Growing your Business:
The Place for your Business to Thrive
The New North possesses a strong, diversified economy supported by a long tradition of dedication to quality and dependability. Among recent recognitions earned within the region:
Forbes ranked Appleton the16th best metro area in the country for business.
Inc. Magazine's "Top U.S. Cities for Doing Business" ranked Green Bay ranked 4th overall; 3rd for medium-sized cities; 23rd for fastest, most sustained growth; and 29th for most balanced economy and growth.
Sheboygan ranks in the top 15% for fastest, most sustained growth.
Entrepreneur Magazine ranked Green Bay as the 5th best small city in which to do business in the U.S.
Expansion Management includes five New North communities in its 5-star and 4-star metropolitan areas, which is scored on nine major categories including: affordable housing, good public schools, peace of mind, a balanced standard of living, broad opportunities for adult education, reasonable traffic and commuting, good commercial air access, a high adult education level and, from an employer's perspective, a young, reasonably-priced work force from which to find good employees.
5-Star Quality of Life Metros
- Appleton
- Green Bay
- Sheboygan
4-Star Quality of Life Metros
- Oshkosh-Neenah
- Fond du Lac
Dependable Labor
Wisconsin consistently ranks among the states with the fewest man-hours lost to strikes, weather, and health, The high quality of labor can be traced to the state's renowned high quality of life. This reputation has been earned from Wisconsin's achievements in educational performance, crime reduction, and poverty alleviation.
Quality Education
Each year, regional students outperform the national averages in standardized tests at every level of education. The university and vocational systems are also highly regarded. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is considered a world-class institution.
Primary Industries
The backbone of our economy has always been manufacturing. Nearly one-quarter (24%) of the jobs within NN are manufacturing, exceeding both the state of Wisconsin (19%) and the U.S. (11%).
10,300 manufacturers employ more than 600,000 people statewide, making Wisconsin the second highest employer of manufacturing workers in the United States. The New North therefore offers a wealth of potential vendors as well a strong infrastructure capable of transporting your materials and finished products.
The New North is central to Wisconsin's famed dairy industry. While the region represents about 20% of the state's population, it generates almost 30% of the state's dairy economic activity: more than $6.3 billion in 2004. The region is poised to take a leadership role in new agri-businesses such as biofuels.
The New North also has a long tradition of forestry-related products, all the way from woodcrafts to papermaking and converting. Each year the state produces almost $8 billion in pulp, paper, and paperboard, over $5 billion in converted paper products, and almost $5 billion in printed products, all centered in the New North.
