Victor Valley, CA: A Manufacturing Magnet
With great cost of business benefits, excellent location and much more, manufacturers are finding the Victor Valley region to their liking.
Manufacturers feel right at home in the Victor Valley. Those operating in the region enjoy business-friendly costs and incentives, proximity and transportation links to western markets, excellent workforce training programs and ample space to grow. Some of the biggest names in corporate America operate production facilities in the area.
Victorville’s 2,500-acre Southern Logistics Centre, part of the Global Access development at the Southern California Logistics Airport, houses plants for Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Plastipak Packaging, Inc. and United Furniture Industries, to name a few. The city’s 233-acre, rail-served Foxborough Industrial Park is home to operations for all-natural pet food maker Nutro Products and Church & Dwight, whose products include laundry detergent and cat litter for Arm & Hammer brands. Located less than 100 miles from Los Angeles, the Victor Valley is a logistical hub between California, Nevada and Arizona, providing timely delivery of large products by highway, rail and air transport. The convergence of major highways like Interstate 15, U.S. 395 and State Route 18 make it a distribution focal point for firms like Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Mars Chocolate, Red Bull, Newell Rubbermaid, ConAgra Foods, TruBlu Logistics and Walmart.
Welcoming Manufacturers
Apple Valley is another fast-growing community for manufacturing.
“We are finding that those companies that have moved here are enjoying success and expanding,” says Orlando Acevedo, economic development manager for the Town of Apple Valley.
Firms have benefited from workforce development programs within existing companies and area colleges, Acevedo says. He notes that the region is making a concerted effort to recruit companies that are second- and third-tier providers of products to major companies in Southern California and elsewhere. Apple Valley and nearby communities are also welcoming new businesses by streamlining permitting processes that lessen the time it takes for a company to begin operations.
“We have the advantage of large lots of land, affordable living and clean air,” says Steve Lantsberger, economic development director for the City of Hesperia.
All Victor Valley communities have dedicated industrial park space for future growth. Apple Valley has a 2,800-acre Airport Business Park adjacent to the Apple Valley Airport and located less than 5 miles from I-15. Hesperia is home to an Industrial Rail Park that connects manufacturers to the main BNSF Railroad line. The City of Adelanto has developed several industrial parks, which are ready for manufacturers and logistics firms to move into right away.
“We are a business-friendly community with attractive quality-of-life amenities,” says City Manager James Hart. “We have a large amount of undeveloped land, and that makes us appealing to companies that are struggling to grow in overcrowded areas.”
Sustainable development is a key objective of city planners across the region. Adelanto works closely with Southern California Edison on energy conservation, and that partnership has expanded to all Victor Valley communities in what is now known as the High Desert Regional Energy Leader Partnership.
Low Costs, High Quality of Life Draw Small Firms
Along with Fortune 500 companies, the Victor Valley is attractive to small- to medium-size manufacturers, as well. The area is a hotbed for small, entrepreneurial shops searching for a lower cost business location and a high quality of life. Manufacturers like DMI Victory Builders, Scott Turbon Mixer and Northwest Pipe Company are just a few examples of smaller firms that are thriving here. DMI moved into a 45,000-square-foot facility in Adelanto in 2009 after outgrowing its space in a large urban area. The company designs and builds customized architectural materials, including fiberglass molding installations, for restaurants, retail centers, hotels and more. Its work adorns buildings from massive casinos on the Las Vegas Strip to restaurants operated by The Cheesecake Factory nationwide.
“We were looking to grow, and Adelanto, and the High Desert area gave us that opportunity,” says Bonnie Pappas, corporate secretary for DMI, noting that the company is already looking to add more space to its operation.
“When we moved here, 33 of our 35 employees at the time were able to move with us because of the more affordable housing and cost of living here,” Pappas says. “Because we do a great deal of work in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, this location is ideal.”
Read about Victor Valley’s thriving business climate.