Hemlock deal helps impress magazine
Another national publication is seeing Tennessee as an enviable place to be for big business development — and Clarksville's biggest industrial score ever weighs heavily in the magazine ranking.
The editors of Business Facilities have named Tennessee their 2009 State of the Year for the number of new jobs created and amount of capital investments made in the Volunteer State during the calendar year.
The New Jersey-based Business Facilities also called the Hemlock Semiconductor LLC project in Clarksville its 2009 Silver Award winner for Economic Development Deal of the Year, citing the company's announced investment of $1.2 billion and the initial creation of 500 to 900 new jobs upon start-up here sometime in 2012.
Gov. Phil Bredesen said in a news release about the magazine article that it's good recognition of Tennessee's "strong and productive work force, low taxes and nationally recognized business climate ... Tennessee continues to distinguish itself as one of the most business-friendly states in the nation. I appreciate this recognition of our success in securing corporate investment and creating higher-skilled, better-paying jobs for the people of our state."
Perhaps most remarkable, Business Facilities indicates, is that Tennessee was able to win top honors in the midst of a national economic downturn for a series of big industrial scores, including the Clarksville project.
Business Facilities editors noted that Tennessee won the honor "due to an aggressive and creative development effort that defied the economic downturn with a series of multi-billion-dollar projects."
Cementing Tennessee's position on top were back-to-back announcements that the world's two largest polysilicon manufacturers, Hemlock Semiconductor and Wacker Chemie AG, would both locate major production facilities in the state — Hemlock Semiconductor in Clarksville, and Wacker Chemie in Cleveland.
"In a difficult economic year, Tennessee has set a proactive example of successful development that should serve as a model for all states charting their path to recovery," said Jack Rogers, editor-in-chief of Business Facilities, in the news release.
"Governor Bredesen and his team have consistently impressed us with a strategy that has put in place a solid foundation for future growth for years to come, moving Tennessee into a leadership position in emerging and established industries.
"Business Facilities congratulates Tennessee for a well-deserved honor as our 2009 State of the Year," Rogers concluded.
"Despite the economic downturn, Tennessee welcomed more than 16,700 new jobs and $3.1 billion in new capital investments in 2009," Matt Kisber, commissioner of the state Department of Economic and Community Development, said in prepared comments.
"Job creation continues to be our top priority, and we are grateful to Business Facilities for recognizing the efforts to generate economic growth in our state," Kisber said.
The magazine also recognized Tennessee's commitment to the creation of clean-energy jobs with its Green Energy Tax Credit for certified green energy supply chain manufacturers.
The tax credit was also expanded last year to include integrated customers and suppliers and qualified affiliates of green-energy manufacturers. The Business Facilities awards are added to a collection of honors Tennessee has received for its 2009 economic development efforts.
Tennessee was ranked among the top five states in the U.S. for best business climates by Site Selection magazine. Southern Business & Development magazine named Tennessee a co-state of the year and Bredesen, Kisber and Revenue Commissioner Reagan Farr were named to the publication's Ten People Who Made a Difference list.
Tennessee also won Area Development magazine's Gold Shovel Award, which is presented annually to the state achieving the most success in terms of job creation and economic impact.
Local Economic Development Council President James Chavez described 2009 as a "banner year" for the Clarksville EDC.
Chavez noted that the Hemlock Semiconductor deal was also tapped as Deal of the Year by CorNet, utilizing a survey of recognized real estate, industrial, and other economic development leaders.
"I'm hopeful that in 2010, we'll be able to build on the momentum we've seen this past year," he said. "The new Aspire campaign we've just launched in this community can give us the momentum to get out there and talk to the companies we need to be talking to about locating in Clarksville-Montgomery County and realizing the great assets of being a part of our very successful business climate."
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20100107/NEWS01/1070328
