Kristen Barry – TPMA Sr. Project Consultant

Barry Hendrix – CEO of HBG Consulting

Make it in the Mid-Willamette Valley

Who We Are

• Thomas P. Miller and Associates + HBG Consulting• Established in 1989• Work in 30+ states, including several projects in Oregon• We align people, technology and initiatives to enhance

the economic value of communities, educational institutions, and companies.• Economic Development• Workforce Development• Research & Evaluation

Project Partners

MWVCOG

Study Focus

• Reexamine MWV region’s manufacturing sector

•Understand supply chain opportunities and barriers to local purchasing

•Open discussions to other barriers to growth for region’s manufacturers

Process

ProcessData Analysis

Sector OverviewTarget Industry AnalysisProfiles for Target Industries

ProcessIndustry Interviews

Structured interviews with 50 companiesLed by regional partnersExamined: inputs, goals, supply chain issues, reshoring

ProcessIndustry Focus Groups

4 focus groups, 6-8 companies each4 questions:• Barriers to growth/success• Barriers to local sourcing• Major workforce issues• Challenges they need help solving

Resulting Recommendations - The Big Three

Supply Industries for

Business Attraction

Improved and Increased

Services for Business

Retention/Expansion

Sector Partnerships for Workforce Pipeline Development and

Ongoing Needs

1 2 3

Key FindingsManufacturing employment is up: +6% since 2010

But down -900 jobs since 2003

Companies are smaller than beforeNumber of manufacturers has grown 5% since 2003,

even as total number of jobs has declined

Some are location-dependent, others could operate in many places

Wineries vs. metal manufacturing

Supply Industries for Business Attraction1

The region’s manufacturing base was well understood, generallyTPMA conducted independent target industry analysis and largely confirmed previous research

Key base industries for employment size, job growth, wages, LQ, & GRP:

Supply Industries for Business Attraction

Food and Beverage

Chemicals and Plastics

1

5432Some supply chain gaps

present industry attraction opportunitiesAnalyzed purchasing relationships, regional purchasing leakage, and employer input to identify industry purchasing gaps.

Key industries for business attraction include:

Supply Industries for Business Attraction

1Corrugated

Box Manufacturin

g

Machine Shops

Plastics Material &

Resin

Paperboard Mills

Freight Trucking,

Long-Distance

1

Companies want to source “local,” but that means:

Supply Industries for Business Attraction

Portland

Eugene

1

Biggest barriers to growth were not necessarily supply-related:

1. Access to capital2. Support services for technology & software3. Branding & marketing assistance4. Buying leverages5. Talent & workforce development

Improved and Increased Services for Business2

Improved and Increased Services for Business2

Access to Capital

• Host meetings with business leaders

• Explore potential funders• Facilitate introductions

between potential funders and manufacturers

• Explore establishing a nonprofit lending institution

Support Services for Technology

• Tech-support staff person for member organizations

• Seminars or webinars on topics such as:• Software solutions to improve

customer interaction• Data usage• Content management systems

guides

Improved and Increased Services for Business2

Branding + Marketing Assist.

•Host additional trade shows•Foster relationships between member organizations•Act as a convening body for influence holders in the area•Connect regional marketing and PR firms to manufacturers

Buying Leverages

•Foster trust among organizations •Serve as the convening body for building buying consortia or other joint purchasing arrangements

Improved and Increased Services for Business3

Talent + Workforce Needs

• Actively participate in sector partnership

• Help find employer champions

• Speak “on the same page” as a unified region

• Respond to industry’s policy needs

• Communicate resources. Share programs, services, and incentives available with local businesses

• Avoid duplication. Find ways to leverage relationships and refer companies to services in other jurisdictions, when possible

• Build company relationships. Work with community leaders to actively listen to changing business needs

• Collaborate. Across jurisdictional lines and with different kinds of organizations, to identify who is best positioned to address business needs

What’s Next – Council of Governments

Questions?

Thank you!