Plant Location Decision

Starting a business in Laredo, Texas

Laredo, Texas, is an ideal place for any business, whether small or big, for a company or an entrepreneur to thrive. There are several reasons for this, including but not limited to the fact that it was ranked 15th in the 2017 list of Best Large Cities to Start a Business and 4th in the Lone Star State. The city ranked 12th in the Access to Resources rank and the number 1 city that is ideal for Hispanic entrepreneurs in the US (CNBC, 2018).

Located in South Texas and on the Northern side of the Rio Grande River, Laredo was founded in 1755. The city grew from a simple villa to one of the largest US-Mexican border inland ports. Because of its proximity to Mexico, the workforce is largely bilingual and focuses on healthcare, education, utilities, transportation, and trade (Caminiti, 2017).

More than $283billion worth of goods passes through the port. In 2016, the port handled more than 50 percent of the US-Mexico trade. The high volume of trade that goes on in Laredo makes it the leading city in vehicle parts export from the US to the rest of the world. This means there is a lot of room for any entrepreneur who wants to get started to do so (Caminiti, 2017).

The cost of living in Laredo is 8 percent lower than the average US rate. The price of homes, although rising steadily, still remains affordable. The city has a population of approximately 236,000 people with an unemployment rate of only 4.6%. The per capita income of Laredo is $16,673, while the median cost of housing is $179,945 (Caminiti, 2017).

At the state level, small businesses get assistance from the Texas Enterprise Fund in the form of incentives tied to capital investment and job creation in the area. Additionally, the Laredo Community College, Texas A&M University, and the Texas A&M International University are also located in the city. Other infrastructures in the city include the Interstate highway, the Laredo International Airport, The Union Pacific Railroad, and two Foreign Trade Zones (Texas Economic Development Corporation, 2019).

References

Caminiti, S (2017). The top 15 cities in America to start a business in 2017. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/21/the-top-15-cities-in-us-to-start-a-business-in-2017.html

CNBC (2018). These are the 10 best big cities for starting a business in the US. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/04/wallethub-survey-best-big-cities-to-start-a-business-in-america.html

Texas Economic Development Corporation (2019). Laredo Area. https://businessintexas.com/texas-regions/south-texas/laredo-area

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[u06d1] Unit 6 Discussion 1 Plant Location Decision

Review the information on “Location Analysis” beginning on page 344 of your textbook. Determine the best city in the state you live in, your home state, or a state of your choice for locating your business.

Plant Location Decision

Be sure to analyze your location based upon all of the factors presented in the textbook and post your explanation in this discussion.

Your initial post should be approximately 300–400 words.

Revisit the Courseroom after your initial post and respond to at least two other learners’ posts.

Resources

UNDERGRADUATE DISCUSSION PARTICIPATION SCORING GUIDE

Due Date: weekly
Percentage of Course Grade: 24%.