BIG ON FACTS AND FIGURES...

STATE POPULATION/AREA – 2.7 million/82,282 sq. miles

AFFORDABLE LIVING
The 2006 Congressional Quarterly Cost of Living Index ranks Kansas 7th lowest index in the nation, more than 9 percent below the national average. Housing costs are more than 30 percent below the national average.

DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY
The Kansas economy is highly diverse due in part to a right-towork law. The major economic sectors include:

BIG ON EDUCATING ITS WORKFORCE...

• Kansas has one of the most educated and skilled labor pools in the nation as evidenced by the state's commitment to education spending which is 14th best in the nation.
• Kansas ranks in the top quarter in the nation and above the national average for percent of adults, 25 years and over, with a high school education and college degree.
• Our educated labor force works at a very competitive rate, according to Economy.com, which ranks our labor costs at 11th in the nation.

• University of Kansas
  26,000 students
• Kansas State University
  22,000 students


• Wichita State University
  15,000 students
• Ft. Hays State University
  5,800 students


• Emporia State University
  5,900 students
• Pittsburg State University
  6,000 students


• Washburn University
  6,200 students
• 19 Community Colleges


• 10 Technical Schools and Colleges

BIG ON ELECTRICITY, NATURAL GAS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS...

• Electricity costs in Kansas are below the national average supplemented by the excess electric generating reserve and transmission capacity through the three largest investor-owned companies in the state.
• Kansas is ranked 5th lowest in the U.S. for average price of natural gas. The 4,800 square-mile Hugoton Gas Field makes the state a leading natural gas exporter.
• Thanks to Kansas' central location, businesses have access to east-west and north-south major trunk lines, connecting to a nationwide fiber optic network.

BIG ON TRANSPORTATION...

• Kansas maintains the third best state-owned road and highway system in the nation. Our strategic location allows next-day freight delivery to nearly 70 percent of the U.S.
• Kansas City is the 2nd leading rail center in the nation and will be enhanced by the new Burlington Northern Santa Fe Kansas rail intermodal facility expected for completion in 2009.
• Interstates 70 and 35 cross Kansas and connect with I-29, part of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) corridor.
• The largest airports are Kansas City International and Wichita Mid-Continent, with 13 national and seven regional carriers. Eight regional airports also offer commercial air service.
• Four Class I rail carriers have a total of 2,790 miles of track in the state, supported by 17 shortline railroads.

BIG ON STATE INCENTIVES...

• 100 percent property tax exemption on commercial machinery and equipment purchased after June 30, 2006.
• Income tax credits for research and development, new job creation and investment, as well as annual property taxes, taxes paid on machinery and equipment.
• Sales tax exemptions on the purchase of construction labor and materials and facility machinery and equipment.
• Sales tax exemption on personal property that is consumed or becomes a component part in the manufacturing process.
• Property tax abatement on real property of up to 100 percent for 10 years.
• Manufacturers' and merchants' inventories are exempt from property taxes.
• Industrial Revenue Bonds provide up to 100 percent financing of land, building and equipment.
• Workforce training grants to train the workforce of existing and new Kansas business.
• Community Development Block Grant for projects in non-metro areas.
• Forgivable loans for project-related costs associated with the establishment or expansion of a business facility.
• Phase out of Kansas franchise tax over next five years.
• Reduction of unemployment insurance rates of 40 to 100 percent for existing and new employers.

KANSAS IS BIG ON...

HEADQUARTERS OPERATIONS
Kansas boasts many major corporate headquarters, including Black & Veatch, Koch Industries, Payless ShoeSource, Embarq, Grundfos Pumps, Lee Apparel, Seaboard, Fujifilm Sericol, Danisco, Universal Underwriters, Bushnell, Huhtamaki Americas, Ferrellgas, Garmin, Perceptive Software, Baader North American, Sprint Nextel (operational headquarters) and YRC Worldwide.

MAJOR AVIATION MANUFACTURING CLUSTER
More than half of the general aviation aircraft produced in the U.S. is built in Kansas by companies such as Boeing IDS, Spirit AeroSystems, Cessna Aircraft, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation and Bombardier Aerospace Learjet. These companies along with numerous suppliers employ more than 40,000 workers, with the greatest concentration in the Wichita metropolitan area.

BIOSCIENCE CLUSTER
Kansas has emerged as one of the fastest-growing bioscience clusters in the U.S. with companies such as Quintiles, Caravan Ingredients, Bayer CropScience, Bayer HealthCare and Animal Health, Fort Dodge Animal Health, Intervet, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Ventria Bioscience, IdentiGEN and OncImmune.

• Kansas is ranked first nationally in wheat production and second in beef processing.
• Dairy farmers in the state produced over 1.1 billion pounds of milk in the first six months of 2007.

BIG ON REPUTATION...

• Kansas is the top state for fewest regulatory and fiscal obstacles, according to The Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy. The Institute rated each state on 143 variables, including tax rates, state spending, tort laws, right-to-work and prevailing-wage laws to create a U.S. Economic Freedom Index. Kansas ranked No. 1 mainly due to its respect for property rights.
• Pollina Corporate Real Estate, one of America's leading corporate site-relocation experts, ranks Kansas in the top 20 for most business-friendly states in the nation. Polina praised Kansas for "pro-business policies that result in job growth" and a "conducive business atmosphere."
• Area Development magazine awarded Kansas its "Silver Shovel" award in both 2007 and 2006 for top job creation and investment projects. Kansas won in the "under 3 million population" category.

BIG ON MAJOR COMPANIES...

Manufacturing - Frito Lay, Rubbermaid, General Motors, Goodyear Tire, Hallmark, Keebler, Tony's Pizza, Interstate Bakeries, Honeywell and Jostens
Distribution - Amazon.com, American Eagle Outfitters, Pacific Sunwear, Target and Wal-Mart
Office Services - Farmers Insurance, Capital One, United Parcel Service and Capgemini

BIG ON NEW SITE LOCATIONS AND EXPANSIONS...

• Abengoa – ethanol manufacturing
• Capgemini – customer service center
• Caravan Ingredients – North American headquarters, research and development center
• Convergys – customer service center
• OncImmune – North American headquarters, biotech manufacturing
• Pacific Sunwear – distribution center
• Prescription Solutions – pharmaceutical fulfillment center
• Renewable Energy Group – biodiesel manufacturing
• RSI Home Products – kitchen cabinet manufacturing
• Rubbermaid – plastics manufacturing

Download Executive Summary Brochure

1000 S.W. Jackson St., Suite 100
Topeka, KS 66612-1354
Phone: (785) 296-5298
Fax: (785) 296-3490
TTY: (785) 296-3487
E-mail: busdev@kansascommerce.com
ThinkBigKS.com

Photography by Michael C. Snell