Company officials are considering closing a Renton, Wash., plant, and that could create a chance for Wichita to gain some of its 757 operations. The same day that news was reported, Bank of America committed to moving 210 jobs from Atlanta to Wichita. In December, York International said it would close a plant in Elyria, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, and shift 400 jobs here. Several factors fuel the area's good fortune. Work-force quality is one.
Tax breaks are another.
The fact that Wichita already has large, national employers in town also helps. She tracks the local economy for Wichita State University. Those lower costs help the bottom line and guide business decisions. York is based in York, Penn. Wichita's labor force attracts interest for more than its low cost.