Manufacturing matters to Carson City

3,500 people are employed by 140 manufacturers in Carson City. Manufacturers incomes are the fourth highest in the Carson City economy. For every one primary manufacturer job, you can multiply it by at least two additional secondary jobs. This is a very important economic sector in Carson City and we’re here to help.

Carson City was the “manufacturer’s center of the state” for 15 years. During the last five years, there has not been a new manufacturing facility built in Carson City. We have to get back on track.

The good news is: We have seven manufacturers expanding in Carson City right now, with one new relocation. The bad news is: We have five manufacturers threatening to leave Carson City. These results are the smallest result numbers in the Capital Region which includes Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey Counties.

Opportunities: Maybe it’s miscommunication. It can’t be lack of industrial properties.

• Total industrial acreage: 1,248

• Undeveloped / Available industrial acreage: 496

• Occupied industrial acreage: 752

• Total number of industrial buildings: 170

• Total number of empty industrial buildings: 22

Carson City industrial sales presentation: “How to Sell Carson City”

1) Manufacturing environment: Manufacturers love to be around other manufacturers. (Carson City has 140)

2) Sensible regulations: In a nutshell, you don’t have to smog your car in the Capital Region. We have the business environmental program at UNR for free, confidential and expert advice on air, water and hazardous materials.

3) Overall costs are about 10 percent less than the metro areas of Nevada. Property, taxes, workers and overall cost of living expenses are a little less in Carson City.

4) And finally, “quality of life” issues are the most important. The closer: We all have our own definition of “quality of life.” We offer “individualism/freedom” in our market. You can be a cowboy or a yuppie or whatever, and still get around in the region.

When we conduct a tour, it’s usually Dad up front crunching numbers, trying to make it possible with all of the variables. Mom is in the back asking questions about schools, churches, shopping, entertainment, cultural, etc.

We have to cover a lot of topics, issues and opportunities in about half a day. If anybody needs information about manufacturing in Carson City, we are here to help along with Ray Bacon with the Nevada Manufacturers Association.

Kris Holt is the executive director of Nevada Business Connection. NBC is Nevada’s only private economic development organization. NBC was chartered in 2008, and publishes a monthly newsletter and continues to have monthly breakfast meetings in Carson City and Reno. Their mission is to help manufacturers expand and relocate to northern Nevada.