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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Frontline

a-road-to-bacon-production

A Road to Bacon Production

Jim Richardson, Area Development Staff Writer,  (Q1 2025)

A voluntary access road, last-minute land deals, and a workforce-first strategy helped Bowling Green beat 99 other sites for Tyson’s bacon megaproject. More

Dayton, Ohio Poised to Build “Doomsday” Planes

Amy Matias, Area Development Staff Writer,  (Q4 2024)

Dayton, Ohio has long been recognized as the birthplace of aviation, and it is once again proving its strategic importance to the aerospace industry. More

The Colossus of Memphis: Elon Musk’s Supercomputing Investment Transforms the Region

Garrison Partridge, Staff Writer, Area Development (Q4 2024)

More

St. Louis Aerospace Sector Takes Flight with $5 Billion in Investments and New Task Force

Kimberly Graulein, Staff Writer, Area Development (Q4 2024)

Mound City emerges as a hub for aerospace investments and jobs. More

AEP Ohio Proposes Controversial Data Center Rate Hike Amid Power Demand Surge

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q4 2024)

AEP Ohio, the state’s largest power provider, has proposed a controversial new rate structure targeting data centers and cryptocurrency mining operations, prompting strong opposition from tech giants such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta. More

From Steel to Silicon: Chicago’s South Works Site to Host Largest U.S. Quantum Computing Hub

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q3 2024)

The $2.2 million project will transform the former industrial site into a cutting-edge quantum computing facility, advancing Chicago’s role in the tech industry. More

Frontline: Red Sea Pharma Crisis Pushing Logistics Advancements

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q2 2024)

Companies need to navigate the stormy waters of the Red Sea amid Houthi threats and global supply chain challenges. More

Front Line: Solutions Needed for Truck Driver Shortage

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q1 2024)

The supply chain continues to be negatively affected by a shortage of long-haul truckers, in particular, but recruiting more military veterans and women may be part of the solution. More

Front Line: Impact of the Latest Minimum Wage Increases

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q1 2024)

The new year brings some significant changes that will impact employers who have entry-level workers, with 22 states raising their minimum wages effective January 1st. More

Front Line: Brownfields Offer Redevelopment Opportunities

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q4 2023)

Found in both urban and rural areas and often with infrastructure in place, brownfield sites can be revitalized and reused with the proper remediation plan in place. More

Front Line: Electrification of Industrial Processes

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q4 2023)

Reducing the use of fossil fuels in industrial processes will help cut costs while reducing GHG emissions. More

Front Line: Satisfying the Semiconductor Industry’s Workforce Needs

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q3 2023)

As the semiconductor industry announces plans to grow domestic production, it is facing a workforce shortage. More

Front Line: Green Energy Companies Building a Qualified Workforce

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q3 2023)

Labor unions and the offshore wind energy industry are working together to advance the transition to clean energy. More

Front Line: Water Supply Increasingly Affecting Location Decisions

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q2 2023)

Over the last few years, there has been a heightened focus on abundant access to water for companies seeking new locations. More

Front Line: Expanding the EV Battery Pipeline

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q1 2023)

The need to produce EV batteries is presenting opportunities in lithium battery recycling facility expansions. More

Front Line: The Growth of Indoor and Vertical Farming

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q1 2023)

In an attempt to deal with the vagaries of weather and changing climate, farmers are turning to vertical and other high-tech indoor farms. More

Front Line: Taking a Deep Dive into Suppliers’ Labor Force

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q4 2022)

Heightened supply chain visibility will let manufacturers know if their suppliers are using forced labor, which puts them at risk for legal penalties as well as damage to their brand. More

Front Line: Taking an Expanded View of Climate Change

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q4 2022)

Climate change, corporate sustainability/ESG ratings, and the use of renewables are becoming increasingly important to companies as the planet heats up. More

Front Line: Is Reshoring Production the Answer to Supply Chain Woes?

