< PreviousOn ArdmoreOn Ardmore All Eyes On Ardmore INVES TMENT PROFILE: ARDMORE, OKLAHOMA Throughout the U.S. for generations, hydrogen has anchored its role for industrial use within oil refi ning, steel production, food processing and ammonia production, among other applications. Outside of top hydrogen producing states such as California, Louisiana and Texas, the element will soon promote new opportunity in the southern Oklahoma city of Ardmore. Ardmore’s earliest days were marked by a thriving agricultural industry, due in part to the introduction of the former Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in the late s. e discovery of oil deposits in allowed the burgeoning city to adopt a new industry focused on oil refi ning. In the years the Valero Ardmore Refi nery has been in operation, Ardmore has proved to know a thing or two about sustainably producing a variety of petroleum products. Oklahoma itself has become the sixth- largest producer of natural gas and crude oil, while producing three times the amount of energy it consumes, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. e Valero Ardmore Refi nery has become a key player in this region of the state for production of clean-burning fuels. Modernization initiatives since Valero’s acquisition in have allowed the site to process heavier sour crudes while maintaining high product yields. “Our people know and understand energy and its role in every aspect of the economy better than anywhere else,” says Ardmore Development Authority Vice President of Economic Development Andrea Anderson. For corporate leaders focused on driving sustainable operations, Ardmore is becoming an ideal destination to explore transformative projects. Making Way for H2OK ree years ago, Australia-based petroleum exploration and production company Woodside Energy made the decision to invest in its fi rst U.S. liquid hydrogen facility, choosing to locate in the city of Ardmore. e company purchased approximately acres at the Westport Industrial Park, noting its highway access, supply chain infrastructure and proximity to supply potential customers as key factors in this move. Named HOK, the project is expected to produce tons per day (tpd) of liquid hydrogen once operational. e company is in the midst of fi nalizing state incentives in support of the project before making its fi nal investment announcement. Woodside completed its Front End Engineering and Design for HOK in , later awarding Nel Hydrogen a contract for engineering and fabrication of electrolysis by ALEXIS ELMORE alexis.elmore@siteselection.com 26 SEPTEMBER 2024 S I T E S EL E C T I O N All Eyes On Ardmore All Eyes All Eyes All Eyes All Eyes On Ardmore On Ardmore On Ardmore On Ardmore Lake Murray in Ardmore, Oklahoma, has plenty of H20. Ardmore may soon have plenty of liquid hydrogen as Woodside Energy’s H20K project moves forward. Photo by theishkid: Getty Imagesequipment and a contract to Air Liquide to install two -tpd liquefaction units on the site. Once construction begins, Woodside has said the project has the potential to create a number of direct and indirect jobs. “Many of the skills used in existing energy production are similar enough to the skills needed in hydrogen production that the learning curve is relatively short in making that transition,” says Anderson. “People working in other sectors of energy production see HOK as the evolution of energy production.” e HOK electrolysis process will use a large portion of renewable energy to separate hydrogen from recycled wastewater. e company anticipates the facility will need about megawatts of power from the Oklahoma Gas and Electric Grid for its operations. If utilizing power produced by renewable sources like wind and solar, which make up % of the grid’s portfolio, HOK could run on close to zero emissions. “As one of the fi rst and largest facilities under design in the U.S., HOK shows that Ardmore can play big and think outside the box,” says Anderson. Enhancing a Clean Future Woodside isn’t the only company looking to cultivate a sustainable way forward from the heart of Ardmore. In June , leading materials science company Dow announced it would be acquiring California-based renewable plastics recycler Circulus’ Oklahoma and Alabama facilities. Circulus launched its Ardmore operations in , transforming post-consumer fl exible plastics (like shrink fi lm or plastic bags) made from low-density polyethylene resin into high-quality recycled resins that can be reused for consumer packaging. At the time Circulus arrived in Ardmore the company was just starting