In North Dakota, a new incentive has been passed for businesses designated as primary-sector companies that purchase computer and telecommunications equipment as integral components of their business.
      State officials have identified several industries as primary sector businesses, including banking, mutual funds, health and travel; energy production; food processing, including frozen food and corn fructose as well as bison meat production; manufacturing; outsourcing, including technical and Web-enabled customer support; shared services centers and software development.
      The new incentives may have been just the ticket for Unisys, which has a facility in Bismarck. Company officials announced in January, it will expand the current service center and add at least 100 jobs. The site currently employs 140 and with the new plans, could employ nearly 250 by year's end. The center currently handles expense reports and reimbursements. The quality of the workforce in the Bismarck area seems to have contributed to the expansion.
      "We are really blessed with the talents that are here in Bismarck and the whole state," notes Thomas McGlinn, a Unisys vice president. "We have been very fortunate to be able to recruit good people."
      Imation is planning to expand its Wahpeton production facility, which manufactures data storage components for Colorado-based DataPlay.
      The new 100,000-sq. ft. (92,900 sq.-m.) building is being built by the Wahpten Community Development Corp. and will be leased to Imation. Community officials estimate as many as 100 new jobs could be added through the expansion.
      "As the demand for capacity keeps growing and the volume we ship grows, we're looking at boosting capacity, " says Imation spokesperson Brad Allen. "We see Wahpten as being a key site for product manufacturing."