Quad Cities Region Trends Q2 2021

Key Takeaways

  • The Davenport, Iowa, location decision for Amazon’s expanding distribution network provides a major investment and employment opportunity for the region, not seen in decades. 
  • Recovery is cautious, as employers try to anticipate the impacts of the coronavirus variants, supply chain disruptions and labor force shortages.
  • Continued supply chain shortages and delays leave businesses resigned to accept what is available to them, rescheduling or delaying production and delivery as well as sometimes necessitating raising prices on goods or services.
  • Industry continues to be challenged by replacing career positions vacated by the aging workforce with candidates that have the necessary technical education skills (STEM).
  • Continuing workforce and productivity challenges have accelerated the exploration and utilization of Industry 4.0’s automation, interconnectivity, machine learning and real-time data within business operations.
  • Restaurants and the retail sector see more customers coming into their establishments, though still challenged with limited staffing to take full advantage of the increased traffic.  
  • Despite a national cautious recovery, businesses outside the region continue to plan for expansion and potential relocation as the Quad Cities Chamber's regional project volume continues to outpace last year’s request for information proposals.

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Julie Forsythe
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Julie Forsythe
Senior Vice President, Business & Economic Growth
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