Lincoln County Makes Top 10 in US Sites
Lincolnton and Lincoln County were again named to the top 10 list of Site Selection Magazines U.S. micropolitan areas for new industry development and existing industry expansion. A micropolitan is a largely rural economy that includes a city of at least 10,000 people but is less than 50,000. There are approximately 700 micropolitan areas in the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This annual ranking is based on the number of major industrial projects located and expanded by local economic development professionals.
“Lincolnton and Lincoln County have been among the top areas named consistently for the past 5 years,” commented Pete Acker, President of Carolinas Medical Center – Lincolnton and Chair of the Lincoln Economic Development Association (LEDA), “due primarily to the success LEDA has achieved in setting the standard for new industrial park development and attracting and growing business in Lincoln County. We are pleased and proud to continue to have that success recognized by a publication of such renown as Site Selection.”
Barry Matherly, Executive Director of LEDA, added, “Lincolnton and Lincoln County offer a great package to industry, including a low tax structure, accessibility to major interstates and airports, competitive business costs, a skilled and plentiful work force and obviously, a great quality of life. We believe those factors make our area extremely attractive not only for industries looking to locate in the southeast but our strong support system for our existing industries coupled with the above factors encourage companies to stay here for the long haul. We are very proud of the fact that we were the International Economic Development Council’s recipient of their first ever Excellence in Economic Development Award for our Existing Industry program. Our support of existing industry is critical to attracting, retaining, and expanding industry in Lincoln County.”
Industry announcements in 2008 included new industries Magna-Tech and Sennebogen as well as expansions by Blum, Inc., Cataler North America, Timken, and Crate and Barrel, totaling well over $80 million in new investments in Lincoln County.