Why Companies Choose to Do Business in Pueblo, CO
This Colorado city's excellent location, workforce and business-friendly climate paint an attractive picture.
Fōmcore executives looked at the big picture when envisioning a new manufacturing facility for their Muskegon, Michigan-based enterprise a few years ago. Seeking closer access to clients in Western states, team members scoured maps of interstate routes and scrutinized dozens of midsize cities, examining pay scales, taxes and other costs of doing business.
No fewer than 19 locations made it to the short list, but only one came out on top: The company chose to do business in Pueblo, CO.
“We wanted to be in a similar-size region, with similar demographics and cost of living,” says Alicia Wiggin, Fōmcore general manager. “When we got to Pueblo, we saw how we could be part of a really good manufacturing tradition.”
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So Many Attributes
Manufacturing operations, specifically steel, laid the foundation for the region’s industrial growth in the mid-1800s and encouraged development of an extensive railroad network throughout the area and other infrastructure.
Transportation access also is bolstered by the proximity to Interstate 25 and the nearby Arkansas River, which helps Pueblo maintain some of the lowest rates for water in the state.
All these attributes stood out for Fōmcore, a growing privately held company that manufactures foam seating and other furnishings used in educational and commercial settings. The new plant expansion will create over 80 new jobs, including one for Wiggin, who was relocated to manage the site. It is where she wanted to be.
“When we got to Pueblo, we felt like it would be a place where I and the rest of the executive team could become part of the community. The people of Pueblo are what drew us in.”
Alicia Wiggin, Fōmcore
People Make the Difference
“When we got to Pueblo, we felt like it would be a place where I and the rest of the executive team could become part of the community,” she adds. “The people of Pueblo are what drew us in.”
Finding a warm reception across the board, she says, made an overwhelmingly positive impression. “We felt the area aligned with our culture as a business,” Wiggin says.
Another expansion announcement in Pueblo was no small feat: C.S. Wind broke ground on the world’s largest wind turbine tower manufacturing plant in 2023, which is expected to bring 850 new jobs to the region. President Joe Biden visited in November 2023 to praise the plant as an excellent example of clean energy investment.
Seong-Gon Gim, chairman of C.S. Wind, called the company’s partnership with Pueblo “a shared vision for a common future, which is cleaner, greener and more sustainable,” according to a company news release.
The 900,000-square-foot addition will enable C.S. Wind to produce some 10,000 turbine tower sections yearly. An initial phase of the expansion will open in summer 2024, with completion by 2028.
Meanwhile, Boreas Campers is another example of a manufacturing company expanding to a new Pueblo location. Company leaders pointed to Pueblo’s sense of “hometown pride,” its affordability and thriving downtown area as positives in their decision making.
Boreas’ off-road, overland camper trailers are made by hand at the site. They enable campers to recreate or even live off the grid, a naturally good fit for a community surrounded by forests, lakes and mountains.
Civic Assistance in Action
Working to support a healthy business climate, Pueblo city and county leaders have encouraged economic expansion through a variety of initiatives, including recently funded road and sewer improvements and community improvement projects that include a $17 million revitalization in the Westside neighborhood.
Pueblo also has a program unique for the state: the Sales and Use Tax Capital Improvement Fund that provides financial incentives for relocations of employers based on job creation potential.
But for Wiggin, it was just a slightly smaller incentive that won the day.
“We were already pretty sure our decision was Pueblo, and then we were shown a shell building that we knew could be ready on our time frame,” she says. “That’s not why we made our decision, but it sure was the cherry on top.”
Come Work in Pueblo
Recruiting top talent to fill jobs in the region is the goal behind the Pueblo County Recruitment Toolkit, a website available through a private-public partnership called Share Pueblo. The toolkit provides a variety of data, tips and resources to help local businesses attract out-of-town employees to fill workforce vacancies.
The Share Pueblo site can provide businesses with photos, videos and other positive information to send to potential employees who might want to locate in Pueblo County, and all available information is free to use.
Informative data that businesses can send to prospects includes that Pueblo County has less traffic, a lower cost of living, abundant outdoor activities, milder temperatures, affordable housing options and a small-town feel with bigger city amenities.
In addition, Share Pueblo features testimonials from residents who chose to relocate to the beautiful Pueblo region. Businesses can also post job openings on the website.
– Kevin Litwin contributed to this article.
Get to Know Pueblo
Want to learn more about living and working in Pueblo, CO? Check out the latest edition of Livability Pueblo, Colorado.
