Overview and Outlook
The Metro Little Rock region is ideally positioned to provide sites for Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers.
Metro Little Rock region offers a central location, good infrastructure and proximity to auto assemblers and suppliers in the southern U.S. The region is aggressively positioned to provide sites and support for Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers to serve plants in the mid-south. The Metro Little Rock region with its “Big on Business” entrepreneurial spirit can provide escape from unfriendly business environments and tariffs, as well as provide attractive incentives in a competitive marketplace.
Site Selection Considerations
Geographic Requirements: The Metro Little Rock region is centrally located at the cross-roads of major interstate highways (I-30 and I-40), rail lines, and port facilities. This transportation infrastructure provides easy access to assembly plants and supports just-in-time manufacturing strategies.
Cost of Doing Business: Wages and operating costs in the Metro region are most competitive with a history of high worker productivity. Electricity, natural gas and water are competitively priced, easily accessible and in abundant supply. The region offers significant outsourcing experience and opportunities. Cost structures are simply more easily controlled.
Workforce: Semi-skilled and skilled production workers are well trained and available. Due to the low cost of living, wages are at or below average.
The Metro region is committed to education and training by providing engineering and other technical education courses of study in universities, community colleges and trade schools.
Research and Development: The business culture in Metro Little Rock region is one of process improvement. This is evidenced by high-tech businesses established in the region and recognized by leaders in their respective industry.
Incentives: The Metro Little Rock region is committed to offering exceptional incentive packages to this cluster of businesses. Low property tax rates, workforce training programs and credits, infrastructure assistance and other incentives are some of the reasons we are well positioned with our competition.
Valuable Regional Resources
The Metro Little Rock region has limited industry experience with automotive production. However, the region successfully supports two of the three foreign manufacturers of steel tire cord in the nation. Tokusen USA (Japan) is located in Conway and Arcelor Mittal (Luxembourg) is in Pine Bluff.
The Metro Little Rock region has limited industry experience with automotive production. However, the region successfully supports two of the three foreign manufacturers of steel tire cord in the nation. Tokusen USA (Japan) is located in Conway and TrefilARBED Arkansas (Dutch) is in Pine Bluff.
In addition, the region is adjacent to Arkansas counties with long histories of manufacturing tires, inner tubes, gears and a variety of other automotive and truck parts.
Key advantages in the Metro region include:
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Intermodal transportation capability at the Port of Little Rock
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Regional parts suppliers
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Access to seven public ports (Mississippi River, and Gulf of Mexico)
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Dual rail service capability and major interstate highways
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Access to regional intermodal switching rail yards with train service to Long Beach
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Targeted Incentive Program
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Regional access to sheet steel producers
Existing Companies
Tokusen USA – www.tokusenusa.com/
TrefilARBED Arkansas – www.trefilarbed.com/EN/index.jsp
Denso – www.denso.co.jp/en/
Systex – www.systex.com.tw/systex2/index.html
Sakae Riken Kogyo Co., Ltd.
Hino Motors Limited of Japan – www.hino.co.jp
Nucor Steel Company – http://nsmarion.com/
Nucor-Yamato Steel (Armorel) – www.nucoryamato.com/
Cooper Tire plant (Texarkana) – www.coopertire.com/us/en/corporate/about/
Stant Manufacturing - www.stant.com