CEO Guide to Site Selection

#24

Kansas

CEO Rank on Best & Worst States for Business

ANIMAL HEALTH LEADS THE WAY IN THE SUNFLOWER STATE

Kansas continues to expand its economy with exciting new announcements in the key sectors of agriculture and manufacturing. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, which cut the ribbon on an innovation center in Topeka in July 2021, announced a $250 million facility to be created by 2025. The state’s Animal Health Corridor is now home to the singlelargest concentration of animal health interests in the world, with 300 companies researching veterinary pharmaceuticals and food for pets and livestock.

“My administration will continue rebuilding our economic development tools, fully funding our schools, investing in much-needed infrastructure projects and expanding high-speed Internet access to build on the qualities that make Kansas the best state to live and to do business.”
Laura Kelly
Governor

TAXES

0 %

top corporate income tax

# 0

on the Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate Index ranking

EDUCATION

0 %

of students graduated high school in 2019

0 %

of adults age 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

0 %

RIGHT TO WORK STATE

Yes

QUALITY OF LIFE

# 0

POPULATION GROWTH

0 %

increase between 2010 and 2020

KEY INCENTIVES

Workforce Development Assistance: Offsets training costs on new technology or production activities through the Kansas Industrial Retraining (KIR) and Kan sas Industrial Training (KIT) programs.

Promoting Employment Across Kansas (PEAK): Offers ability to retain 95% of payroll tax withholding for several years for qualified companies.

Machinery & Equipment Expensing Deduction and Property Tax Exemption: Offers an expense deduction for business machinery and equipment and a taxexemption for commercial and industrial machinery and equipment.

High Performance Incentive Program (HPIP): Offers a 10% corporate income tax credit on qualified capital investments for companies that pay above-average wages.

EDCs

Kansas Department of Commerce
kansascommerce.gov

Greater Topeka Partnership
topekapartnership.com

Greater Wichita Partnership
greaterwichitapartnership.org

HIGHLIGHTED PROGRAM OR INITIATIVE

CONNEX Kansas, a new program from Kansas Manufacturing Solutions and the Kansas Department of Commerce, aims to strengthen the state’s manufacturing supply chain. It offers an online manufacturing database and platform for Kansas manufacturers to connect, find local and domestic suppliers, manage the supply chain andexplore production capabilities.

BIG DEALS

  • Airxcel announced a $4 million investment and 365 new jobs in Wichita.
  • Kansas Dairy Ingredients announced in June 2021 a $45 million expansion and 40 new jobs in Hugoton.
  • Bev-Hub announced in June 2021 a $28 million investment and 37 new jobs in Manhattan.
  • Hill’s Pet Nutrition announced in June 2021 a $250 mil- lion factory that will create 80 jobs in Tonganoxie.
  • Brek Manufacturing Company announced in August 2021 a $4.5 million expansion in Wichita that will create 75 jobs over the next five years.
  • Sharpline Converting announced in September 2021 a
  • $4 million expansion and 15 new jobs in Wichita.
  • Berry Global Group announced in September 2021 a
  • $61 million expansion in Lawrence that will create 84 new jobs.

BIG COMPANIES

One Fortune 500 company headquartered in state:

  • Seaboard (Fortune 500 Headquarters)

Other large companies include:

  • Cerner
  • YRC Worldwide
  • General Motors
  • Cessna Aircraft
  • Learjet
  • Sprint
  • Lansing Trade Group