Tennessee Valley throws a wide net for a big catch

The Tennessee Valley is gearing up for the next wave of automotive and business expansion opportunities with five available Megasites (large industrial properties that are certified ready for automotive or other large industries), financial resources, technical services and an enviable quality of life.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) works with local power companies, state and regional agencies and communities to promote sustainable economic development in the 80,000 square-mile service territory that covers seven southeastern states: most of Tennessee and parts of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Virginia. Target industries include automotive assembly and supplier plants, food and distribution services and plastics manufacturers.

The Tennessee Valley region is the second-largest auto manufacturing region in the country, with approximately 90,000 automotive-related industry jobs. The region is home to major automotive companies including: General Motors, Nissan North America, Peterbilt, and Toyota. The labor force includes more than 900,000 employed machine operators and fabricators and half a million production workers. The regional population is 8.8 million. Almost 1,800 industrial sites and buildings are available in the 80,000-square-mile TVA service area.

While the Tennessee Valley is poised for continued auto industry expansion, the region is also winning favor with other industries. For example, the region offers all the right elements for successful distribution and warehousing operations: a great transportation infrastructure, an ample workforce, a thriving business climate and reasonable operating costs. On the food and beverage front, the region is home to a long list of notable companies, including Coca-Cola, ConAgra Foods, General Mills, Kraft and Tyson Foods.

TVA Economic Development offers a number of financing services and programs to help new and existing companies with the financial resources they need to locate or expand in the Tennessee Valley. TVA assists high-growth woman- and minority-owned companies with business development, procurement opportunities, and accessing capital to achieve sustainable revenue growth. Recently, TVA facilitated the expansion of Detroit-based Empire Electric Supply into the Tennessee Valley region. Empire is a minority-owned supplier of telecom components.

The Tennessee Valley Authority is celebrating its 75th anniversary in May 2008. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the TVA Act into law on May 18, 1933. TVA has a long, proud history of serving the Tennessee Valley by providing reliable, affordable electricity, supporting a thriving river system and stimulating economic growth.

TVA is the nation’s largest public power provider with 159 power distributor customers and 59 directly served industries. TVA serves the needs of 8.8 million residents and reports 99.999% transmission reliability for the past eight years in a row. It offers competitive rates – among the nation’s lowest – from well-diversified power sources, including coal, nuclear, hydro, combustion turbines and renewables.

For more information about Tennessee Valley Authority Economic Development, please visit TVAed.com (general economic development information), TVAsites.com (comprehensive buildings and land database) or call 615-232-6225.