MAY 2004
COLORADO SPOTLIGHT
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Colorado
Is High On
High-Tech
Is High On
High-Tech
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or some high-tech, high-growth companies, attracting sufficient qualified employees requires locating near a critical population mass. That's what management of environmental monitoring equipment manufacturer In-Situ hopes to accomplish when it completes its move from Laramie, Wyo., to Fort Collins, Colo., in September. The journey is just 65 miles (105 km.) to the south, but for In-Situ, the short distance makes a big difference.
In-Situ, a 26-year-old maker of equipment that measures water quality, saw double-digit growth over the last several years, which also accelerated the need for highly educated employees. Laramie's population base (25,000) just couldn't supply the need when compared to Fort Collins, with approximately 120,000 residents.
"We were not able to match the growth of the company with the growth of our staff at the skill levels we need," says Bill Blythe, In-Situ's president and CEO. "Fort Collins is much larger and there's a good concentration of high-tech companies in the area. The decision was very simple for us. We needed to move to a place to attract and retain individuals to grow our business. The Northern Colorado area has tremendous benefits and the quality of life is excellent there. In the future, when we require a specific technical skill set and need to secure someone from another part of the country, this location will be a real benefit to us. Our company is about protection of the environment and obviously, having a good quality of life fits hand in hand with who we are and what we are about."
Blythe says the two-year search saw the company look at about five locations in the region before winnowing the choices to a greenfield site in Fort Collins. In-Situ is building a 33,000-sq.-ft. (3,065-sq.-m.) facility and will move 70 jobs there from Laramie. Blythe anticipates the company will grow to 150 employees within the next three to five years.
"I visited Colorado while I was in college and I decided 'When I get out of college, that's where I'm going to move,' " Owens recalls in an interview with Site Selection. "It's easier to get people to move to Colorado than it is to some states."
Owens shares his enthusiasm for the state by keeping active in economic development. He likes to mention that he has met more than 120 CEOs while governor.
Among the superlatives Owens cites is a study by the U.S. Dept. of Education that puts the state at No. 1 in terms of college degrees per 1,000 residents. He also likes to quote the American Electronics Association's Cyberstates 2003 report that ranks Colorado first nationwide in its ratio of high-tech workers to total private sector workers. In 2002, 98 of every 1,000 private sector workers in the state were employed by high-tech firms. Not to mention one can just breathe easier in the mountains. Just ask the American Lung Association, which ranks Colorado Springs and Greeley as among the nation's 20 metro areas with the least ozone air pollution.
But Colorado's recruitment efforts pivot around building on its technology base.
"Like most states, we are looking at higher-value industries such as biotechnology and additional technology companies within our space and satellite frameworks," Owens says.
The centerpiece to the state's bio effort is the $4.3-billion Fitzsimons project that is redeveloping the former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Aurora. The complex includes the Colorado Bioscience Park Aurora, slated to build out to 4 million sq. ft. (371,600 sq. m.) and a work force of 4,000 over the next two decades. The University of Colorado School of Medicine will relocate there.
"I signed legislation last year that will put a quarter of a billion in state funding at Fitzsimons over the next seven years," Owens says. "We are aggressively going after bio science firms due to our strong infrastructure."
Space and satellite technology are also important sectors. Many key laboratories, research facilities, government installations and companies give the state a sound space infrastructure. These include the U.S. Space Command, NORAD, Air Force Space Command and Northern Space Command.
"We build our nation's major launch vehicles here," Owens says. "Buckley Air Force Base, the newest base in the country, is next to the Denver airport. It was created three years ago in a time of downsizing. It has about 20 satellite radars. It's a huge sector with NSA (National Security Agency) and NRO (National Reconnaissance Office) and the contractors that support it."
Several economists in the region predict the state will have a net creation of jobs this year after losing ground the last two years. Owens agrees with their assessment.
"Colorado has such phenomenal success that in some ways the state got overbuilt prior to the recession," Owens says. "It's just like the stock market – it gets overbuilt and a slight downturn leads to a cooling off. But, we've been through it and we're clearly on track, as is the national economy."
Owens has been a frequent traveler on business recruitment trips during his tenure. Last August, he and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper went to Silicon Valley and met with more than 30 high-tech firms to pitch the advantages of locating in Colorado. As a result, one firm is considering bringing 400 jobs to the state.
"Most of these trips have long-term benefits rather than short-term benefits," Owens notes. "We go where our markets are. Canada is our largest trading partner. We've taken two trade missions to Mexico, including the largest from any state to Mexico City in the last 10 years when we took representatives of 120 businesses to meet with President Fox."
Owens pegs a handful of states as Colorado's chief competitors for corporate projects. He says, contrary to popular thinking, California, with its established infrastructure, remains competitive for high-tech firms. Other worthy opponents include Texas, Tennessee and Arizona.
