selectors’ New Environmental Consciousness

As companies are now being assessed on their sustainability activities and successes, it’s no wonder that the “environmental regulations” factor was among the top 10 in Area Development’s 2007 Corporate Survey. More

Emerging and Growth Industries Zero In On Energy Availability & Costs

Rising energy costs, limited availability, and new awareness of energy security issues are among the reasons this factor received a high ranking from the 2007 Corporate Survey respondents. More

Taxes and Incentives - Factor Into the Site Selection Equation

Corporate tax rate, state and local incentives, and tax exemptions were among the top-10 ranked site selection factors by the respondents to Area Development’s 2007 Corporate Survey. Let’s find out why. More