out and aiming to break into the greater market. Operations in the city over the course of two years showed a leading multinational corporation like Dow that not only did their technology work, but its impact has widespread benefi ts. “ is acquisition will allow Dow to combine our company’s industry- leading materials science technology with Circulus’ fi lm recycling expertise to accelerate progress towards our Transform the Waste goal,” said Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics President Karen Carter. “It will also expand how we participate in the industry, allowing us to generate value for our customers by directly producing more higher- performing circular products that brands and consumers are demanding.” Ardmore’s operations will allow Dow to expand its reach in industrial, commercial and transportation markets. In utilizing Circulus’ technology, Dow aims to boost its product off erings for collation shrink packaging, stretch fi lm, liners and select food packaging. A combined , metric tons per year capacity between the two facilities will go a long way in supporting Dow’s Transform the Waste goal, which includes commercialization of million metric tons of circular and renewable solutions per year. “With Ardmore being their primary location, I see nothing but opportunity for the community as Circulus expands its operations,” says Anderson. “Being able to add the Dow name to the list of major employers in Ardmore also shows other industry leaders that there are good things happening in South Central Oklahoma.” roughout Ardmore’s history, its success has been dependent on leaders who are willing to take a chance on new technology and innovative ideas. is acceptance has carried on for generations, building upon existing industry and cultivating a knowledgeable workforce base. “We try to fi nd ways to get to ‘yes’ on every project we do, big or small. Our ultimate goal is to have an economically diverse and successful community,” says Anderson. “We know that only happens when our business and industry community are thriving.” This Site Selection Investment Profile was produced under the auspices of Ardmore Development Authority. For more information, visit www.ardmoredevelopment.com. S I T E S E L E C T I O N SEPTEMBER 2024 27 Ardmore is home to over 24,800 residents and centrally located about 90 miles between the Oklahoma City and Dallas, Texas metros. Photo courtesy of the Ardmore Development Authority28 SEPTEMBER 2024 S I T E S EL E C T I O N Based on Conway Projects Database qualifi ed corporate end-user facility projects and project-affi liated job creation and capital investment data between June , , and May , , Site Selection presents this year’s Canadian Competitiveness Awards (for provincial level accomplishment) and Canada’s Best Locations, honoring the top regional or metro economic development organizations and their constituent communities. Evaluated on a cumulative and per- capita basis and examined across regions and municipalities, the project data show us where companies are investing with the most frequency, the most capital and the most job creation. Clean energy is a strong theme, alongside electric vehicles. And those are inextricably tied to Canada’s longstanding natural resources riches. A report from Natural Resources Canada stated that as of May , there were major projects (including infrastructure as well as private-sector megaprojects) under construction or planned over the next years in Canada, with a combined potential capital value of $ billion (all dollars Canadian in this article unless otherwise noted), up by % vs. the -year total projected in . e proportion in the energy sector is % ( projects) and nearly half () are classifi ed as using clean technology, for a total of $ billion in potential investment, the report said. at represents an increase of clean-tech projects and a % increase in value to $. billion. CANAD A by ADAM BRUNS adam.bruns@siteselection.com Based on Conway Projects Database qualifi ed corporate end-user facility projects and there were major projects (including infrastructure as well as private-sector megaprojects) under construction S I T E S E L E C T I O N SEPTEMBER 2024 29 Canadian Competitiveness Award Invest Ontario/Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Michael Fedchyshyn, Interim CEO / Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade www. investontario.ca RECENT PROJECTS: Honda Motor Co. ($15 billion in Alliston and other yet-to-be-announced locations); Goodyear Canada ($575 million, 200 jobs, Napanee); Ford Motor Co. ($2.3 