Business Is Booming in Licking County, OH
Licking County has added more than 10,000 jobs to the local economy since 2018, and the momentum isn’t slowing. Here’s a look at why companies continue to invest in and relocate to Licking County, OH.
“Our leadership and community partners are committed to fostering an environment that allows companies to thrive in our community,” says Alexis A. Fitzsimmons, executive director of GROW Licking County Community Improvement Corporation.
“The diversity in our local economic base supports sustainability and prosperity for the Licking County constituency like never before.”
This region boasts a dynamic economy fueled by a variety of thriving sectors, including advanced manufacturing, efficient logistics and distribution networks, high-tech data centers, and a robust automotive industry.
Downtown Rejuvenation
Among the cities in Licking County, there’s much forward momentum for redevelopment, which in turn attracts businesses and residents. A good example is in Newark.
What started as a sewer separation project gave Newark Development Partners, a community improvement corporation, a chance to reimagine the area. For more than a decade, downtown Newark has undergone a major revitalization, through the creation of a Special Improvement District. Newark Development Partners’ biggest project to date is the overhaul of the Historic Arcade.
The $23 million revitalized building project will have about 20 retail tenants and 19 loft apartments.
“There’s been a lot of progress in downtown Newark,” says P.J. Sullivan, executive director of Newark Development Partners. “The Arcade is another large piece for continued prosperity and growth in downtown.”
While his organization focuses on Newark, it works closely with Licking County.
“Collectively, the county is moving in the development direction of growth,” Sullivan says. “The community supports that growth and city officials are cognizant of what community members want to see. That symbiotic relationship promotes growth.”
Room for Growth
Speaking of growth, there are many shovel-ready sites available for development to help attract new companies that want to relocate to Licking County.
“Communities all around the county have been investing in their infrastructure, planning and zoning, and comprehensive plans to make sure that they are ready to take advantage of opportunities,” Fitzsimmons says. “Being a prepared community is integral to successfully attracting new businesses and supporting our existing business community.”
That was the case for Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority, an organization originally created to take over ownership of the Newark Air Force Base. The Port Authority recently recruited Behr Paint to a 50-acre rail-serviced site where the company will be producing 7 million gallons of latex paint a year.
In addition to ready-to-build sites at the Central Ohio Aerospace & Technology Center, a combination of the original 57 acres acquired from the Air Force and an additional 290 acres acquired in 2002, the Port Authority also owns two STEMFlex buildings targeted to industry with STEM-skilled jobs.
“We’ve been part of building spec buildings to ride a reshoring and manufacturing wave. We want to make sure there’s an impact to the tax base that comes from this site development,” says Rick Platt, Port Authority president and CEO. “We’re also trying to help the industrial development market in Licking County thrive and be a partner for STEM learning in particular.”
The Air Force still has a presence at the Aerospace & Technology Center, as it determined that some work needed to stay.
“Now we also have baby formula being made here. We have five companies that are in the plant-based food industry. We have life sciences; we have steel fabrication,” Platt says. “We’re touching a lot of diverse sectors within the overall manufacturing focus of what we do.”
Robust Labor Shed
Licking County’s workforce includes over 197,000 people who are employed within 30 minutes of the region.
“Our population is growing and so is our workforce,” Fitzsimmons says. “There are approximately 1 million individuals in a 45-minute drive of central Licking County who work in a diverse set of industries within our labor shed.”
With several higher education institutions nearby, this workforce remains trained and ready. “Availability of workforce is part of the reason companies come here,” Platt says. “The message they consistently hear is that this workforce is productive and available.”
As more companies choose Licking County, recent graduates have even more opportunities in the area.
“The people of Licking County don’t need to look any further than their own backyard for an excellent quality of life and fulfilling career opportunities,” Fitzsimmons says.
Get to Know Licking County
Want to learn more about living and working in Licking County, OH? Check out the latest edition of Livability Licking County, Ohio.