Workforce data critical as Oklahoma town attracts solar cell plant
When the Belgian high-tech materials company Umicore decided to expand its germanium wafer production to the U.S., its search led it to three cities. Two were not surprises (Phoenix and Albuquerque), but one was off the beaten path in the tiny town of Quapaw, Oklahoma (pop. 966), near the Ottawa County seat of Miami (pop. 14,485). Umicore’s Opticals division has an existing plant in Quapaw, so it knew the cost of business would be low, but it needed proof that the surrounding region could provide the necessary workforce for the new plant.
Read the full case study (PDF): Oklahoma / Umicore Case Study
Update: EMSI made some preliminary economic impact estimates for the project, which are quoted in this article.
