The Greater Yuma Economic Development Corp. recently presented information on why the City of Yuma and Yuma County continue to see strong economic development and business location and expansion.
Key factors include a young, skilled labor force, a low rate of unionization and a location that puts the area within a one-day drive of 52 million consumers.
The personnel at Yuma Proving Ground and the Marine Corps Air Station bring their qualifications with them when they leave military service, and the Wellton campus of Arizona Western College has a strong manufacturing program.
The labor pool within 75 miles of Yuma County totals 169,000, according to officials.
All these positives have led to several companies locating in Yuma County or expanding existing operations. Among the companies and projects economic development officials highlighted are:
- A 250MW solar project in Somerton for Plug Hydrogen in partnership with Brightnight that will use solar power to produce hydrogen,
- The True North Renewable operation to convert waste to natural gas for energy supplies,
- Project Cleveland in Somerton to start a medical device sanitation operation,
- A project by Chicanos Por La Causa to acquire land for speculative industrial buildings at the San Luis Commercial Port of Entry,
- A 1MSF-plus industrial park from Panattoni, and
- The recent announcement by EVelution Energy for a plant to produce cobalt sulfate for electric vehicle batteries.
Officials reported the Plug Hydrogen and True North Renewable projects had a combined economic development value of more than $500M. Pannatoni’s Project Horizon is valued at more than $250M.
Economic development officials emphasized the need to develop more industrial buildings in the area, as a lack of available space has contributed to losing prospective projects. They stress that the new developments that have come to the area or expanded their operations could be leveraged to help attract partners who will build space on potential new companies’ behalf. (Source)