Blog by Katie Greer, Director of Communications. Caterpillar is moving its headquarters from Chicago to Irving, and it’s not because they’re tired of the bitter winters. Texas has the strongest economic climate on the planet, low operating costs, a light regulatory touch – with a rapidly growing population that bodes extremely well for a full and skilled workforce.
Caterpillar’s global media and public affairs manager, Kate Kenny, told Dallas Morning News that Texas’ sizable workforce was one big benefit to moving their headquarters from Chicago to D-FW. Additionally, she said, “the Irving location provides global access to our employees, customers and dealers with close proximity to two major airports.”
Regional chambers of commerce, economic development teams and leaders at every level work together strategically to win these kinds of relocations. Texas has been named the Best State for Business by Chief Executive Magazine for an astounding 18 years in a row. We’ve won Site Selection’s Governor’s Cup for 10 years in a row. The trophy case is crowded… because the pro-business culture here is palpable – and remarkably bipartisan. Democrats and Republicans alike recognize that businesses are the backbone of the economy; they create jobs, generate tax revenue, and make serious investments in our communities. And that respect for businesses extends to employees and their families.
We have no income tax and a low cost of living, especially when compared to the likes of New York, California, and Illinois. We have a broad array of education opportunities – from community to technical colleges and Tier One Research Universities. In January we surpassed California and now offer the most public Tier One Research Universities in the U.S.
Photo by Luke Sharrett, Bloomberg, Getty Images As obnoxious as it is for any non-Texas to read: our list of offerings and number one rankings seem to grow by the day. And that’s not hyperbole because within days of Caterpillar announcing its big move, Texas became the state with the most Fortune 500 companies than anywhere else in the U.S. The two wins aren’t even connected. We have major players from every industry: Exxon Mobil, AT&T, Oracle and Tesla. Caterpillar only widens our lead.
The popular manufacturer of construction equipment has been around for nearly 100 years and has more than 500 locations around the globe. To everyone at Caterpillar, welcome to a warmer, more business-friendly state.
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