Consultants Survey Reflects Shift in Ranking of Site Selection Factors
A responsive state and local government, incentives offerings, and site readiness now outweigh costs in the location decision.
Q1 2024
Companies continue to look to state, local, and federal incentive opportunities to help meet internal investment return hurdles needed to justify the deployment of capital for projects. It is understandable why “state and local incentives” is tied for second place.
In the final tied second place ranking, it is not surprising that “available land” rose in importance in the rankings. States have known for several years that site and land scarcity was becoming more of an issue and have created numerous site-readiness programs throughout the U.S. to start to address the problem.
It is also noteworthy that “labor costs” and “construction costs” significantly dropped in the rankings with site consultants considering them less important than in previous years. We would attribute the labor costs ranking drop to companies realizing that, in this environment, it is very challenging to attract and retain a skilled workforce by paying below market wages and, therefore, companies have already adjusted. Our clients have experienced skyrocketing construction costs in 2023 — including for construction labor — causing delays, while companies look for ways to reconstitute projects to take costs out, effectively building — in some cases — what is needed in the near-term as opposed to building for future growth.
Project Announcements
Kimberly-Clark Expands Aiken County, South Carolina, Distribution Operations
05/04/2025
Aerowerks Plans Gaffney, South Carolina, Manufacturing Operations
05/04/2025
Sweden-Based Troax Group Plans Portland, Tennessee, Manufacturing Operations
05/04/2025
Kimberly-Clark Corporation Plans Warren, Ohio, Manufacturing Operations
05/04/2025
Denmark-Based Novonesis Expands Salem, Virginia, Production Operations
05/04/2025
Polyvlies USA Expands Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Manufacturing Operations
05/04/2025
Most Read
-
Run a Job Task Analysis
Q4 2024
-
39th Annual Corporate & 21st Annual Consultants Surveys: What Business Leaders and Consultants Are Saying About Site Selection
Q1 2025
-
The Location Economics of Advanced Nuclear
Q1 2025
-
Why Workforce Readiness Can’t Wait
Q1 2025
-
Power, Policy, and Site Selection in 2025
Q1 2025
-
Is It Time to Start Planning for Quantum Data Centers?
Q1 2025
-
Top States for Doing Business in 2024: A Continued Legacy of Excellence
Q3 2024