billion, Oakville and Windsor, where 150 new jobs will be created); Medline Canada (140 jobs, Guelph); Highlight Motor Freight ($184 million, 2,000 jobs, Bradford West Gwillimbury); Welcoming Goodyear Canada’s $575 million investment in Napanee in August, Ontario Premier Doug Ford called it “another signifi cant boost to Ontario’s growing electric vehicle sector, building on the billions of dollars that have been invested in the sector over the past four years. Across Ontario, we’re seeing major investments and new jobs created as we build out our end-to- end EV supply chain, connecting critical minerals in Northern Ontario to world-class manufacturing across the province. Companies are choosing Ontario because of our transportation infrastructure, our competitive business environment and our skilled workforce.” Qualifying projects tracked by Site Selection are creating more than 22,000 new jobs, taking high point total across all 13 provinces by total jobs and by jobs per capita for Ontario’s population of 14.7 million. Among the leading brag points for the province is one that holds true for Canada: “Ontario’s employers can save 51% on health-care-related costs on average compared to peers in the U.S.” The province also boasts more than 70,000 new STEM graduates per year and its percentage of working-age adults with a post- secondary education is higher than that of any OECD country at 74%. Invest Québec Bicha Ngo, President and CEO www.investquebec.com/international/en Recent Projects: Equinix (Montréal); Invenergy (Montréal); Microsoft (US$500 million); Northvolt ($7 billion, Saint-Basile-le-Grand); H55 (Longueuil) “At a time when Quebec is making major commitments to develop new clean energy generation capacity, this new regional hub will enable us to build on our track record in the province and be the partner of choice to meet Quebec’s ambitious energy goals,” said Louis Robert, vice president, Renewable Development, for Invenergy when the company opened a new o ce in Montréal in December 2023. Its Pohénégamook- Picard-Saint-Antonin-Wolastokuk (PPAW) Wind Energy Centre is in advanced stages of development and will generate up to 350 megawatts (MW) in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region in Quebec upon completion. The province’s digital infrastructure is getting a boost from Microsoft’s investment in hyperscale cloud computing and AI infrastructure. The company says its investments will “reinforce the province’s robust innovation economy” and increase the size of Microsoft’s local cloud infrastructure footprint by 750% across Canada. Aerospace infrastructure is a leading light as well: In May, Switzerland-based electric aviation technologies company H55 announced the intention of the Government of Québec to invest in equity in the company, saying the decision “would be in line with Government’s plans to establish a new innovation zone, Espace Aéro, focusing on the aerospace industry” and clean aviation in Longueuil. Invest Québec helped the province attract 7,333 new jobs and $13.1 billion in investment during the time period examined for this exercise. New services include support for companies with labor recruitment; support for companies in fi nding local suppliers or attracting them from abroad to set up in Québec; and concierge service to support the successful completion of large-scale greenfi eld projects in the battery industry. IQ also is now o ering a site selection service to Québec companies wishing to set up abroad. Saskatchewan Trade & Invest Jeremy Harrison, Trade and Export Development Minister investsk.ca Recent Projects: Jansen ($7.5 billion, Leroy); FCL ($2 billion, Regina); Saskatchewan’s share of Canada’s major projects listed by Natural Resources Canada comes to 24 projects worth $20 billion, led by the Jansen potash project, FCL’s renewable diesel plant in Regina and a uranium project from NexGen Energy called Rook I. The province in May announced its exports had surpassed $100 billion over 2022-2023, a 52.2% increase over the previous two years, led by increases in uranium, potash and crude oil as well as wheat, canola oil and lentils. “Statistics Canada’s latest GDP numbers show Saskatchewan’s 2023 real GDP reached an all-time high of $77.9 billion, increasing by $1.2 billion,” the government said, placing the province second in the nation in real GDP growth. In 2023, capital investment in Saskatchewan totaled $17.1 billion, a 25.9% increase from $13.6 billion in 2022. In 2024, capital investment in Saskatchewan is expected to be at $19.6 billion. Private capital investment