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q3 2022)

In light of supply chain challenges post-pandemic, some manufacturers have decided to reshore their production, with varying results. More

Front Line: Unionization Efforts Trending Upward

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q3 2022)

According to the experts, respecting and listening to employees’ concerns is key to keeping unionizing efforts at bay. More

Front Line: Performing Physical Tasks Remotely

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q2 2022)

Rapid advances in automation are even allowing some tasks in manufacturing facilities to be tackled remotely. More

Front Line: Extreme Weather Events Factor into Location and Sustainability Decisions

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q1 2022)

The risk of extreme weather events is increasingly being factored into companies’ location decisions, as are sustainability initiatives to reduce carbon emissions that contribute to global warming. More

Front Line: U.S. Automakers Look to Semiconductor Partners

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q1 2022)

In response to supply chain challenges and in order to expand production of AVs and EVs, U.S. automakers are looking to design the highly coveted chips in-house. More

Front Line: Weighing the Costs and Benefits of Digitization

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q4 2021)

Although the pandemic accelerated growth in e-commerce, will companies continue to increase their investment in digital technologies? More

Front Line: Infrastructure Investment Faces Hurdles

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q4 2021)

Projects funded by the infrastructure bill are projected to create nearly a million jobs — but filling those jobs may present a challenge. More

Front Line: Finding, Creating, and Supporting Talent

Steve Kaelble, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q4 2021)

By helping to recruit and train workers, the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program gives companies located in Virginia a competitive edge. More

Front Line: Changing the Definition of MSAs

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q3 2021)

Will the proposed redefinition of Metropolitan Statistical Areas and subsequent funding communities receive affect your company’s location decision? More

Front Line: U.S. Supply Chains Face Critical Stage

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q3 2021)

The pandemic accelerated the reexamination of U.S. supply chains, and a new report sets out a path for addressing vulnerabilities. More

Front Line: Infrastructure Upgrades Vital to U.S. Economy

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q2 2021)

A mediocre grade for U.S. infrastructure indicates there’s much work to be done to bring it up to the safe, sustainable level vitally needed for the supply chain and economic growth. More

Front Line: U.S. Semiconductor Industry Faces Crises, Opportunities

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q2 2021)

Incentives to encourage U.S. chip manufacturing would help to alleviate the current global semiconductor shortage brought about by the pandemic. More

Front Line: Reverse Logistics Opportunities, Challenges

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q1 2021)

As online sales have surged so have purchase returns, resulting in reverse logistics challenges for shippers. More

Front Line: Climate Change Concerns Begin to Take Center Stage

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q4 2020)

Locations that invest in resilience measures against climate change and catastrophic weather may be more attractive to investors. More

Front Line: Vocational Training Alliances in Tough Times

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q4 2020)

Companies and communities must continue to invest in and destigmatize vocational training in order to bridge the manufacturing skills gap. More

Front Line: COVID-19 Spurs More Automated Manufacturing

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q3 2020)

The global pandemic has presented manufacturers with new labor challenges, which are being addressed by new technologies and automation. More

Front Line: Visa Ban Upends Companies and Competitiveness

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q3 2020)

The administration’s freeze and restrictions on visas for foreign workers may only exacerbate the economic crisis brought on by COVID-19. More

Front Line: Inland Ports Spur Distribution Growth

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q2 2020)

Locations in the middle part of the country provide an alternative to coastal seaports while providing quick intermodal connections to the nation’s interior. More

Front Line: NEPA Rule Changes on the Horizon

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q1 2020)

Proposed changes to the environmental review have been welcomed by NAM and others. More

Front Line: Trend Toward Microfactories Continues

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q4 2019)

By utilizing microfactories, manufacturers can respond quickly to changes in product design and demand. More

Front Line: Manufacturers Look to Nontraditional Locations

Karen Thuermer, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q3 2019)

As the labor supply tightens, nontraditional manufacturing hubs are upping their game by investing in workforce training programs. More

Front Line: Feeling the Effects of New Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q2 2019)

Both manufacturers and consumers are paying the price for these new tariffs, with many in the former group asking for exclusions. More

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