News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Medical supplies, food and beverage, and electric vehicles are among the industries that could see growth in the Upper Cumberland.
That according to Stephen Crook, the Vice President of Economic Development at Highlands Economic Partnership. Crook said that those industries align with the workforce located in the Upper Cumberland.
“There are some other sectors experiencing growth that are a little more heavy manufacturing materials, chemicals, to even paper mills that don’t necessarily align with our workforce abilities, with our wage goals, or with our capacity for site and building.”
Crook said that he attributes the growth as a by-product of a desire to “re-shore” that manufacturing to keep it in the United States. He said that overall, this desire to keep manufacturing in the states allows for job opportunities for industries that fit in the Upper Cumberland’s capabilities.
For example on the electric vehicle side, Crook said that we know there is a massive disruption going on in the automotive sector.
“So it’s important for the community that has a heavy automotive employment base to be prepared to support the growth and changes in the automotive industry,” Crook said. “And EV and renewable energies is a sector that’s going to see a lot of growth and we think we’d be a really good fit based on our experiences and our long-standing history of automotive production.”
Crook said while he can’t speak for other communities, they are made aware of these types of trends through requests for information from external partners such as the Tennessee Valley Authority, or site selection companies doing the searches themselves. He said that it is usually relationships and marketing activities that bring the leads to the community.
