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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

November 2011
COVER STORY
Aerospace >>

Market Report: Federal R&D Funding Fuels Aerospace Growth

Mark Crawford, Staff Editor, Area Development (November 2011)
Aerospace remains one of the most important sectors in the North American economy for the jobs it supports and its importance in establishing America and Canada's reputation as a leader in science and technology. More
FEATURES
Automotive >>

The U.S. Auto Industry is Jumpstarting the Manufacturing Sector

Lisa A. Bastian (November 2011)
With more competitive labor agreements, automakers are building more in the United States, retooling and refurbishing existing plants, and backshoring operations. More
Site Selection >>

Smaller Communities Can Offer Your Company a Helping Hand

Steve Kaelble, Staff Editor, Area Development (November 2011)
Some smaller communities are offering prospects their own road crews to prepare privately owned sites for development. More
Economics/ Government Policy >>

Industry Clusters: Importance of Place still Relevant to Business Success

Hal Johnson, President and CEO, Upstate SC Alliance (November 2011)
Although industry clustering may not be the economic development "Holy Grail", an effective clustering strategy is still a proven recipe for success More
High Tech/Nano/Electronics >>

E-Tailers and the Secret to A Good Location Decision

Rich Thompson, International Director, Supply Chain & Logistics Solutions, JLL (November 2011)
A surge in e-tailing has heightened the importance of making the right site selection decision for an e-commerce company's big-box facilities. More
Workforce Training / Education >>

The Unemployment Conundrum: Business Cycles or Something Larger?

Dave Claborn , Staff Editor, Area Development; Director of Development and Community Relations, Ohio State University, Marion (November 2011)
If the nation's unemployment crisis is to be solved, education as well as on-the-job experience must now be combined with the ability to adapt to a rapidly changing business environment. More
Energy/Sustainable Development >>

Building a Strong Energy-Efficient Foundation

Dr. Don McLean, Founder and CEO, Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES) (November 2011)
Building performance analysis must be quantified and incorporated into the design process right from the earliest architectural stages. More
TOP SITE SELECTION FACTORS
Logistics / Infrastructure >>

Top Site Selection Factors: Highway Accessibility - The Need for Speed

Beth Mattson-Teig (November 2011)
Many companies don't need to look further than the gas pump or congested roadways to determine their top site selection criteria. Easy access to key infrastructure can be vital when it comes to executing business strategies, saving time and money, and creating an attractive environment for both employees and customers. More
Workforce Training / Education >>

Top Site Selection Factors: Labor Costs - Still a Major Concern

Cynthia Kincaid, Staff Editor, Area Development (November 2011)
The cost of skilled labor is always at the forefront of concern for corporate executives, and the 2010 survey respondents confirmed this fact. Labor costs were ranked as the second most important factor in Area Development's 2010 Corporate Survey, with a 91 percent importance rating, although this was a 5.7 percent drop from 2009. More
Taxes / Incentives >>

Top Site Selection Factors: Tax Rates, Exemptions, and Incentives - Keeping an Eye on the Competition

Mali R. Schantz-Feld (November 2011)
Developing a new facility is an expensive endeavor. Depending upon the size and scope of a business, start-up costs can make a difference between getting a project off the ground and seeing it fall flat. After opening, the costs continue to accumulate. Low tax rates, tax exemptions, and tax incentives can lift a big burden off of all phases of a company's budget. In fact, in Area Development's 2010 Corporate Survey, respondents ranked these three factors among their top-six site selection criteria. More
Site Selection >>

Top Site Selection Factors: Occupancy & Construction Costs - Saving a Buck

Beth Mattson-Teig (November 2011)
Occupancy and construction costs ranked as the fourth most important site selection factor in Area Development's 2010 Corporate Survey with 89.8 percent of respondents stating that occupancy and construction costs were considered very important or important. More
Energy/Sustainable Development >>

Top Site Selection Factors: Energy Availability and Costs - Reconciling Price and Reliability

Mali R. Schantz-Feld (November 2011)
Energy availability and costs was ranked in ninth place in Area Development's 25th Annual Corporate Survey, with 82.1 percent of the respondents rating this factor as very important or important. More
Logistics / Infrastructure >>

