Business Mecca continued
Graco Baby Products, Amerock, Rubbermaid, Lenox:413,092
square feet, 101 employees. Function: distribution center.
proximity to areas in California and the Southwest that have a high
demand for solar products.
California consumes the second highest amount of energy in
the country and imports electricity from other states more than
any other in the United States. As a result, the state set its renewable portfolio standard for sustainable energy to 20 percent for
this year, a figure which will grow to at least 30 percent by 2020.
Business Expansions
All types of businesses can find a home in the region. Victor
Valley communities encourage and support business development
and responsible growth. Each major community in Victor Valley
has an economic development department staffed with experienced professionals, a testament to the area’s dedication to supporting regional business. The region has also streamlined the
development process, particularly with the North Apple Valley
Industrial Specific Plan (NAVISP). The plan reduces the permit
process from 120 days to only 45 days after the submission of a
completed application. A certified environmental impact report
eliminates the CEQA review requirement. The NAVISP is home to
one of only three State of California Certified Sites.
Besides Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group, many other businesses
have recently relocated to or expanded in the Victor Valley. Plasti-
pak Packaging Inc., a bottling company that supplies to the Dr.
Pepper/Snapple Group, constructed a 296,490-square-foot,
LEED Gold certified facility in Victorville, creating 70 jobs and
investing $36 million in capital improvements. Newell Rubbermaid
built a 407,000-square-foot building and created 150 jobs in the
region. The facility supports its Sharpie pen and Rolodex product
lines. The region continues to actively target industries to invest in
the area, including logistics and distribution, infrastructure devel-
opment, food processing, medical devices, and renewable energy
focusing on solar panel manufacturing and assembly.
Quality of Life
While the Victor Valley provides an excellent place to work, it’s
also a great place to play. Residents have easy access to local leisure
and cultural activities. Institutions include four movie theaters, skiing,
boating, the Competitive Edge Motocross Park, and the High Desert
Mavericks Baseball Stadium. There are also numerous parks and
recreational facilities in each incorporated city, and many schools to
serve the region’s children. Residents are only 100 miles from Los
Angeles and 200 miles from Las Vegas. Now employers are learning
that although most residents commute outside the region to work, at
least one third would prefer to work close to home, offering an available and trained work force right in Victor Valley.
Americold (ConAgra Foods): 350,000 square feet, 90 employees.
Function: logistics of packaged foods.
Victor Valley Economic Development Authority
(800) 747-5840
info@victorvalleyca.com
www.victorvalleyca.com
