Target Industries

for businesses

Aviation

Southern Illinois Airport (SIA) in Jackson County has several shovel-ready development sites, totaling 265 acres available for development and located within an Enterprise Zone with utilities on-site. Recruitment is underway for tenants in the aviation or automotive industry that would benefit from the airport’s infrastructure and the qualified workforce on the airport’s campus through the nationally recognized SIU Aviation Management and Automotive Technology programs.

SIA currently houses 20 businesses with over 345 employees on the field and is home to the Southern Illinois University’s Transportation and Education Center with nearly 1,000 aviation and automotive students enrolled. As home to several aviation related companies, including Crucial MRO (commercial maintenance and repair for large regional jets), Enhanced Aero (aircraft maintenance and repair), Code 1 Aviation (vintage military jet rehab), Air Methods (emergency medical transportation), runway THREE-SIX (the fastest growing aviation apparel + gear brand in the world), and Fixed Base Operator Flightline (fuel and ground service), these companies benefit from the strategic location at SIA from both a logistics and talent standpoint.

For more information about locating a business at the Southern Illinois Airport, click here:

https://www.siairport.com/developmental

Automotive

Located within the Southern Illinois Airport campus, SIU has the only automotive technology program in the state of Illinois and is one of only a select few in the country. SIU’s program is a three-time recipient of the Automotive Industry Planning Council’s Award of Excellence, which signifies the top automotive 9 program in the nation, and the only automotive technology program in the U.S. that is part of a major research university.

For automotive companies eyeing expansion, the Southern Illinois Airport has available sites within its Tech Park, which have the potential for synergy with the SIU Automotive Program’s skilled workforce.

For more information about locating a business at the Southern Illinois Airport, click here:

https://www.siairport.com/developmental

Agribusiness

Agriculture is an integral part of the Southern Illinois economy and additional branches of business related to farming, such as fermentation sciences, are emerging as growing industries in Jackson County as well.

Southern Illinois University is home to a multimillion-dollar interdisciplinary research and economic development hub for research on food, fermentation, and biotechnology called the Illinois Food, Entrepreneurship, Research, and Manufacturing (iFERM) Hub. The facility provides a state-of-the-art research and training suite for faculty, students, start-up companies, and private firms in the region. This facility is a perfect complement to the university’s Bachelor of Science degree program in fermentation science which prepares students for careers in fields such as alcoholic beverage and fermented food manufacturing. SIU’s fermentation sciences program is the only of its kind in the state and one of only a handful in the nation. This could be an invaluable resource for fermentation-related companies that are looking to expand or relocate. For more information about the iFERM hub, click here: https://fermentation.siu.edu/

Outdoor Recreation and Tourism

Jackson County is a hidden gem for outdoor adventures. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the Shawnee National Forest, outdoor enthusiasts can revel in hiking, camping, and water recreation opportunities in Jackson County. Jackson County also includes several local craft breweries and wineries which are part of the award-winning Shawnee Hills Wine Trail and include ample bed-and-breakfast lodging options. Jackson County is a great place for outdoors-related businesses and also attracts significant tourism for these opportunities. For more information about tourism in Jackson County, visit these websites:

https://southernillinoistourism.org/

https://southernmostillinois.com