2011 Marked by Economic Growth

Springdale Economy Strong and Growing

Springdale's economy has turned the corner post-recession.

Springdale's economy has turned the corner post-recession. That's the message from the previous year. It's easy to overlook the progress made over the course of a year but 2011 was a good year for Springdale's economy. With new industry, expansions (completed and planned), retail and exciting ideas in the pipeline for 2012, things are looking up for the state's fourth-largest city.

Jobs
New jobs and increased sales tax revenue are basic barometers for any city's economic health. Springdale has seen its employment increase by more than 760 new jobs in the last 18 months. That increase is more than the majority of Northwest Arkansas cities during the same time period. Four employment sub-sectors - Leisure and Hospitality, Education and Health Services, Professional and Business Services and Transportation, Warehouse & Utilities - have shown gains. Three Springdale companies have added significant numbers of new jobs - Dixie-Southern Steel, Kawneer and AERT have added a combined total of 70 new jobs this year.

Sales Tax
Springdale's sales tax revenue is up more than 2 percent from a year ago. The city has seen its year-to-year sales tax revenues increase in six of the last seven months. Springdale has enjoyed two consecutive months with the highest percentage of increase in sales tax revenue over the previous year of any city in the region.

Dixie-Southern Steel

Expansion and Growth
Springdale successfully recruited out-of-state manufacturer Dixie-Southern Steel last year, placing the fabricator in the vacant Shiloh Steel facility on Hwy. 264 that had closed earlier in 2011. The company is ramping up its employment and anticipates as many as 50 employees within two years.

AERT relocated 30 jobs from Texas to its Springdale facility in 2011 as part of an expansion at its south plant. The Springdale-based company is a leader in wood composite technology and a pioneer in the use of recycled polyethylene plastic.

Good news continues to surface for NanoMech, the nanotechnology firm located in the Springdale Technology Park. A visit in 2011 by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner helped add an exclamation point to NanoMech's continued market success. Its TuffTek nano-coated drill components are a success while its nGlide lubricant additive has brass at GE and the United States Navy excited about its potential. The company's founder, Ajay Malshe, and CEO, Jim Phillips were named among the top 25 most influential leaders in nanotechnology in 2011.

The Chamber's Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E) in-plant visitation program, in coordination with the Northwest Council's emphasis, is paying dividends with multiple leads on potential manufacturing expansion plans that will be worked into early 2012. The Chamber's BR&E program gathers pertinent data about business trends while providing a forum for Chamber economic development professionals to explain available incentive programs. Eighty-five percent of those businesses interviewed believe 2012 will be as "good or better" than 2011.

2011 commercial expansions include ChemStation, a new corporate office for McDonald's, and a new maintenance facility for Arkansas & Missouri Railroad in downtown Springdale.

Northwest Medical Center is rapidly moving toward completion of its plans to construct a $11 million expansion of its emergency room complex that will also provide a new west entrance to the facility. Chandler Equipment Company recently completed a $1.8 million expansion to its facility on W. Sunset and AutoZone completed a $500,000 expansion to its S.Thompson location.

Springdale Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Retail
New retail made news in 2011 in Springdale along with more than 330 new business licenses issued. Casey's General Store entered the Northwest Arkansas market in 2011 with a location on the city's east side. The company, with 1,638 stores nationwide, is headquartered in Ankeny, Iowa.

Kum & Go, with a new venue at Backus/N. Thompson in 2011 and recent new construction on Elm Springs Road and Huntsville Avenue, will construct a new retail outlet on East Robinson at Hwy. 265.

Springdale Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram completed its extensive renovation in 2011 and has returned those national automotive brands to Springdale. Cross Church repurposed the region's first Hank's Fine Furniture building on S. Thompson for its new Compassion Center and Dollar General will spend nearly a million dollars for a new facility on W. Huntsville in the coming year.

Two new home building product businesses opened in Springdale in 2011 - Stock Building Supply and Encore Flooring & Building Products. Two craft/gift retail stores opened in 2011 with Whimsy Whoo opening on Springdale Avenue and Arty Crafty moving from the Northwest Arkansas Mall to S. Thompson. There have been 24 new restaurant starts in the last 18 months including La Fonda Restaurant in downtown Springdale and Westwood Burger & Grill on Huntsville Avenue. Braum's, with a $700,000 investment, renovated and updated its two Springdale locations this year. Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant is now open on West Sunset and Walgreens, with two existing locations, will be opening its third Springdale location on Carley Road in 2012.