Industrial Development in Chillicothe

The park, situated in southeast Chillicothe near where U.S. Highways 65 and 36 intersect, now has eight (8) industries in addition to several government offices. Since purchasing 175 acres of undeveloped land in 1988, FEC Development has attracted businesses and industries to the CAIP that have created over 400 new jobs for area residents. Government offices include the Social Security Administration office and the USDA Service Center. Businesses include:

Associated Packaging Technologies
Cloverleaf/Farmers Produce Cold Storage
DeLaval Manufacturing
GEAR for Sports
Helena Chemical Warehouse Distribution
Midwest Quality Glove and Gear Warehouse Distribution
Vance Brothers
WireCo

Find more Demographics here...

Total development cost, including the purchase of land, was just over $6 million to date, with money coming from FEC, the City of Chillicothe, Livingston County, the State of Missouri, and the federal government. The total electric load today is equal to 1/3 of FEC's firm system load in 1994. Today, there are approximately 38 acres remaining. The eight (8) industries comprise a total of 872,500 square feet under roof and 500 employees when working at full strength. Approximately 100 trucks per day go in and out of the park.

Cloverleaf/Farmers Produce Cold Storage began a building expansion in November, 2009, to make it Chillicothe's largest industrial plant or factory. The plant is adding 50,000 square feet at the north end of its existing building. When completed, the plant will consist of 313,000 square feet.

The present cold storage plant began operation in July of 1999 as Bond Cold Storage. As of 2010, the plant employed 67 full-time employees, plus seasonal part-time employees. Bond Cold Storage was sold to Cloverleaf/Farmers Product in April, 2005. There are 35 trucks in and out of the FEC Industrial Park to the plant each day through the week. On average, they move 1.5 million pounds of frozen products per day.

WireCo (formerly Wire Rope) was energized in February, 1995, and consists of 283,000 square feet and is located in the industrial park.

Unique Items Made in the Park Include...

Asphalt and Emulsion
Suction Cup Inserts for Milking Machines
Plastic Trays for Frozen Dinners
High Carbon Wire
Apparel for Many College Campuses, Cruise Lines, Country Clubs
An Area to Get Instant Frost Bite (20 Degrees Below Zero)
Patented Gloves for Astronauts

Farmers Electric Cooperative formed FEC Development to find ways to improve the economy of the

cooperative's service territory. Any spec buildings have industrial capacity utilities and rail access. The land sells for $10,000 per acre. Contact Terry Rumery, economic developer for the City of Chillicothe at 660-646-1900.

The Business Park also has tenants, including Dollar General, Kille Kubota, the Social Security offices, Morton Buildings, Super 8 Motel, and the USDA Service Center that is also home to the offices of Soil Water Conservation, FSA, RD, NRCS field office, and the Green Hills RC&D.

Potential employers find the industrial park enticing because, in part, the area is designated as a Foreign Trade Zone, and it is an enterprise zone which allows for certain tax incentives. The industrial park was established to provide jobs in the Chillicothe and surrounding area. City leaders to local bank officials and those with their sights set on the future help make the industrial park a success. According to Rumery, "It has been a collaborative arrangement that has certain been a benefit for the community." Growth in the industrial park offers more job opportunities for the local employment base which is increasing in the number of full-time farmers seeking supplemental income away from the farm.

Help comes from the city of Chillicothe which filed for grants to fund infrastructure development and from the Green Hills Regional Planning Commission which assisted with various grant applications, including a state grant to extend rail service to one of the park's residents, Cloverleaf Cold Storage. The blast freezing Rail Service (8780 bytes)

company is already seeing growth and is enlarging its facility with 100,000 square feet of freezer space. The rail spur, funded largely through the grant money, was also made possible with assistance from the Chillicothe Development Corporation and the city of Chillicothe.

Since its formation in 1955, Chillicothe Development Corporation has been active through many aspects of economic development and has played major roles in recruiting, land acquisition, and financing, as well as location and/or expansion of several companies. The corporation's efforts are to promote and assist the growth and development of area business concerns, to assist existing businesses and industry to expand, and recruit and develop new business and industry. Its goals are also to develop and implement a plan for economic development and to promote more jobs for the area. In helping to accomplish these goals, CIDC organized the CEO Roundtable, which is comprised of a group of chief executive officers of businesses employing 25 people or more. The Roundtable meets at least twice a year, or more often if a need arises.

CDC's income is generated through the lease of a building the corporation owns and maintains, partial ownership of Livingston Manor, and Livingston County economic development funds. CDC works closely with FEC Development, Inc., the area Chamber of Commerce, Chillicothe Municipal Utilities, Missouri Public Service, Southwestern Bell Telephone, Green Hills Regional Planning Commission, Northwest Power, the Small Business Development Center, and the Department of Economic Development. For more information on the Board of Directors, current and past projects, and success stories of CDC, visit their web site.

In addition to the industrial park, and aside from the total government employees, there are many other major employers in the Chillicothe area. Top employers of Livingston County include restaurants, schools, hospitals, retail grocers, department stores, glove makers, correctional center, residential care homes, and automobile dealers. Donaldson Company in southeast Chillicothe (which manufactures air filters for caterpillar trucks and other big trucks and consists of 260,000 square feet) employs nearly 300 people. Hedrick Medical Center employs 261, and Midwest Quality Glove and Gear employs 215. A few of the other employers in Chillicothe area Roberts Tool and Die, Dickerson Tool and Die, John Graves Menu Maker, Hy-Vee Food Stores, Wal-Mart, and Pepsi's distribution warehouse.

The construction projects taking place throughout Chillicothe are clear signs that Chillicothe is building for the future. The service industry and manufacturing jobs are also growing, with manufacturing jobs accounting for about 17 percent of the work force in 1999, while non-manufacturing jobs comprised 66 percent of the work force.

Quality of life and quality of schools play significant roles in deciding whether individuals or families choose to move to a community or decide to remain in their hometowns. While many communities in north Missouri have experienced business declines over the last few years, Chillicothe has held strong to the concept that anything is possible with the team effort of goal-oriented people priding themselves in the place they call home.

Eligible "Enhanced Business Enterprises"
By NAICS Code:
All businesses excluding those listed by Statute.(listed below)

* All gambling (7132), retail establishments (44-45), educational services (61), religious organizations (8131), public administration (92) and eating and drinking establishments (722) are not eligible.

By Section 135.950(7)(b) of the RSMo:
An international, national, regional or state headquarters of a revenue producing business or enterprise. Allows service industries to be eligible only if a majority of its annual revenues will be derived from services provided out of state.