Top Site Selection Factors: Shipping Costs - Money Taking Precedence Over Time

Cynthia Kincaid, Staff Editor, Area Development (November 2011)
Inbound/outbound shipping costs ranked eighth among the site selection factors in Area Development's 2010 Corporate Survey, with an 84 percent importance rating. Factors such as rising fuel costs and distances from vendors, suppliers, and markets served are all playing a greater role in shipping-cost decision-making. More
Site Selection >>

Top Site Selection Factors: Available Buildings & Shovel-Ready Sites

Beth Mattson-Teig (November 2011)
Many companies have been standing pat, watching and waiting for signs that the economy, or activity within a particular sector, is finally beginning to improve. When those indicators emerge, companies want to be in a position to pounce on opportunities before they disappear. More
Workforce Training / Education >>

Top Site Selection Factors: Availability of Skilled Labor - Closing the Gap

Mali R. Schantz-Feld (November 2011)
No matter what the type of business, workers are the heart of any company - from customer service to assembly line production. In fact, availability of skilled labor was ranked seventh among the site selection factors in Area Development's 2010 Corporate Survey. More
Site Selection >>

Top Site Selection Factors: Quality of Life Still Matters

Cynthia Kincaid, Staff Editor, Area Development (November 2011)
In Area Development's Corporate Survey, quality-of-life factors are ranked separately from the other site selection factors and are generally rated lower in importance than the top site selection factors - except for "low crime rate." More
DEPARTMENTS
Energy/Sustainable Development >>

In Focus: High-Performance Buildings Save Energy, Improve Effectiveness

Joe Chisholm, Northwest Territory Service Solutions Leader, Trane (November 2011)
While many new buildings are being designed using high-performance building principles, the greatest potential lies in applying this proven approach to improve the performance of existing facilities. More
Automotive >>

First Person: The Site Selection Process Behind VW's First U.S. Manufacturing Facility

Dr. Christof Spathelf, Head of Group Manufacturing Overseas, Volkswagen AG (November 2011)
In May 2011, Volkswagen officially opened its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, TN, creating 2,000 jobs and projected to have an $18 billion economic impact on the region. We discussed the site selection process with the Head of Overseas Group Manufacturing at Volkswagen, Dr. Christof Spathelf. More
Economics/ Government Policy >>

Editors Note: More Skills Needed for Unemployed to Be Included in Economic Recovery

Geraldine Gambale, Editor, Area Development Magazine (November 2011)
Not helping the jobs situation is productivity growth, i.e., companies are doing more with fewer workers. More
Energy/Sustainable Development >>

In Focus: Industrial Lighting Retrofit - Today's Window of Opportunity

Reginald D. Cook, Vice President, Business Development, National Energy Services (a Johnson Controls company) (November 2011)
In the world of industrial energy, where cost is the driving force, lighting efficiency is an obvious solution that must not be overlooked. More
Aerospace >>

First Person: FlightSafety International Expands Operations in Familiar Territory

Bruce Whitman , President & CEO, FlightSafety International, Inc. (November 2011)
FlightSafety International President & CEO Bruce Whitman speaks with Area Development about the company's recent expansion in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and it's other operations throughout the United States. More
EXCLUSIVE ONLINE CONTENT
Economics/ Government Policy >>

U.S. Patent System Gets an Overhaul

Dan Calabrese (November 2011)
Under new U.S. patent laws, the original inventor must file for patent within one year of publicly disclosing the innovation or lose the right to do so. More
Economics/ Government Policy >>

New Trade Agreements Slowly Becoming a Reality

James T. Berger (November 2011)
While it has taken an inordinately long time to get trade agreements with South Korea, Panama, and Colombia approved, many believe the benefits will prove to be worth the wait. More
FRONT LINE
Energy/Sustainable Development >>

Natural Gas Boom Boosting Regional Economies

John K. Borchardt (November 2011)
Hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") and horizontal wells now make it possible to economically produce natural gas from low permeability shale rock, greatly increasing natural gas supplies while reducing prices. More
Asset / Facility Management >>

The Use of BIM in Asset Management

Steve Martin, Director of Application Development, Microdesk (November 2011)
With the ability to effectively manage maintenance schedules, repairs, renovations, and costs, BIM stands to bring new life to the AECO building ecosystem. More
Logistics / Infrastructure >>

Post Office Cutbacks: How Will They Effect Commerce?

Jim Romeo (November 2011)
Small, rural businesses could feel greatest impact More

Exclusive Research