From food processing to data processing, health care to transportation logistics, North Iowa’s diversified economy boasts a number of strong industry clusters – both emerging and mature – which represent tremendous potential for your next expansion. Whether your business exists in one of the industry clusters with heavy concentration in North Iowa listed below or may simply benefit from a buyer-supplier or other dynamic relationship, take a look at what sectors drive our economy.
Health Care
One of the largest employment sectors in North Iowa, nearly 8,000 people in North Iowa are employed in the health care sector. Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa is a community health care system that offers comprehensive health care services for people throughout northern Iowa and southern Minnesota. The network, headquartered in Mason City, spans 14 counties across northern Iowa and consists of a secondary referral medical center, a network of eight rural primary care hospitals, a primary care and specialty physician network, a home health agency, a hospice, a senior services agency, a regional referral laboratory, regional rehabilitation and diagnostic technology services, pharmacies, an emergency services network and a variety of other health care services.
Food Processing
A rich history in food processing has given way to a contemporary environment where North Iowa food processors are growing – and growing in number. The region’s exceptional transportation advantages, robust access to raw material, trained workforce, high-quality, high-capacity water and wastewater capabilities and site availability are reasons why major food companies like Kraft Foods, MOM Brands, Armour-Eckrich (Smithfield Foods) and Cargill have chosen to locate and grow in North Iowa.
Transportation Logistics & Warehousing
One of the most comprehensive surface, rail and air transportation networks in the Upper Midwest delivers exceptional competitiveness for transportation logistics and warehousing projects in North Iowa. Strategically situated at the juncture of two major intersates in Interstate 35 [N/S] and the Avenue of the Saints Expressway [E/W], providing access to two Class I railroads plus two commercial short-line railroads and serviced by a commercial airport with four flights daily to MSP, the North Iowa Corridor region provides one of the richest transportation networks for its size in the country. It’s why transportation companies like Titan Pro SCI and Wess, Inc. are growing here and why distribution facilities like Kabrick Distributing operate in North Iowa. But there exists tremendous untapped potential in these sectors; 20 to 400-acre sites with less than 10 mile access to I-35 and immediate access to the Avenue of the Saints are available now.
Advanced Manufacturing
Assa Abloy. Heidelberg Cement. Serta. Winnebago – just a few of the dozens of international advanced manufacturing companies which operate in the North Central Iowa region. With more than 10,000 employees and 20% of the region’s employment concentrated there, manufacturing comprises the largest industry sector in North Iowa. A skilled workforce thanks in large part to established education/industry partnerships, an excellent transportation network and one of the lowest costs of doing business in the country means wood and metal commercial doors, construction cement, mattresses, truck-mounted crane technology, recreational vehicles, agricultural implements, heavy equipment tires, inventory identification technology and cabinetry products all roll off lines in North Iowa every day.