JULY 2025 Volume 70 • Number 4 SITE SELECTION2 JULY 2025 SITE SELECTION THE MAGAZINE OF CORPORATE REAL ESTATE STRATEGY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 July 2025 110 SUSTAINABILITY RANKINGS Site Selection’s unique and far-reaching index has determined the top countries, U.S. states and U.S. metro areas for sustainability, ranking two Texas cities at the top of the U.S. metro list, Texas and California atop the state list and the U.S. as the global leader of sustainability. t COVER STORY t FEATURES 32 OFFSHORE WIND The global wind energy industry set new installation records in 2024 despite economic and policy challenges. 39 DATA CENTERS Michigan, Kansas and West Virginia pass new legislation capitalizing on the data center boom. 42 SPECIAL REPORT: INFLATION BUSTERS A detailed report presents the most cost-effective locations in the U.S. for manufacturing projects and corporate headquarters projects. 47 AEROSPACE Big developments in aerospace and defense are taking off in North America. 60 FOOD & BEVERAGE Chobani and Ferrero Group break ground on multiple sites at once. 64 WORKFORCE An adapted book excerpt explores how a college student was able to “hack college” to find a pathway to a fulfilling and unique career. 72 ADVANCED MANUFACTURING Findings and state rankings from the Hamilton Index of Advanced-Technology Performance are showcased, with particular attention to manufacturing. 76 SITE DEVELOPMENT The chair of the board of the Site Selectors Guild’s new REDI Sites certification program describes how it came to be. 80 RURAL ADVANTAGE The draw of small town living is becoming more attractive for big city dwellers looking for a lower cost of living and financial security. 84 SMART CITIES The 2025 IMD Smart City Index names Zurich No. 1 among three Swiss cities in the top 10. 86 AMERICA’S BEST COUNTIES Jurisdictions in Arizona and Texas top our annual look at leading U.S. counties by corporate project impact. 94 RESEARCH & SCIENCE PARKS Through partnerships, higher education institutions can be the engine for research, innovation and workforce development. 101 START-UPS & INNOVATION HUBS An index of indices produces a list of top global startup ecosystems, plus Alexis Elmore reports from the 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Congress. t AREA SPOTLIGHTS 116 LOUISIANA Billions in foreign investment are coming to Louisiana’s energy sector. 122 NEW JERSEY Sanofi makes Morristown the home of its $130 million U.S. headquarters. 139 ROCKY MOUNTAINS REGION Utah, Idaho and Wyoming are betting that nuclear energy will define the next era of industrial competitiveness. 140 WEST VIRGINIA Big-budget data center developers are keeping a watchful eye on West Virginia. 144 NEW YORK Upstate New York investments by GlobalFoundries and Micron will reinforce the national semiconductor manufacturing supply chain. 148 OKLAHOMA Aluminum, ammunition and a Dollar Tree distribution center were all drivers of 3,000 new jobs generated over three weeks in the Sooner State. 152 WISCONSIN Wisconsin flexes its business muscle beyond the bright lights of the NFL Draft. 154 I-20 CORRIDOR A small Texas town mounts a big effort in attracting and keeping industry. 156 MAINE The city of Limestone sees business revitalization at a retired military base. Cover design by Negin Momtaz SITE SELECTION JULY 2025 3 siteselection.com 6 IAMC INSIDER: A letter from the Chair, IAMC International Forum takeaways, new staff members and IAMC’s new social media spotlight — “I am IAMC.” FOLLOW US! ▼ INTERNATIONAL UPDATE Green steel production is thriving in Scandinavia. ▼ INVESTMENT PROFILES 35 TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY 58 PFLUGERVILLE, TEXAS 62 MARYLAND 68 COUNTRY OF GEORGIA 97 PENNSYLVANIA 108 SILICON RANCH, TENNESSEE 114 ASCENSION PARISH, LOUISIANA 142 NEW YORK CITY ▼ DEPARTMENTS 4 EDITOR’S VIEW: 158 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS INTELLIGENCE REPORT 127 TexasEDConnection The turning basin of the Houston Ship Channel, July 2024 Photo by Twice Media Productions courtesy of Port Houston CORRECTION DFOIDFODF4 JULY 2025 SITE SELECTION T he Site Selection team pays a lot of attention to all the data and analysis out there in order to direct your attention to the data, analysis and storytelling in here. at means continuous learning and new lessons every day. It’s the sort of “research investigative query” described in the exclusive excerpt from the new