Spring isn’t quite here yet, so it’s a good time to catch up on more valuable reading! Industry Study: Nebraska Profit Opportunities for Manufacturers of Fabricated Metal Products Community Guide Lite: Holdrege, Nebraska Trend Studies: Gage County, Nebraska North Platte, Lincoln County, Nebraska

NPPD’s Economic Development team is excited to receive applications for the 2020 Site Ready Assistance Program. This program was developed because of the need for shovel-ready sites in rural Nebraska. Our hope is to minimize lost opportunities due to the need for market speed and risk reduction. Funds ranging from $6,000 to $25,000 were received […]

Genuine – inside and out. That’s where Matt Dennis and Michael Stepp’s story begins for their authentic copper mug business called HandleBend. People appreciated their genuine, handcrafted product and that first mug turned into a successful business.  As HandleBend grew, Dennis and Stepp needed room to grow their production and expand their product line. Looking […]

Southeast Community College recently celebrated its new Crete Carrier Diesel and Welding Center on its Milford campus with a grand opening and open house. “Today we are celebrating a new facility that will allow these outstanding faculty to train and inspire talented students in the finest diesel technology facility in the country,” said SCC President […]

In December, NPPD announced its new, “Featured Properties Program.” The purpose of the program is to identify high‐quality, shovel or move‐in ready properties (sites and buildings) for Economic Development staff to promote during marketing visits, tradeshows and other interactions with businesses seeking to expand and considering communities within NPPD’s service area. The “Featured Properties Program” […]

They might surprise you! A snapshot of industry clusters in non-metro Nebraska can help reveal the state’s strengths and where to focus our attention for potential future growth. The industry cluster analysis takes three factors into account: Average Wages, Location Quotients and Average Annual Employment Growth Rates. For this analysis, I used a 5-year historical […]

Nebraska’s annual labor and energy costs for the model food manufacturing plant are $68,379, or 2.1 percent less than the average annual labor and energy costs for the 15 alternative states considered in the study. Find out more in the newly updated Profit Opportunities for Food Manufacturing study. Industry Study – Nebraska Profit Opportunities for […]

There is comfort in consistency, and NPPD delivered once again on its mission to provide reliable, low-cost sustainable energy. The December board meeting brought the announcement that there would be no increase in base electric rates and a one-year bill credit for NPPD wholesale and retail customers in 2020. In addition, there will be no […]

As we look back on 2019, the year has brought Nebraska many challenges. Multiple “Polar Vortexes” brought bitter cold temperatures and record-breaking snowfall to some areas of the state. Once that snow began to melt, rivers swelled and some residents fled for higher ground. Despite these challenges, people across our great state reminded the rest […]