The park, situated in southeast Chillicothe near where U.S. Highways 65 and 36 intersect, now has seven (7) 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:

Wire Rope Corporation of America Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation Hudson Valley Polymers/Alfa Laval, Inc. Ergon A&E Cloverleaf Cold Storage GEAR for Sports Associated Packaging Technologies Find more Demographics here...

The first service to be energized was American Nail on August 29, 1990 (now Smurfit-Stone). Wire Rope was energized in February, 1995. Today, there are approximately 38 acres remaining. The seven (7) industries comprise a total of 576,500 square feet under roof and 516 employees. Approximately 100 trucks per day go in and out of the park (Bond Cold Storage uses about 70 of these each day). The Business Park also has six (6) tenants. 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.

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, vice president of economic development for FEC, for details at Farmer's Electric, 1-800-279-0496.

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 newest residents, Bond Cold Storage. The blast freezing 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 for Livingston County are restaurants, schools, hospitals, retail grocers, department stores, glove makers, the correctional center, residential care homes, Donaldson Company, and automobile dealers. Donaldson Company employs nearly 300 people. Hedrick Medical Center employs 261, MidWest Quality Glove employs 215, and Lambert Manufacturing employs 150 persons. Livingston County has enjoyed relatively low jobless rates for the last 10 years, hitting below the 4.5 percent mark for most of the decade.

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.

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