In 2016, Tennessee was named State of the Year for Economic Development by Southern Business & Development Magazine based on project totals and the variety of industries that invested in the state and created jobs. To a great extent, Bradley and Polk Counties have benefited from that investment.
From February 2015 to February 2016, Cleveland/Bradley County led the nation in the share of new jobs added.
According to the April 20, 2016 edition of the Cleveland Daily Banner, employment in metropolitan Cleveland, which includes Bradley and Polk Counties, jumped by 9.3 percent in the past 12 months, adding 4,968 jobs in the two-county area. (US Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Quoting the Banner; the MSA “was buoyed by the opening of the state's biggest new private investment — the $2.5 billion Wacker Chemical polysilicon production plant near Charleston, Tenn., which has added more than 600 jobs, and Amazon, which increased its distribution facility in Bradley County from 800 jobs to 1,144 jobs.
Employment in the Metropolitan Statistical Area in February was at an all time high of 57,253 jobs.” That is expected to grow substantially with the impending opening of the Spring Branch Industrial Park and development of the privately held commercial property near exit 20.
So far in 2017, Bradley, Polk and Meigs Counties, and all of Tennessee is well on its way to living up to this recognition, with multiple major job announcements made since the beginning of the year.
Since January 1, Tennessee’s top economic development projects have included:
LKQ Corporation — Creation of 150 new jobs in Davidson County
Call 2 Answer, LLC — Investment of $800,000 and the creation of 250 new jobs in Maury County
AkzoNobel — Investment of $10 million over the next five years and the creation of 70 new manufacturing and professional service jobs in Davidson County
Forrester Research, Inc. — Creation of 120 new jobs and local investment of $2.8 million in Davidson County and surrounding areas
Teknor Apex — Creation of 50 new jobs and investment of $32.2 million in Haywood County
Williams Sausage Company, Inc. — Creation of 226 new jobs in Obion County over the next five years
V&F Transformer Corporation — Investment of $1.4 million and the creation of 50 new jobs in Clay County
La-Z-Boy — Investment of $26 million and the creation of 115 new jobs in Rhea County
KaTom Restaurant Supply, Inc. — Creation of 100 new jobs and investment of $3 million in Sevier County
SmileDirectClub — Creation of 440 new jobs in Davidson County
Science Applications International Corporation — Creation of 300 new jobs over the next five years in Cookeville
Rockline Industries — Investment of $40.3 million and creation of 250 new jobs in Morristown
Orchid Paper Products — Establishment of new headquarters in Brentwood and creation of 25 new jobs
LG Electronics Inc. — $250 million investment and creation of 600 new jobs in Montgomery County
MIG Steel Fabrication, LLC — Creation of 20 new jobs and $1.5 million investment in Henderson County
Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. — Investment of $34 million and creation of 150 new jobs in Memphis
Tennessee has rapidly climbed the ladder over the last several years as one of the overall best-managed states in the nation. Not only is Tennessee one of only a handful of states with a higher bond rating than that of the federal government — a major indicator that showcases our state’s stable fiscal environment — the state continues to rack up economic development awards from publications and rating agencies from across the country.
Dan Howell
State Representative for District 22 which includes much of Bradley, all of Polk and Meigs Counties