Swift Prepared Foods cuts the ribbon on a new bacon facility in Moberly, Missouri. The company invested $68 million in this facility and is currently building a $185 million meat facility in Columbia, Missouri.The U.S. Tax Foundation’s Location Matters index was recently released. It ranks each U.S. state according to a long list of factors across various business scenarios. Missouri ranked better than all of its neighboring states, solidifying its position as a leading location for businesses to grow and thrive. 

A Business-Friendly Environment

In recent years, Missouri has made a concerted effort to create an extremely friendly business environment. For example, the state dropped its corporate tax rate to four percent in 2020, earning it a ranking of third best corporate tax index from The Tax Foundation. Other adjustments in tax policy continue to provide companies with an affordable place to do business. Missouri ranks tenth overall for new business and fourth best for labor-intensive manufacturing facilities. 

Companies from across the world are becoming more aware of Missouri’s commitment to supporting businesses, and they are investing millions of dollars in the state. Swift Prepared Foods finished building its first facility in Missouri in the second half of 2021. The company invested $68 million in Moberly, Missouri, where it will produce ready-to-eat bacon. The leading food company doubled down on its Missouri commitment and is currently building its second operation in Columbia, Missouri. Swift Prepared Foods is investing $185 million in a new Italian meats and charcuterie production facility in that community. 

With an $88 billion agriculture industry in the state, Missouri is a powerhouse in this space. But the state also shines in other sectors. Its central location makes it a top choice for companies searching for new locations for distribution centers. Online pet retailer Chewy just opened a new 800,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Belton, Missouri. It is one of the company’s largest distribution centers and will create 1,600 new jobs in the region. Casey’s, Frozen Food Express, Hallmark, and Walgreens have also made huge investments in new distribution centers in Missouri recently, creating thousands of life-changing jobs.

Solutions for Growing Companies

A large percentage of new jobs in Missouri come from startups and companies setting up in Missouri for the first time. With an understanding of just how vital attracting new companies is to the overall economic health of Missouri, the state’s world-class business ecosystem offers a wide variety of solutions for growing companies. 

Businesses of all sizes can benefit from one of the many innovation communities, districts, hubs and centers across Missouri, including the Cortex Innovation Community in St. Louis. It’s a 200-acre innovation district designed to accelerate high growth startups and innovative corporate groups across all technology sectors. Moonshot Labs is the first non-classified National Geospatial Intelligence Agency innovation center. It is housed in the T-REX innovation center in the heart of downtown St. Louis.

Also in St. Louis is the world’s first agricultural technology (agtech)-focused innovation community, 39 North, home to Bayer’s Global Seeds & Traits Headquarters, the Danforth Plant Science Center and the KWS Gateway Research Center, which German company KWS uses to strengthen its position in the global plant research community. 

In other parts of Missouri, there are St. Joseph’s Innovation Stockyard, Kansas City’s UMKC Innovation Center, Digital Sandbox, and Startland, all of which are located within the Animal Health Corridor that stretches across the state from Kansas City to Columbia, Missouri. It is home to more than 300 animal health companies, representing the largest concentration in the world.

Heading north and south, innovation is taking place in the Jordan Valley Innovation Center and the eFactory, both in Springfield; the Missouri Rural Enterprise and Innovation Center in Kirksville; the Douglas C. Greene Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Cape Girardeau; and the Joseph Newman Innovation Center in Joplin. These are just to name a few.

Rural Broadband Expansion

Underlying some of these more rural centers and driving business growth across the state is Missouri’s commitment to rural broadband expansion. In 2020, Missouri invested more than $29 million in rural broadband projects, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an additional investment of nearly $100 million in grants and loans to expand infrastructure for high-speed internet throughout the state.

