Keeping a finger on the pulse of the Quad Cities business climate one visit at a time

Workers in hard hats give a friendly wave to the visitors as their tram glides by. The driver slows as the group approaches a towering aluminum rolling mill, the widest in the world. They peer intently as an aluminum slab slowly inches its way toward the burning glow of the mill’s belly, like a moth to the flame. Once heated, the thick slab is rolled thinner and thinner – “like it’s in a giant pasta maker,” the tour guide tells the group – before continuing along its journey. The 220-foot mill can produce aluminum plates in sizes not available from any of its competitors.

The stop is but one of many highlights as the tram zips through the 6 million square feet of factory floor space at Arconic Davenport Works. The brief glimpse gives the group insight into the production process for the 1-2 million pounds of aluminum products shipped every day by the world’s premiere aerospace supply plant. 

But today’s visit is more than simply learning fun facts about one of the Quad Cities area’s top 10 largest employers. According to the Chamber’s Chief Economic Development Officer Liz Tallman, it’s about creating connections.

“It’s so important for us to have our team out in the community building these kinds of relationships with our employers,” said Tallman.  “A lot of the work we do for economic development is behind the scenes. These visits allow us to get inside and see things from the company’s perspective so we can best understand what they may need.”

And with more than 2,500 employees and a local economic impact of more than $4 million per day, having a finger on the pulse of the industry giant’s concerns is crucial.  

Each year representatives from the Chamber’s Business Connections program visit companies in targeted sectors – Advanced Manufacturing, Logistics, Defense, Corporate Operations and Support Services and Ag Innovation.  This collaborative, proactive outreach and retention initiative helps us understand the growth and development needs facing our regional businesses.  

During the past fiscal year (July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019), the team visited 145 companies throughout Iowa and Illinois. Key takeaways from these visits include:
•    Our region’s low cost of doing business and cost of living are strengths along with customer and supplier access
•    Workforce continues to be an issue for area employers, both in availability of labor in the community to fill open jobs and the number of graduates coming through the educational pipeline
•    Companies are concerned about the business impact of tariffs, Illinois’ legalization of marijuana and the increase of the Illinois minimum wage

“Eighty percent of new jobs and capital investment in our community will come from existing businesses. We understand this fact, and work to support local companies, helping them expand and add new jobs and investment throughout the region,” said Michelle Lewis, Director of Regional Business Development for the Chamber.

To schedule a visit, contact Michelle Lewis: 563.823.2692 or [email protected].