Community spotlight: Clinton, Iowa  

Clinton, Iowa, was No. 1 in Site Selection magazine’s 2020 rankings for the most per capita industrial projects along the Mississippi River Valley Corridor. Clinton also won a statewide award for business retention and expansion after assisting six local businesses with their expansion projects from 2020 to 2021. The projects are valued at over $270 million.  

“Our number one priority is to accommodate our businesses’ needs regardless of their size,” said Erin M. Cole, president and CEO of the Clinton Regional Development Corporation. “In the Greater Clinton Region, each company is treated like a VIP. We go out of our way to leverage all local, state and federal resources for the benefit of our employers.”  

Surrounded by corn and soybeans, Clinton is located in easternmost Iowa along the Mississippi River. Just two hours west of Chicagoland, Clinton draws workers and investors from neighboring Illinois. Its prime Midwest location along four-lane U.S. Highway 30 is in close proximity to Interstate 80 and Interstate 88. The region is served by three Class I railroads, and wet and dry barge transportation is available on the Mississippi River.  

In November 2020, Japan’s Spiber Inc. chose Clinton for its first U.S. production facility through a partnership with agribusiness ADM. The biotech startup converts corn-based dextrose into next-generation biomaterials for use in apparel, car seats and other products. In addition to Spiber, Naeve Family Beef chose the Greater Clinton Region for its new meat processing facility. And a renewable energy company has plans to announce Clinton as the site for its first production facility. These companies join dozens of existing manufactures in the area. 

Community resources 
Two business parks currently have land available for new projects. The Lincolnway Industrial Rail and Air Park is an Iowa Certified Site with existing Union Pacific rail service. The Lyons Business and Technology Park is zoned for light industrial and commercial businesses. The rail park has over 350 acres available for development, and the technology park has an existing 18,000-plus square feet flex space building available for sale or lease. Both parks are outside of the 500-year floodplain. The quality of life is high, the cost of living is low! 

Workforce development and attraction 
More than 470,000 potential workers make up Clinton’s labor pool. All employers can utilize three unique talent attraction programs. The manufacturing awareness workforce development certificate prepares displaced workers and recent graduates for jobs in the manufacturing sector at no cost to the student. The Clinton County community student loan assistance program helps new residents pay off their student loan debt faster. And the home base Iowa program for military veterans offers job search assistance and up to $6,500 toward the purchase of a home in Clinton County.  

Incentives and economic development resources 
The CRDC is ready to welcome new employers to Clinton. Alliant Energy supports new projects and facilitates meetings for new businesses at the local, state and federal level.  

Want to learn more about Clinton’s business environment? 
Contact markseckman@alliantenergy.com, senior business attraction manager, or visit clintondevelopment.com.