book “Hacking College: Why the Major Doesn’t Matter — and What Really Does” found in this issue’s workforce feature. As I made my way through that book, it occurred to me that what the authors were suggesting college students do was similar to what good journalism does: Combine your natural and unrelenting curiosity with proactive research and actual conversations to develop a personal pathway to your envisioned degree and career (in our case, it’s a pathway to a compelling and informative story). Central to that endeavor is talking to the right people. Correction: Listening to the right people. Across our spectrum of print and online news and our -year history, if there’s one thing we’ve learned it’s who to learn things from. Partners and contributors in this issue alone bring invaluable and exclusive insights to the th edition of the Site Selection Sustainability Rankings, Ron Starner’s topical “Infl ation Busters” report, Alexis Elmore’s reporting from the Global Entrepreneurship Congress for our annual Startup & Innovation Hubs rankings, and such topics as site development, research & science parks, smart cities, rural economic development and, as in every issue, Asia, thanks to our partners at Tractus. We steer exclusive insights into these pages and online so that our fi nal product is a compendium of location intelligence. On top of the proprietary data found in Site Selection’s Conway Projects Database and our status as the offi cial publication of the Industrial Asset Management Council, the braintrust in this issue includes such names as Switzerland’s IMD, Global Location Strategies, Measurabl, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, e Boyd Company, the Network of Academic Corporate Relations Offi cers, McGuireWoods, CSRHub, the Site Selectors Guild, the Association of University Research Parks, Keyser, Development Counsellors International and the Center for Active Design (Fitwel), among others. In short, it’s a long list. Which is just right for a publication that seeks to earn the sort of endorsement we received in June: “I love your magazine. It literally sits on my coff ee table right now,” wrote Nicole Bennett, executive managing director and Americas logistics & industrial lead at Cushman & Wakefi eld. “I truly do read it, rely on it for additional industry expertise and share segments of it with our leadership team and clients. PLEASE DO NOT STOP PRINTING this magazine. As someone who is on airplanes and traveling regularly, I often use your magazine and others to catch up on reading while in fl ight or on the run. I spend SO much time in front of a computer, I don’t want to read an entire magazine online. I look forward to reading your publication in actual page turns!” Turn this page to fi nd out what she’s talking about. Site Selection (ISSN: 1080-7799) (USPS ), May 2025, volume 70 number 4. Published six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November by Conway Data, Inc., 6625 The Corners Parkway, Suite 200, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 USA. Periodical postage paid at Peachtree Corners, Georgia, and additional mailing offices. Single issue: $20 plus shipping. Annual subscription: $95 in the United States; $135 to non U.S. addresses. PRINTED IN USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Site Selection, 6625 The Corners Parkway, Suite 200, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 USA. ©2025 CONWAY DATA, INC. Publisher/Director LAURA LYNE Executive Vice President RONALD J. STARNER Head of Publications & Editor in Chief ADAM BRUNS Editor Emeritus MARK AREND Managing Editor KELLY BARRAZA Associate Editor ALEXIS ELMORE Art Director NEGIN MOMTAZ Production Coordinator/Designer BOB GRAVLEE Lead Designers SEAN SCANTLAND RICHARD NENOFF Designer ASHLEIGH PORTER Data Services Manager KAREN MEDERNACH Senior Research Associate BRIAN ESPINOZA Research Associate McKENZIE WRIGHT GLOBAL SALES & MARKETING Vice President of Sales CHARLES FITZGIBBON Regional Director — Northeast U.S. MIKE GLENNON Regional Director — Midwest U.S. CATHY McFARLAND Regional Director — Southeast U.S. MARTA RUSSELL Regional Director — Western U.S. PAUL NEWMAN Director of Sales & Marketing for Custom Content U.S., Central & South America MARGARET ROSE EuropeBRENDAN DOHERTY, +44 7999 786752 Japan HIROKO MINATO, +81 50 8882 3456 Korea CHUL LEE, +82 2 466 5595 Sales Administrator CHRISTI STANSBERRY Sales Development Representative BRE ROGERS