Arizona: booming business destination

Over the past few years, Arizona has become a premier destination for business expansion and relocation. Comprehensive efforts by the Governor’s Office, the Arizona Commerce Authority, and local partners have contributed to 49 California businesses choosing to set up operations in Arizona, bringing more than 18,000 jobs and over $9 billion in capital to our state since 2015.

But it’s not just California companies heading to the desert; international companies have also chosen to call Arizona home. In the past two months, five international companies have expanded their operations in our state, creating more than 2,000 new jobs and investing over $48 million in Arizona.

Why are companies flocking here? Many attribute this to the tax, economic and regulatory policies that help small businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators thrive.

“Gov. Ducey and the entire Arizona Commerce Authority team have done just outstanding work in attracting new jobs to Arizona,” said Glenn Hamer, President and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “They’ve taken our best-in-class business environment and made sure the whole world knows about all the great things we’re doing here to enhance our economy.”

Last month, Governor Ducey announced that Tucson-based autonomous semi-truck firm TuSimple will create 500 jobs over the next two years in engineering, truck driving, and office management.

The company is set to expand its fleet of autonomous trucks to 500 by 2019, which will make it the world’s largest autonomous truck fleet.

“Sandra Watson and the ACA team have been a great partner for TuSimple,” said Robert Brown, Director of Public of Affairs for TuSimple. “The ACA has helped us expand and scale in Arizona. We are very excited about our growth and thank them for their help along the way.”

Learn more about the latest manufacturers choosing to do business in Arizona:

Nikola Motor Company

Electric vehicle manufacturer (semi-trucks, offroad UTV and jet-skis) locating a $1 billion HQ, and 2,062 jobs paying $80,000 average wages.

Projected jobs over the next 5 years: 2,062

Location: Coolidge

Orbital ATK (Recently purchased by Northrop Grumman)

Projected jobs over the next 5 years: 56

Location: Chandler & Mesa

Boeing Company-AZ

Boeing will be expanding its existing Mesa site with the addition of the Shared Services Group headquarters. Shared Services provides Boeing’s business units and corporate offices with common internal services that support the company’s global operation.

Projected jobs over the next 5 years: 914

Location: Mesa

Footprint USA

Footprint USA designs, develops and manufactures molded fiber solutions that are revolutionizing industries by eliminating plastic. Footprint USA is quickly changing the landscape of what traditional molded fiber can accomplish and where it can be used.

Projected jobs over the next 5 years: 260

Location: Gilbert

AQST Space Systems

Global Puerto Rican aerospace systems technologies solutions company for space commercialization, R&D, telecommunications, data science and additive manufacturing. US headquarters to manufacture their new contracts for satellites, spacecraft.

Projected jobs over the next 5 years: 325

Location: Mesa – HQ; Manufacturing – Yuma

MD Helicopters

MD Helicopters continues its growth due to a recent DOD award and increased international business. New jobs will come in the form of production, engineering, accounting and supervisory roles.

Projected jobs over the next 5 years: 150

Location: Mesa

AXISCADES

AXISCADES is a global engineering company headquartered in India providing solutions for aerospace, defense, auto and, heavy engineering. The client is a supplier to Tucson customer Caterpillar.

Projected jobs over the next 5 years: 318

Location: Tucson

Andersen Windows

Andersen intends to build a new manufacturing and distribution facility in Goodyear, Arizona.  The facility will support the extrusion, assembly and logistics for the products distributed in the Western United States.

Projected jobs over the next 5 years: 415

Location: Goodyear

TuSimple

Global self-driving truck solutions company has plans for further expansion, doubling their current footprint. To support its growing development program, they will be creating new jobs across a variety of fields.
Projected jobs over the next 5 years: 500

Location: Tucson