Medford, Oregon - April 21, 2015 - (Newswire.com)
Manufacturing Industry on the Rise in Southern Oregon
Startups and Relocations Provided Support and Resources
While a lot of well-earned attention has been given to Medford’s rise as the nation’s #1 city in terms of high-tech diversity measure (according to the Milken Institute), the manufacturing industry in Southern Oregon continues gaining global recognition. Ron Fox, Executive Director of SOREDI (Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc.), says that the region has become headquarters to a long list of innovators who buy and sell internationally. “Manufacturers in Southern Oregon have connections all over the world,” he says. “They come here because they no longer want to pay the high price of doing business in bigger cities. They also realize that they will have the support and resources they need to thrive and expand.”
For example, leading edge instrumentation, data logging, environmental software, and monitoring systems are sold in more than 100 countries worldwide from Met One Instruments’ Grants Pass headquarters. Met One is one of the oldest manufacturers of scientific instruments for meteorology and particulate monitoring in the United States and is currently the largest exporter of its size in Oregon. “Our location is convenient to reach most markets,” explains CFO Riley Loftin. “It’s certainly convenient to the key markets we operate in, including Asia / Pacific, Europe and the Americas.”
In Ashland, Darex is the manufacturer and distributer of the world’s best-selling industrial drill sharpeners. According to Owner and President Matthew Bernard, the company imports some of its parts from Europe, China, Japan, Canada, Mexico and all over the United States. They build these parts into their drill sharpeners, and ship finished products back to the same areas. “Being in Ashland has not been hard for us at all—in fact, it’s helpful to be centrally located to Asia, Europe and major shipping ports in Oakland, California and Portland, Oregon. Plus we’re right on the I-5 corridor and have an airport 20 minutes away.”
Owners of Marzi Sink Factory say they relocated from Carmel Valley to Grants Pass to avoid the costly red tape and “stumbling blocks to expansion” they faced in their former California facility. “As a fairly small business, we were surprised and delighted at the local support network that helped us move our business,” says Owner Belinda Marzi, adding that their connection with the Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership (OMEP) enabled them to incorporate lean manufacturing practices in their new facility. “They don’t forget about you in Southern Oregon. After nine years, the support that we continue to get is remarkable.”
With their state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Grants Pass, Oregon Swiss Precision in Grants Pass provides components for a wide variety of clients, including the West Coast aerospace industry. “We are conveniently located in Southern Oregon on the I-5 corridor allowing us to receive and ship, raw and finished materials, effectively and in a timely manner,” says Co-owner Mike Andersen.
According to Fox, Met One Instruments, Darex, Marzi Sink Factory, and Oregon Swiss Precision represent the growing numbers of manufacturing firms relocating or starting up in Southern Oregon. The drawing card, he says is the combination of “Business and Balance,” meaning all the necessary resources for global business success, along with a lifestyle that is free of traffic and filled with opportunities for relaxation and recreation. “We see more and more people making the decision to do business where it makes the most sense,” Fox says. “And Southern Oregon draws these professionals because we promote business expansion, and we happen to live in one of the most pristine regions in the country.”
This ‘Business and Balance’ synergy might also help answer why Oregon saw the highest percentage of inbound moves among all U.S. states in 2013 and 2014. According to statistics gathered by United Van Lines, 66 percent of Oregon’s overall moves were inbound. For Fox and others at SOREDI, these numbers show that Southern Oregon has something that other areas do not. “We call it the Southern Oregon Edge,” he says. “Basically, business owners can have it all: A profitable business, connections and resources for expansion, a quality workforce, and a home life that balances out the daily stresses of operating a business.”
“Business and Balance” IS Southern Oregon’s Edge, and manufacturing firms are flocking to this region to experience both.
Contact Information
SOREDI
Colleen Johnston, Senior Business Development Manager
www.southeroregonedge.com
Email: colleen@soredi.org
Office: (541) 773-8946
Cell: (541) 601-6918
Contact Info:
Make It Happen marketing llc.
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Original Source: Manufacturing Indsutry on the Rise in Southern Oregon