BUSINESS DEPARTMENT Chief Financial Officer DEBBIE PORTER Accounting Associate DAVIS WILSON CIRCULATION Circulation Manager JULIE CLARKE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY TEAM Director of Programming & Analytics DANIEL BOYER IT CoordinatorMARK BERTRAM Webmaster DANIEL MONAGHAN The publishers believe that the information contained in this publication is accurate. However, the in formation is not war ranted, and neither Conway Data, Inc., nor the Industrial Asset Management Council, assumes any liability or responsibility for actual, consequential or incidental damages re sulting from inaccurate or erroneous information. Site Selection incorporates Industrial Development. PHONE: (770) 446-6996 FAX: (770) 263-8825 TOLL FREE: (800) 554-5686 EMAIL: editor@conway.com WEB: www.siteselection.com EDITOR’S VIEW What Who You Know Knows6 JULY 2025 SITE SELECTION insider JULY 2025 Mark Your Calendar … BOARD OF DIRECTORS Fall 2024 - Fall 2025 Chair Cary Hutchings BNSF Railway Company Vice Chair Matt M. Boehlke Xcel Energy Secretary-Treasurer Jim P. Horigan Corning Inc. Past Chair Karen Shchuka Penske Transportation Solutions JamesChavez South Carolina Power Team Eric Nieukirk Caterpillar Connie Fricke Land O’Lakes Lindsay Friedman Prologis Robert Kontur Dave Quinn, CEcD Fairview Texas EDC Eric Zahniser Cresa Marcus Rose NFI Industries Jonathan Majors Graphic Packaging International Kristin Cahayla-Hoff man Lehigh Valley EDC IAMC President & CEO J. Tate Godfrey, CEcD Professional Development: IAMC’s Continued Focus on Professional and Personal Growth A s I round the third turn and head into the home stretch of my tenure as IAMC chair, I’m excited to share some details about one of our most meaningful initiatives yet: the launch of IAMC’s new Professional Development program. IAMC has always understood that professional excellence is deeply intertwined with personal growth and that providing our members with continuous development opportunities is essential, especially in today’s talent-driven environment. Since the association’s inception, we have maintained a dedicated focus on career progression by off ering high-quality professional development content, mentorship opportunities and focused peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. Now, we’re taking that commitment even further with the launch of the IAMC Expertise Accelerator™. e Expertise Accelerator™ is a formal, yet fl exible learning program designed to deliver educational curriculum tailored to members across all career stages, from early career to seasoned leadership. It’s the fi rst program of its kind focused exclusively on industrial real estate and built around IAMC’s fi ve Core Competencies: Leadership, Professional Knowledge, Asset Management, Transacting Real Estate and Creating Enterprise Value. e program features customized Skills Paths and a digital badging system to recognize milestones and achievements, furthering IAMC’s role as the leading partner in career-long professional development and advancement. As the nature of work continues to evolve, so will this program. Whether you’re earning a new certifi cation, navigating a career transition or becoming a more eff ective leader, the benefi ts will be clear, measurable and tailored to what matters most to you. We’ve already seen strong engagement from our next generation of leaders, and we believe this targeted, accessible training will help our members step into roles of increasing responsibility with confi dence. By making this strategic investment in our members’ growth, the Expertise Accelerator™ is not only shaping stronger professionals, but also building a more resilient, innovative and future-ready industry. Special thanks to our two newest IAMC team members, Charlene Manuel and Andrea “Andi” Rawl, for their leadership in building and supporting this program. anks also to our Professional Education Committee co- chairs Connie Fricke and Kevin Dollhopf; our Forum Program Delivery Committee co-chairs Jim Hazard and Joe Oliaro; and to IAMC Vice Chair Matt Boehlke, who serves as executive sponsor, for their thoughtful oversight and commitment. IAMC’s dedication to personal and professional development is more than a mission — it’s a movement. Come along, won’t you?! — Cary Hutchings LETTER FROM THE CHAIR FALL FORUM • OCTOBER 18–22, 2025 Indianapolis, Indiana www.iamc.org TO LEARN MORE, VISIT IAMC.ORG OR CALL IAMC STAFF AT 770.325.3461. Next >