Remote work is here to stay, and Missouri is dedicated to keeping people connected. Missouri is certainly home to the remote worker who can work for global companies during the day and walk out the front door into the heart of Mother Nature every evening. In 2020, the state ranked seventh in the U.S. for the number of people relocating to it. With the ability to stay connected and enjoy an affordable lifestyle in either a rural or urban setting, Missouri offers workers the opportunity to live the life they want while pursuing their professional goals.

The Missouri Workforce

Workforce development is a key statewide focus. Every state in the U.S. has had to become creative about strategies for filling the talent pipelines for companies, and Missouri is using a combination of customized training, world-class colleges, creative recruitment systems and apprenticeships to ensure a reliable stream of educated and qualified workers. In fact, Missouri ranks first in the nation for on-the-job-training and second in the country for completed apprenticeships. Missouri also offers free community college for various segments of the population.

With a commitment to both employers and employees, Missouri has strategically positioned itself as a top location for new investment. 

Missouri: it’s the place in the center of the U.S. where companies can find more of what they need for future growth, innovation and success. T&ID

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Schnuck Markets Inc. plans to open its 112th store March 23 in Columbia, Mo., which will be the fourth mid-Missouri location, joining two others in Columbia and one in Jefferson City. The new store will hire about 70 employees.

“The city of Columbia and its residents have been great partners of ours since 1970, when we opened our first mid-Missouri store, and their loyalty and patronage over the past 52 years have made this growth possible,” said Schnucks Chairman and CEO Todd Schnuck. “Schnucks is committed to nourishing the lives of customers, and we’re excited to create a store that they will be able to quickly and easily navigate while finding an extensive selection of the fresh products for which we’re known.”

The leased 48,000-square-foot store will include a heavy focus on fresh departments such as produce, meat, seafood, deli and bakery. The store also will offer an expanded prepared hot food and grab-and-go menu, along with an indoor seating area and a Fresh Pour drink area specializing in hot and cold coffee and tea drinks, smoothies, soft drinks, and draft beer and wine. 

In partnership with Instacart, Schnucks Battle Crossing will also offer customers Schnucks Delivers and curbside pickup options. Customers can download the Schnucks Rewards app or visit schnucksdelivers.com for more information and to place their orders. By using the promo code BATTLECROSSING22, customers will receive $10 off their first curbside pickup order. 

Leading operations at Schnucks Battle Crossing store will be Store Manager Chuck Murphy, who is relocating from EatWell, a Natural Food Store by Schnucks in Columbia, which opened in 2020. Prior to that, Murphy managed the Forum Boulevard location. 

“My team and I are ready to bring Schnucks’ unique combination of variety, value and service to customers in northeast Columbia and the surrounding areas,” Murphy said. “We’re excited to be a part of the neighborhood and welcome those shoppers who may be new to Schnucks, as well as those who travel to one of our other area locations.”

The new store will employ approximately 70 associates and is still hiring for both full-time department managers and part-time positions. Prospective employees can visit the Schnucks Careers page to apply.

The Schnucks Battle Crossing store will officially open to customers at 7 a.m. on March 23, with a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony to follow at 9 a.m. It will be open 6 a.m.-9 p.m. daily following opening day.

St. Louis-based Schnucks operates more than 100 stores in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, and employs 12,000 associates. The company is No. 64 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. 

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Global engineering and design company RLE International announced it will establish a new Modification and Engineering Center in Kansas City, investing $7.5 million and creating 85 high-paying jobs. RLE’s state-of-the-art facility will provide complex engineering, design, and build solutions for automotive and mobility clients.

RLE International announces plans to build a new automotive facility in Kansas City, Missouri.

“Missouri is a global leader in innovation and advanced manufacturing, which support our robust automotive industry and many others,” said Governor Mike Parson. “Our state is proud to welcome RLE as a valuable addition to an already vibrant automotive sector in Kansas City. These 85 new high-paying jobs will strengthen the region’s economy as well as provide life changing opportunities for Missouri families.”

