The news hits, a new manufacturer announces they are moving to the Cape area. It just happens, right?
Business leaders and site selectors make decisions about where expansions will occur. Just imagine the number of factors they are considering and the number of locations that might fit. Think about buying a new car…all the options you have when you start. Make, model, color, new, old. Do you want an SUV, do you want a car, V4 or V6, is gas mileage important, is space important…the list goes on and on.
For a business, the list is far greater, they are looking at the cost of building, access to labor, ability to transport good and many other issues. Internally they will determine what is most important to them so they can eliminate regions. For instance, some businesses may decide cost of building is the most important thing, at that they simply can’t be in a region that is at a high risk for earthquakes. When we receive the application from that business and check the earthquake box, we are immediately eliminated from consideration. No questions asked and nothing we can do. There are countless things they consider and the Cape area has to line up well with their needs to move to the next stage.
Once we’ve made it through with a business, we sometimes have an opportunity to meet face-to-face. We feel really good at that point because we have a strong community with a lot to offer. In fact, many businesses that decide to move to the Cape area have some sort of tie to the community. They know someone who has spoken highly of the region or they work with a business here. Those connections, connections with all of you, make a real difference in recruiting businesses. It’s all of us who shape southeast Missouri’s story and you never know who is listening.