"There are probably 10 to 15 states that are very competitive," he says. "On a niche basis, almost any state can be competitive at any time."
In-Situ, a 26-year-old maker of equipment that measures water quality, saw double-digit growth over the last several years, which also accelerated the need for highly educated employees. Laramie's population base (25,000) just couldn't supply the need when compared to Fort Collins, with approximately 120,000 residents.
"We were not able to match the growth of the company with the growth of our staff at the skill levels we need," says Bill Blythe, In-Situ's president and CEO. "Fort Collins is much larger and there's a good concentration of high-tech companies in the area. The decision was very simple for us. We needed to move to a place to attract and retain individuals to grow our business. The Northern Colorado area has tremendous benefits and the quality of life is excellent there. In the future, when we require a specific technical skill set and need to secure someone from another part of the country, this location will be a real benefit to us. Our company is about protection of the environment and obviously, having a good quality of life fits hand in hand with who we are and what we are about."
Blythe says the two-year search saw the company look at about five locations in the region before winnowing the choices to a greenfield site in Fort Collins. In-Situ is building a 33,000-sq.-ft. (3,065-sq.-m.) facility and will move 70 jobs there from Laramie. Blythe anticipates the company will grow to 150 employees within the next three to five years.
Just One Look During
College Sold Future Governor
"I visited Colorado while I was in college and I decided 'When I get out of college, that's where I'm going to move,' " Owens recalls in an interview with Site Selection. "It's easier to get people to move to Colorado than it is to some states."
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Owens shares his enthusiasm for the state by keeping active in economic development. He likes to mention that he has met more than 120 CEOs while governor.
Among the superlatives Owens cites is a study by the U.S. Dept. of Education that puts the state at No. 1 in terms of college degrees per 1,000 residents. He also likes to quote the American Electronics Association's Cyberstates 2003 report that ranks Colorado first nationwide in its ratio of high-tech workers to total private sector workers. In 2002, 98 of every 1,000 private sector workers in the state were employed by high-tech firms. Not to mention one can just breathe easier in the mountains. Just ask the American Lung Association, which ranks Colorado Springs and Greeley as among the nation's 20 metro areas with the least ozone air pollution.
But Colorado's recruitment efforts pivot around building on its technology base.
"Like most states, we are looking at higher-value industries such as biotechnology and additional technology companies within our space and satellite frameworks," Owens says.
The centerpiece to the state's bio effort is the $4.3-billion Fitzsimons project that is redeveloping the former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Aurora. The complex includes the Colorado Bioscience Park Aurora, slated to build out to 4 million sq. ft. (371,600 sq. m.) and a work force of 4,000 over the next two decades. The University of Colorado School of Medicine will relocate there.
"I signed legislation last year that will put a quarter of a billion in state funding at Fitzsimons over the next seven years," Owens says. "We are aggressively going after bio science firms due to our strong infrastructure."
Space and satellite technology are also important sectors. Many key laboratories, research facilities, government installations and companies give the state a sound space infrastructure. These include the U.S. Space Command, NORAD, Air Force Space Command and Northern Space Command.
"We build our nation's major launch vehicles here," Owens says. "Buckley Air Force Base, the newest base in the country, is next to the Denver airport. It was created three years ago in a time of downsizing. It has about 20 satellite radars. It's a huge sector with NSA (National Security Agency) and NRO (National Reconnaissance Office) and the contractors that support it."
Several economists in the region predict the state will have a net creation of jobs this year after losing ground the last two years. Owens agrees with their assessment.
"Colorado has such phenomenal success that in some ways the state got overbuilt prior to the recession," Owens says. "It's just like the stock market – it gets overbuilt and a slight downturn leads to a cooling off. But, we've been through it and we're clearly on track, as is the national economy."
Owens has been a frequent traveler on business recruitment trips during his tenure. Last August, he and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper went to Silicon Valley and met with more than 30 high-tech firms to pitch the advantages of locating in Colorado. As a result, one firm is considering bringing 400 jobs to the state.
"Most of these trips have long-term benefits rather than short-term benefits," Owens notes. "We go where our markets are. Canada is our largest trading partner. We've taken two trade missions to Mexico, including the largest from any state to Mexico City in the last 10 years when we took representatives of 120 businesses to meet with President Fox."
Owens pegs a handful of states as Colorado's chief competitors for corporate projects. He says, contrary to popular thinking, California, with its established infrastructure, remains competitive for high-tech firms. Other worthy opponents include Texas, Tennessee and Arizona.
"There are probably 10 to 15 states that are very competitive," he says. "On a niche basis, almost any state can be competitive at any time."