Tennessee is a state rooted in history where resilience, hard work, and taking pride in a job well done is the calling card of its diverse and modern workforce. Companies will find workers are highly trained, educated, and well-equipped with the latest technology, but they never stray far from their core, hard-working values and they are dedicated to moving business forward and exceeding expectations.
Tennessee has low debt and a pro-business regulatory environment. It is a right-to-work state with no personal income tax on wages. The state and local tax burdens are among the lowest in the country, and the state budget operates with a healthy surplus rather than a deficit.
The central location, welcoming communities, abundance of natural resources, excellent business climate, committed workforce and the stunning beauty of the State are just some of the reasons global brands are flocking to bring their businesses to Tennessee. In Tennessee, you can expect to find the world’s best whiskey, manufacturing plants for GE refrigerators, Whirlpool appliances, La-Z-Boy recliners, Duracell batteries, and automotive giants such as Nissan, GM and Volkswagen. Additionally, you will find car part manufacturers such as Bridgestone, Hankook and Denso Manufacturing. The State is also home to the largest ice cream plant in the world and even makes the M&M’s to go on top of those delicious ice cream sundaes!
Room to Grow
I-24 Megasite – Coffee County
Middle TN’s i-24 Megasite is a 2000-acre site situated between two, four-lane state highways which connect directly to I-24 via Exit 110 (within one mile) and Exit 111 (within three miles). There is room for 6.4 million square feet of structure on site with another 200 acres available for a rail yard. There are three cities within an hour’s drive: Murfreesboro (33 miles); Nashville (54 miles); and Chattanooga (70 miles). It is a one-hour drive to the Nashville International Airport and is 78 miles from the Nashville Port. Within a 45-minute drive, you will find 585,000 people, six post-secondary institutions, 29.8K auto industry jobs, 26.3K advanced manufacturing jobs and access to four state parks and 23 state natural areas. Do you like music? The world-famous Bonaroo Music and Arts Festival is held in Manchester each year.
Clarksville-Montgomery County Corporate Business Park South
This site is strategically located just north of Nashville and has direct access to I-24. This fully-served site sits on over 200 acres and is a perfect location for manufacturing facilities and industrial development. The park offers ready sites for manufacturing and/or warehouse/distribution centers.
Recent Wins
West Tennessee
In September 2022, Governor Bill Lee announced Ford Motor Company selected the Memphis Regional Megasite for one of the largest battery and vehicle manufacturing campuses in the U.S.
“Tennessee is playing a key role in leading American advanced manufacturing, and we are thrilled to make this historic investment in West Tennessee to create Blue Oval City,” said Lisa Drake, Ford North America chief operating officer. “This once in a generation investment will create thousands of high-quality jobs and support America’s transition to electric vehicles. Tennessee will play a critical role as Ford continues to lead the electric vehicle revolution, tackle climate change, and create the jobs of tomorrow, and we look forward to working to create the future together.”
Ford and SK Innovation will invest $5.6 billion to build a 3,600-acre mega campus called Blue Oval City on the Memphis Regional Megasite, where production of next generation all-electric F-Series trucks will begin in 2025. The project will result in the creation of 5,800 new jobs in West Tennessee.
Blue Oval City will be designed to be the largest, most advanced and most efficient automotive production campus in Ford’s history. The campus will include the Ford assembly plant, a supplier park and a battery manufacturing plant operated by BlueOvalSK, Ford and SK Innovation’s joint venture. The site will become a vertically-integrated ecosystem with key suppliers and battery manufacturing on the same campus where Ford will assemble next generation all-electric F-Series trucks.
Southeast Tennessee
Governor Lee announced on July 19, 2022 that iFixit will establish its East Coast hub for distribution and innovation in Chattanooga. iFixit, headquartered in San Luis Obiso, CA is the hub of a global repair ecosystem. They repair manuals, parts and precision tools, consumer electronics and power tools. Located in Onion Bottom Station, one of Tennessee’s Qualified Opportunity Zones, iFixit’s new Chattanooga facility will house the company’s distribution and back-office operations. The company will invest 24.2 million and create 201 new jobs in Hamilton County over the next five years.
Middle Tennessee Trending to the Future
Although Tennessee has a number of certified sites throughout the state that are ready for industrial development, there is so much more than meets the eye. Locations like Wilson County, with a prime location in the center of thriving Middle Tennessee, not only have a skilled and diverse workforce, but they also have four ready-to-go sites for mixed use development in Lebannon, and Mt. Juliet, a trend that appeals to a younger demographic. Their lifestyle demands the best of city and suburban life. They prefer living close to work, entertainment and shopping within a walkable distance. Mixed use developments are the future of growth in many such markets and Wilson County is primed to focus on the future, offering a mixture of opportunity and prosperity.
Highlight of Unique Workforce Resource Website in East Tennessee
Workforce is a hot button issue for most businesses looking to expand into new locations. Cities and counties have become creative in finding ways to reach job seekers and help them match up with available jobs, not only through extensive training programs and recruitment, but also through websites that connect companies with qualified workers. Blount Partnership recently announced the launch of its new website, www.BlountAreaJobs.com. This site allows employers to post open positions, gather resumes and schedule interviews, while job seekers can browse for jobs, create profiles and learn about educational resources to advance their careers. The site features a quality-of-life section where visitors can learn more about Blount County, its education system, cost of living and amenities.
Go Ahead – Be Judged by the Company you Keep
The biggest brands call Tennessee home. There is an old saying, you are judged by the company you keep. In Tennessee, the companies are some of the biggest and most respected brands like Nissan, General Motor, Volkswagen, Bridgestone, Hankook, Denso Manufacturing and Whirlpool. Aerospace companies like Triumph Aerostructures, Beretta USA, Eaton Corp, Standard Aero Alliance, Honeywell, Bell Helicopters call Tennessee home. Companies that are headquartered in Tennessee include AutoZone, Dollar General, Bridgestone, ServiceMaster, International Paper, just to name a few. In 2021, tech giant, Oracle invested $1.3B and committed to create 8,500 jobs. Success breeds success and in Tennessee they have figured out the secret sauce for bringing in business and keeping them supplied with qualified workers in a business-friendly environment.