is projected to reach $14.2 billion in 2024, says Statistics Canada, an increase of 14.4% over 2023 and the highest anticipated percentage increase in Canada. t Locati32 SEPTEMBER 2024 S I T E S EL E C T I O N Canada’s Best Locations ONTARIO Invest Brampton Denise McClure, Interim Director of Economic Development and International Relations investbrampton.ca Recent Projects: Stellantis, MDA Space, Magna International, Axium Packaging Inc, Handi Foods, Lululemon, Alectra The 2023 Annual Report of the City of Brampton’s Economic Development O ce released in April cited record-breaking business growth, including $2.3 billion in total construction value and over 5.36 million sq. ft. of approved industrial, commercial and institutional development applications. Momentum continues in such locations as the Brampton Innovation District and the BHive international business incubator. With Toronto Metropolitan University’s new medical school on the way, the city also has launched a MedTech Task Force with the goal to advance medical innovation in Brampton. “We are going to continue this growth by cutting red tape, keeping taxes low, investing in our infrastructure and providing support and resources to our business community,” said City of Brampton Regional Councillor Gurpartap Singh Toor, chair of Economic Development. Advantage Brantford Joe Muto, Acting Director, Economic Development, Tourism and Cultural Initiatives advantagebrantford.ca Recent Projects: Numesh; Tenaxx Logistics; IKO Industries; Mitsui Hi-Tech; Barry Callebaut A total of $113 million invested and 337 new jobs helped drive the economy in this community of just under 105,000 people. Among its supportive actions was the launch of the BuildBrantford.ca website to help streamline development and building projects. In 2023, annual building permit values in Brantford set another new record and exceeded $550 million for the fi rst time. “Industrial builds were a standout in 2023 with construction values estimated at $196 million for 43 projects,” the city announced. “This represented a three-fold increase in the value of work over 2022.” The city has begun the engagement process for a new City of Brantford vision, “Brantford 2050: Mapping Our Path Forward Together.” Invest Durham Simon Gill, Director, Economic Development and Tourism www.durham.ca/en/economic-development Recent Projects: Ontario Power Generation (corporate HQ, Oshawa); H&M (Ajax); Lactalis Canada (Oshawa); Wonderbrands (Pickering); Martin Brower (Oshawa) Durham Region is made up of eight municipalities, including the cities of Oshawa and Pickering; the towns of Ajax and Whitby; the municipality of Clarington; and the townships of Brock, Scugog and Uxbridge. The region saw $250 million and 3,000 jobs land in Oshawa alone, thanks to the work of the city’s business and economic development services team, which reported total building permit activity of $639 million in 2023, its second highest total construction value on record, with industrial permits shattering the previous record by reaching “more than $128 million in job-producing industrial building permit values,” the city said. The 2023 economic development and tourism annual report from Invest Durham noted Durham Region’s population grew 9.3% between 2018 and 2023 to reach 750,000 and is forecast to grow to 1.3 million by 2051. Among the region’s highlights is Project Arrow, the all-Canadian electric concept car, built at Ontario Tech University. Meanwhile, Durham College’s new facilities include an EV training center. Invest Halton Christine Carrington, Economic Development Program Manager www.halton.ca/For-Business/ Invest-Halton Recent Projects: Dana Canada (Oakville); Olymel (Oakville); Musket Equipment Leasing (Burlington); Kioti Contracting (Milton); Conestoga Cold Storage (Halton Hills); Snuggle Bugz (Oakville) Halton Region welcomed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in April to highlight measures focused on building homes on public lands. “Halton Region is one of the fastest growing communities in the country and creating more housing options is a top priority,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. Halton’s 2023 economic review noted 3,300 new jobs created, total building permit construction value of $2.8 billion approved for development and 2.4 million sq. ft. of industrial development with building permits issued. Prominent in Halton Region’s profi le are the economic development accomplishments of Oakville and Burlington. Rebeka Diec Stormes, director of Invest Oakville, reports that fi lm and TV production is