Quad Cities First Site Selector News

Dec. 1, 2010 The New -Kansas City Expressway Connects the Quads Cities

The route of a new US highway, The Chicago-Kansas City Expressway, also known as 110, runs directly through the region. The 532-mile expressway follows from Chicago to the Quad Cities, then weaves through Galesburg, Monmouth, Macomb, and Quincy up to the crossing of the Mississippi River at Hannibal, Missouri, taking Interstates 36 to 35 finally ending at Kansas City. The Expressway combines almost a dozen highways throughout Illinois in order to link Chicago to Kansas City, two of the largest cities for commerce and tourism in the Midwest.

Signs are currently going up along I-88 and the Eisenhower Expressway indicating that they are part of the Chicago-Kansas City Road Link, or CKC. In some places along the route, the expressway replaces rural roads that have been around since the turn of the 20th century.

The Chicago-Kansas City Road Link becomes the third major highway corridor to crisscross the middle of Illinois, along with The Avenue of the Saints, from St. Louis to St. Paul, Minnesota; and - US Highway 36 Corridor from to Kansas

Iowa Awarded $230 Million Grant for Iowa City Passenger Rail

Iowa was recently awarded $230 million in federal funding to initiate intercity passenger rail service on a route from Chicago to Iowa City from the Quad Cities.

The new rail service, deemed GreenLine, is scheduled to begin serving riders in 2015. GreenLine will provide two daily round trips carrying trains traveling at speeds up to 79 mph, with expected travel time of less than five hours on the 219.5 mile trip from Iowa City to Chicago. First year ridership is projected to be 246,000 persons, and new stations will be established at Geneseo and Moline IL, as well as Iowa City, IA. The Chicago to Iowa City route is also expected to create an estimated 588 jobs per year over the first four years during design and construction. It is forecast to increase business activity $25 million per year following service initiation.

Mandus Group Signs On With the Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center

Mandus Group Ltd. has signed an agreement with Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center to support the unique manufacturing skills associated with RIA- JMTC's artillery production. This partnership seeks joint ventures in the field of artillery to streamline the solicitation and manufacturing of components for future contracts.

Mandus Group specializes in providing artillery solutions, logistics, repairs, maintenance and support for many military weapon systems. RIA-JMTC is the original equipment manufacturer for the M198 and M119 howitzer systems. "This partnership just makes sense," said Gary Taylor, chief, Global Business Development at RIA-JMTC. "It allows both groups to respectively look for opportunities in both the public and private sector and find work we can jointly work on." This partnership aims to have Mandus and RIA-JMTC jointly submit offers on solicitations, and manufacture components for all resulting contracts.

"RIA-JMTC's ability to form public/private partnerships is critical to advancing the manufacturing and workforce capabilities on the Rock Island Arsenal," said Paul Rumler, Senior Vice President of Community Development for the Quad Cities Chamber. "This partnership helps position the Arsenal and Quad Cities region for continued economic growth."

Wind Generates Millions For Quad Cities Region

Two of the biggest names in alternative energy, Iberdrola Renewables and Invenergy, will begin construction on what will be a minimum of 318 wind turbines in Henry County in 2011. Together, the two firms plan to spend a combined $690 million - $550 million from Invenergy and $140 million from Iberdrola - into Henry County wind farms.

Invenergy, a Chicago-based company with wind farms in the U.S., Canada and Europe, was awarded a $51 million contract this month for construction of 133 towers in its Bishop Hill farm. After the completion of the initial towers, an additional 133 will be go up in the same area.

Iberdrola Renewables, the U.S. division of Spanish utility giant Iberdrola S.A., plans 52 to 70 turbines at its Midland farm north and west of Kewanee and two more farms at a later date. Henry County, part of the Quad Cities Region, is located at the south-east corner of Iowa just west of The Mississippi River.

Ryerson Announces New Iowa Plate Processing Center

Ryerson Inc., one of North America's leading distributors of metals recently announced that it will open a plate processing center in Eldridge, Iowa. The 175,000-square-foot facility will bring 51 new jobs to the Quad Cities Region and is expected to begin operations in July 2011. The processing capabilities include laser cutting, plasma and oxy-fuel burning, robotic beveling, plate blasting, machining and press brake bending. The company will invest $7.3 million in this project.

"The expanded capabilities combined with the strategic location and logistical access to suppliers and customers, will allow us to remain a leading source to serve our customers," said Michael Burbach, president of Ryerson Midwest.

The City of Eldridge worked closely with the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce/Quad Cities First economic development team to close the deal after receiving a lead from the Iowa Department of Economic Development. The company selected Eldridge over sites in Texas and Alabama.

The Iowa Department of Economic Development Board approved $150,000 in tax credits from Ryerson. The economic assistance package also includes $270,000 from the Iowa New Jobs Training Fund administered by Eastern Iowa Community College.

The Quad City Region 2010 Graduate Index

A recent study found that nearly 50,000 students received degrees and diplomas during the 2008-2009 academic year, which is an increase of 4% from the last study period of 2006 - 2007.

Targeted Industries of the Quad Cities and surrounding region fared favorable in the inventory.

FIRE (Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate) had over 5,600 graduates with 2,888 bachelor's degrees.

• 685 degrees in Business • 493 degrees in Finance • 368 degrees in Accounting.

Food Industry had a total of 3,924 of post-secondary graduates while 2,991 degrees related to instrumentation were granted.

• 60 degrees in Biochemistry • 41 degrees in Environmental Science.

Metal is 1,731 post-secondary graduates.

• 113 degrees in Electrical Engineering • 119 degrees in Mathematical Sciences

The Graduate Inventory identifies the degree, major/field of study, and level of recent graduates within a 90 mile radius of the Quad Cities in order to meet the needs of economic development for the region. This is a complete depiction of the region's graduates for the academic year of 2008-2009, including data from the 41 post-secondary educational institutions and 71 school districts in Iowa and 120 in Illinois that are within 90 miles of the Quad Cities.

The workforce study reinforces that The Quad Cities labor force has the skills to drive the target industries and was a major reason for their selection.

Quad City Region Target Industries • FIRE • Food • Instruments • Metal • Professional/Technical Services • Wind