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Illinois Manufacturing Hub

Perched at the top of Illinois, Rockford is ideally located to be the manufacturing hub of Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri and Indiana. With a major freight shipping system of Interstate highways, 40 common carriers, five railroads, eight airfreight services, bus and barge transportation, and the United Parcel Service air hub, Rockford is poised to capture its share of new businesses and regional expansion services. A likely relief valve for congested traffic at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, the Greater Rockford Airport, the nation’s 27th most active cargo airport, is situated to support the states surrounding Illinois with less hectic scheduling and delivery than is available elsewhere in the region.

Close enough to Chicago to offer an affordable alternative to Lake Michigan freight delivery, and just as close to the Mississippi River to take advantage of its barge traffic, Rockford stands ready to develop its transportation resources to encourage new business growth. Rockford’s downtown area recently joined the high technology forces with fiber-optic installations and maximum bandwidth connections to allow its businesses to communicate with the world.

Currently, more than 10,000 businesses operate in Rockford and surrounding Winnebago County. Manufacturing accounts for 30.3% of all jobs in Boone, Ogle and Winnebago counties. Already a world leader in producing machine tools and auto parts, Rockford is growing as an important center for aerospace components. Rockford’s workforce grows daily, with skilled, high-tech labor a valuable resource.

Rockford’s retail trade numbers close to 11,000 merchants, ranging from general merchandise and food stores to furniture, pharmaceutical and household appliance stores. A significant number of auto dealers and gasoline service stations are also located in the community. Early on, the center of commercial activity was State Street and its peripheral arteries. Today this major commercial center stretches for several miles with numerous shopping plazas and stores, lots of parking, and at least 33 great places for business lunches and dinners.

Several malls draw shoppers from miles around to take advantage of the diverse specialty shops and major department stores. CherryVale Mall hosts more than 115 stores, Machesney Park Mall has more than 80 stores, Colonial Village has 32 stores, and Edgebrook Mall has 35 specialty stores. Together these malls offer seven major department stores. Several craft stores dot the community, offering a variety of hand-made items for purchase or order. In Rockford, you can find the quaint, the unique, the distinctive, and the simple. A shoppers’ paradise just waiting for you.

Rockford’s diverse business climate is supported and reinforced by a partnering of groups interested in increasing, supporting, and retaining businesses in Rockford and the surrounding area. A “Blueprint for Rockford’s Future: 2005,” developed and implemented by the City of Rockford, serves as a guide to reach the goals set for growing business in Illinois’ second largest city. The Rockford Area Council of 100 serves as the regional economic development leadership organization for the Rockford area, offering advice and a diverse array of professional services for new or expanded investment in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson and Winnebago counties. The Rockford Area Chamber of Commerce promotes the Rockford area as a growing business and commercial region, offering a solid business climate and enhanced quality of life features, along with growing tourism possibilities. Major business assistance through Rockford Area Council of 100 includes financial incentives, worker training assistance, technology transfer programs, TIF districts, Winnebago County tax abatement, enterprise zones, gap financing, and a foreign trade zone.

Largest Employers
Company	Product/Service	Employees
Rockford Public School	Education	4,500
Daimler/Chrysler	Automobiles	3,350
Rockford Health System	Health Care	3,300
Hamiliton Sundstrand Corporation	Aircraft Components	2,900
Greenlee Textron - Textron Fastening Systems, Automotive Solutions - Textron Fastening Systems, Commercial	Precision Metal Components	2,500
Swedish american Health System	Health Care	2,500
United Parcel Service	Parcel Sorting Hub	2,000
OSF Saint Anthony Medical center	Health Care	1,800
County of Winnebago	Government	1,600
Woodward Governor	Govenors, Controls	1,300
Invensys Building Systems	Environmental Controls	1,200
Ingersoll Milling Machine Company	Machine Tools	1,150
Amerock Corporation	Cabinet, Furniture, Window, Hardware	1,000

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