RLE International is involved in the development of new vehicles with a wide range of customers. The company helps manufacturers and start-ups develop, refine, and test electric vehicles from initial vision to production. RLE’s new facility, a low-volume production Modification Center, will be located within Hunt Midwest’s SubTropolis. Known for its security and eco-friendly environment, SubTropolis is the world’s largest underground business complex. It also provides controlled temperature and humidity levels, in addition to railroad and highway access.

“Our team at RLE International offers an upfront innovation strategy to transform customers’ base vehicles to a range of design variants, right from ideation, through design and development, and into low-volume production,” said Robert Kokx, President of RLE USA. “With the addition of our Mod Center, we can offer a ‘one-stop shop’ solution to our clients. We are truly excited to join forces with the talented people Kansas City has to offer and together take on our new possibilities.”

New positions at RLE’s facility will include Plant Manager, Operations Manager, Engineering Manager, Quality Manager, IT systems engineer, production supervisors, human resource generalists, and more. The 85 new jobs will pay an average annual salary of more than $67,000, which is well above the county average wage. A list of employment opportunities are available on RLE’s website.

“This expansion is another example that our emphasis on a skilled workforce and favorable business climate is making a difference for our economy,” said Department of Economic Development Acting Director Maggie Kost. “Collaborative efforts statewide continue to attract leading companies who are strengthening key sectors, creating jobs and improving the lives of Missourians. We’re grateful for the teamwork that helped secure this significant investment, and look forward to welcoming RLE to Kansas City.”

“As the second-largest auto hub in North America, the KC region is a key location for RLE International as the company continues to innovate and grow within the industry,” said Tim Cowden, President and CEO of the Kansas City Area Development Council. “The $19 billion transportation manufacturing industry in KC allows companies, including RLE, to streamline supply chain operations and lower operating costs.”

“As America’s crossroads, Kansas City, Missouri is excited to welcome RLE,” said Steven Anthony, Executive Director of Business Development for the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City. “Our location, availability of skilled talent, and our business climate will serve RLE very well. We look forward to welcoming them to our community.”

“Missouri is a leader in the automotive and mobility sector, and we are thrilled to welcome RLE to Missouri,” said Subash Alias, CEO of Missouri Partnership. “They are an innovative company, creating life-changing jobs for Missourians. We look forward to their success and growth in Missouri.”

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Leonardo DRS, a provider of defense products and technologies, has started the expansion of its manufacturing campus in West Plains, Mo., which is expected to create more than 100 jobs.

MO: Leonardo DRS Starts Expansion of West Plains Campus, to Create 100+ Jobs

Leonardo DRS, a provider of defense products and technologies, has started the expansion of its manufacturing campus in West Plains, Mo., which is expected to create more than 100 jobs.

The expansion was enabled in part by a cooperative effort to construct a new overpass, reports KTTN News.

“We’re proud to see the public and private sectors working together to provide the infrastructure that Leonardo DRS and the West Plains community need,” said Governor Mike Parson. “This expansion is a prime example of infrastructure’s importance to business investment and shows Missouri delivers what companies need to grow. We appreciate Leonardo DRS’ commitment to a local workforce and support for our military and look forward to their continued success.”

To complete the overpass needed for its expansion, Leonardo DRS was supported by multiple organizations, including the City of West Plains. Additional support was provided by the Missouri Department of Economic Development’s Community Development Block Grant program, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, the Delta Regional Authority’s Community Infrastructure Fund, the Missouri Department of Transportation, and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway.

“This expansion shows what can be accomplished when economic development partners work together, and we’re excited to see Leonardo DRS growing in West Plains,” said Acting Director of the Department of Economic Development Maggie Kost. “This project is proof positive that our state is an ideal location for businesses to invest, expand, and thrive. Whether infrastructure, skilled talent or local support, Missouri gets the job done.”

For this expansion, Leonardo DRS used the Missouri Works program, a tool that helps companies expand and retain workers by providing access to capital through withholdings or tax credits for job creation.

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