Where to set up your business? Which state activity best fit your business? Who are the main Aerospace & Defense players on each states? Who to contact if you need more information?
AerospaceExport would like to bring you all the main information that you need to know by asking this questions to the state representatives and allowing you to connect with them if you need it. This interview will focus on the state of North Dakota.
Table of Contents
Information on the state:
Nebraska is a state that lies in both the Great Plains and the Midwestern United States. The state is bordered by South Dakota to the north, Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River, Kansas to the south, Colorado to the southwest and Wyoming to the west. Nebraska’s area is just over 77,220 sq mi (200,000 km2) with almost 1.9 million people. Its state capital is Lincoln, and its largest city is Omaha, which is on the Missouri River.
Nebraska is composed of two major land regions: the Dissected Till Plains and the Great Plains. The Dissected Till Plains is a region of gently rolling hills and contains the state’s largest cities, Omaha and Lincoln. The Great Plains occupy most of western Nebraska, characterized by treeless prairie, suitable for cattle-grazing. The state has a large agriculture sector and is a major producer of beef, pork, corn and soybeans. There are two major climatic zones: the eastern half of the state has a humid continental climate , with a unique warmer subtype considered “warm-temperate” near the southern plains like in Kansas and Oklahoma which have a predominantly humid subtropicalclimate. The western half has a primarily semi-arid climate.
What about the Aerospace & Defense opportunities in Nebraska?
We asked our questions to Daniel Jackson in charge of the development of the Aerospace & Defense industry in the state.
Daniel’s Bio:
Daniel Jackson joined the Department of Economic Development – International Trade & Investment Office in February 2016. Prior to joining the department, he worked as a consultant in the non-profit sector, managing international projects for a number of educational institutions and charitable organizations. In this capacity, he traveled to Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Rwanda, collaborating with universities, other non-profits, private businesses, and government agencies. He worked closely with Chinese government and university officials visiting the United States and presented foreign policy papers at two academic conferences. He also worked in business management for a Harvard Medical School biotech operating in Europe and Japan, seeing that company’s growth from three employees to over 15 in a two-year period.
What is your current position and what do you do for your state?
International Business Manager – I am responsible for FDI attraction into Nebraska for certain key markets. I work closely with local stakeholders and international businesses to promote Nebraska as a location for investment and so that companies have a successful landing. I also oversee our trade office in Japan, Nebraska Center Japan, which works closely with Nebraska-based companies doing business in the Japanese market.
How your state can help foreign companies willing to develop their activities on the Aerospace & Defense industry?
Nebraska has a competitive incentives program known as Nebraska Advantage. There are a number of tiers depending on the dollar amount of investment and number of new employees. There are also grants for job training, research & development, etc. The Nebraska Department of Economic Development will provide hands-on assistance in working through these investments and the site selection process. Nebraska has a highly skilled quality labor force. For international companies, we offer an “International Transition Team” of local service providers who will provide advisement—as needed—at no cost.
What are the main Aerospace counties or association that you would advise foreign companies to connect with, in your state?
Bellevue, Nebraska is the location of Offutt Air Force Base and USSTRATCOM. The Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce has done good work outlining the potential for a defense industry centered around these facilities. Please see the attached white paper.
Could you give us an estimation on the average salary for a technical worker, electronic engineer, mechanical engineer and software engineer in your state?
The average annual pay for a software engineer in the state would be between $60,000 and $70,000, and may be higher in Lincoln and Omaha. Cost of living is also relatively low when compared to other population centers.
Could you give us an overview of your state Aerospace & Defense clusters? Main clusters location? Main Aerospace & Defense companies?
We have not had a concentration of aerospace and defense companies, although we see the potential. In May 2017, Kawasaki Heavy Industries open its first aerospace division in North America at their Lincoln plant. They have started by manufacturing cargo doors for the Boeing 777-x project. With success, we anticipate that they may begin producing other aerospace parts and that we can grow this industry.
Could we have some more information on the State taxe system for Aerospace companies? Any governmental incentive program?
The Nebraska Advantage Acts is designed to provide businesses with a meaningful incentives package to reduce their taxes on income, sales, withholding and personal property for up to 10 years. Nebraska Advantage package benefits include:
- Investment credits
- Wage credits
- Sales tax refund
- Customized job training
- State and local sales tax exemptions for purchases of manufacturing machinery, equipment and related services
- Research and development tax credits
- Microenterprise tax credits
- Inventory tax exemptions
Why your state would be particularly attractive for foreign companies compared to other states in the US?
Nebraska boasts a high-quality, highly skilled labor force with a strong work ethic, as well as a low cost of doing business, high quality of doing business, and easy access to key markets on both coasts.
For more information on the state opportunities visit:
http://opportunity.nebraska.gov/
Thank you Daniel,
****************