taking o in the municipality and industrial development activity recently reached a record high of over 2 million sq. ft. of total development and $175 million in construction value.34 SEPTEMBER 2024 S I T E S EL E C T I O N Invest Hamilton Norm Schleehahn, Director, Economic Development www.investinhamilton.ca Recent Projects: Sierra Supply Chain Services; Taylor Steel, Aldershot Greenhouses; Grupo Bimbo; Stryker The area of just over 615,200 people welcomed 312 new jobs and $278 million of capital investment from growing companies during the examined time period, with the city boasting a new record of $2.5 billion in building permit value in 2023. Invest in Hamilton launched a new workforce strategy and a goods movement strategy focused on leveraging the city’s multi- modal assets. The agency and allies such as McMaster University sent international delegations to the UK, South Korea, Brazil and Mexico, as well as life sciences events in Boston and Philadelphia. Invest Hamilton/ Niagara, a collaborative e ort between the City of Hamilton and the Region of Niagara, continued to advance FDI opportunities. London Economic Development Corporation Kapil Lakhotia, President & CEO ledc.com Recent Projects: Anvo Laboratories; Labatt Breweries; Nestle Canada; Medicom Group; Motif Labs; ADJ Aero This metro of nearly 567,000 people welcomed 1,609 new jobs and nearly $250 million of corporate project investment between June 2023 and May 2024. Employment prospect reports prepared by LEDC sta project that close to 40,000 employees will be needed to address growth, change and retirements in London’s key sectors of IT, health, advanced manufacturing (including food processing) and construction between 2023 and 2031. The city’s booming tourism economy included the 2024 Ontario Summer Games. A $7 billion EV battery plant from Volkswagen-backed PowerCo in St. Thomas, just to the south, already has driven a number of supplier prospects into the pipeline in London. Meanwhile, companies continue to land in Western Research Parks’ two campuses in London, where they employ more than 730 people. The Conference Board of Canada reported that the London region had the biggest gross domestic product growth in the country last year at 3.2%. Invest Mississauga Christina Kakafl ikas, Director of Economic Development investmississauga.ca Recent Projects: AstraZeneca Canada; Candoo Pharmatech; Soti; Mimecast North America; Unirope This thriving economic center for Ontario and all of Canada welcomed 1,770 new jobs to the region. Among its newest initiatives is SpinUp, the region’s fi rst venture incubator and wet lab for early-stage life sciences companies, which joins IDEA Mississauga & IDEA Square One entrepreneurship hub, a co-working space that supports entrepreneurs grow, scale and commercialize ideas and businesses. Technology Councils of North America and Canada’s Tech Network released a report naming Mississauga the most attractive Canadian city for tech talent with the largest in-migration for top tech talent of 1,900 workers. The city has developed a Community Improvement Plan that helps transform a former industrial area along the waterfront into a 20-acre innovation campus that supports more than 9,000 jobs in cleantech, life sciences and tech. Investment missions included participation in delegations to the Paris Air Show, Japan, Poland, Seoul and Sydney, and Mississauga itself hosted a delegation of 12 consuls general from EU nations. Toronto Global Stephen Lund, CEO torontoglobal.ca Recent Projects: Kainos; Cologix/CIM Group; Sanofi ; Amazon/MGM Studios; Globant; L&T Technology Services Counting the e orts of regions and municipalities within the overall Greater Toronto Area (GTA), around 140 projects landed in the region represented by Toronto Global. The organization’s 2023-2024 annual report stated that for three years in a row, over 40% of jobs created have landed in areas outside of the City of Toronto and over half of Fortune 500 companies now have a presence in the Toronto Region. Overall results in the report pointed to 2,647 direct new jobs created and $637 million in capital expenditure. Since the organization’s formation in 2017 the city has attracted more than 10,500 new jobs, with leading contributing regions led by Mississauga, Halton, York, Durham and Brampton. Information and communication technologies led the way by sector during the year, followed by business and industrial services, then life sciences and health care. Waterloo EDC Tony LaMantia, President & CEO waterlooedc.ca Recent Projects: BWXT Canada (Cambridge); Next >