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Home / Washington Business - November/December 2004 / Yakima County: Diversification is the Key to Competitiveness |
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Yakima County: Diversification is the Key to Competitiveness |
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Written On: November/December 2004 |
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Written By: by Shawn Sullivan |
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The Biles-Longmire wagon train came through Yakima Valley in 1853. It was the first wagon train to cross the Cascades north of the Columbia River. Eight years later, the F. Mortimer Thorp family settled in what is now known as Yakima. Thorp drove his cattle herd up from Klickitat County in October of 1860 and moved his family in February of 1861.
Yakima County was formed from Walla Walla County in 1865 and originally included what are now the counties of Kittitas and Benton. The region, with its sunny weather and abundant irrigation water, became a major player in the agricultural industry, and is currently one of the top agriculture producing counties in the country.
Yakima County has been around longer than Washington has been a state, but this county’s importance to our state’s economy is often overlooked. With a lower cost of doing business and an extremely competitive workforce, Yakima has been the best kept secret in Washington for several years. Recently, however, some of the biggest corporations in the world have taken notice. As a result, Yakima is considered by some to be the most diverse business community in the state.
“We are often concerned about the fact that when most people along the I-5 corridor talk about the ‘eastside’ they are talking about Bellevue and Kirkland. They forget that there are whole dimensions of businesses across the Cascade Mountains that are vital and vibrant in supplying goods and value to Washington’s ports,” says Gary Webster, president of the Greater Yakima County Chamber of Commerce. “Without those agricultural communities, those ports would not be as vital as they are today. I think that Yakima’s business community has always felt that we have been taken for granted.”
It is difficult to imagine the opportunities available in Yakima County that have gone unnoticed, but not everyone has overlooked this diamond in the rough. Corporations like Ace Hardware and Wal-Mart noticed how well Yakima fit into their needs and each have opened massive distribution centers that employ more than 1,200 workers. “We find in many cases that organizations that come into the county are amazed by the productivity that comes out of the workforce they employ,” Gary added. “When you combine the labor force and the general overall cost of doing business in Yakima County, it is a pretty positive situation for businesses.”
Yakima Is No Longer Purely Agricultural
Two decades ago, finding a business in Yakima County that had nothing to do with agriculture was almost impossible. To look again in 2004 the results would be, and are, astounding. The arrival of several major corporations in Yakima County within the last decade has produced over 10,000 jobs. These positions have been created by some surprising industries like health care, warehouse distribution and manufacturing. The largest of these being the health care industry, which provides almost 9,000 jobs by itself. Wal-Mart just opened a distribution center in April and created 600 permanent positions, and Seattle-based Adaptis projects hiring more than 150 new employees over the next two years in its Yakima location. It is safe to say that Yakima County is no longer small potatoes, and the secret is getting out. With new industries emerging and the agricultural industry booming again, Yakima is really starting to take shape.
Yakima County Development Association Makes Sure That Businesses Keep Pouring Into Yakima
The Yakima County Development Association (YCDA) was established in 1985 to improve the development of business in Yakima County. The YCDA is a well respected organization responsible for turning Yakima county’s business environment from primarily agricultural to a diverse and rounded business community. Companies like Wal-Mart, Ace Hardware, and Mid Columbia Forklift Inc. have provided hundreds of jobs for many years, while the health care industry has provided more than 9,000 jobs.
YCDA’s President, Dave McFadden, has been working to ease the costs of doing business for more than 13 years. Dave believes that the secret is out, and that Yakima County is growing at a steady pace. He explained the reasons for his beliefs by saying, “I think we are well positioned in terms of attitude and resources, whether it is labor force, buildings or sites where businesses can put their facilities into operation. We have a very good permitting system, and have done several out-of-the-box industrial planning activities. We have taken our key industrial sites through basic environmental reviews so that the sites are shovel ready.”
Yakima Valley Still Agricultural Giant
Some would think that the ever-increasing diversity of Yakima County is a sign that agriculture is slowing down, but they are wrong. The last decade has given rise to Washington’s agriculture industry, and it is currently the second largest industry next to aerospace. Leading the way in production is the apple industry, which yields approximately $1 billion annually.
The Yakima Valley is also home to an ever increasing wine industry, which has tripled in size over the past ten years. Yakima County provides 20 different varieties of wine and is one of the largest contributors to the state’s 30,000-acre industry. The increase in wine production has led to an increase in the number of wineries located across the county, almost 50 just in the valley alone, creating a major tourist attraction that brings thousands of people to Yakima County each summer.
The potato industry is also growing at a significant rate. Potato growers in Yakima County produce more potatoes per acre than any other potato growing region. While the total acreage used for potato production is significantly smaller than Idaho’s, Yakima growers produce more potatoes per acre.
Mid Columbia Forklift Leads the Way in Diversification
Mid Columbia Forklift began selling Clark forklifts to the agricultural industry in 1978. What started as a forklift dealer has turned into one of the most diverse sales operations in Yakima County. Mid Columbia Forklift now operates several stores within the Columbia Basin, southeast Washington and northeastern Oregon that provide sales and service for every type of equipment that lifts, racks or moves any type of product. Mid Columbia prides itself on its customer service and product value. With major manufacturers like Toyota supplying the equipment, it is no wonder that Mid Columbia is one of central Washington’s major suppliers of material handling equipment.
In order to be considered one of the best companies in the industry, one must have certain qualities not found in your competitors. Mid Columbia Forklift possesses several qualities not found in competing markets.
Terry and Duane Bollinger own and operate Mid Columbia Forklift. Their knowledge of the industry inspired the level of customer service that Mid Columbia demonstrates today.
“I think Terry and Duane’s background has been the impetus for our success in the agricultural market because we know and feel the pressure our customers do during harvest time,” says Phil Hanford, Mid Columbia’s vice president of sales. “We react to that pressure just as they do. We don’t try to staff up during the harvest, but we try to maintain the same crew throughout the year. That makes us a little heavy in the off-season, but it gives us a quality edge over our competition during harvest time.”
Mid Columbia Forklift also recognizes the importance of quality customer service on demand, something their out-of-state competition doesn’t often provide.
“Our competitors don’t have the feel for the industry or its needs like we do,” Terry observed. “Our technicians and sales people are available all year round, any time of day or night. Response time during the harvest is absolutely critical, and all of our customers are taken care of immediately and without hesitation.”
Workforce is “Best in Washington”
Employers throughout Yakima County agree that the local workforce is second to none. From Wal-Mart to Mid Columbia Forklift, managers and owners all stress that employees’ level of work and commitment are the main reasons behind their success. A low turnover rate and a competitive employee market will continue to be a driving factor in the County’s success and growth.
Vibrant Sense of History and Culture
The Yakima Valley is filled with museums, parks and historical landmarks that provide entertainment for tourists and residents alike. Yakima keeps its culture and history alive through special events held throughout the year and a collective effort to upkeep the numerous museums around the County. The largest museum is the Yakima County Museum, with over 62,000 square feet of historical exhibits. The museum houses many of the Yakima Valley’s historical relics, including a fully functional soda fountain used in the 1930s.
The County is also blessed with the lovely Yakima Area Arboretum, a living museum and botanical garden with trees and plants from around the world and a relaxing atmosphere. Recently, the arboretum added a pagoda to its already fascinating Japanese gardens.
Vintage transportation buffs will want to check out the Yakima Valley Trolleys, which run on the tracks of the former Yakima Valley Transportation Company (YVT) on the five miles between downtown Yakima and Selah to the north. Operated continuously since 1907, the YVT is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because it is the last authentic, all-original, turn-of-the-century interurban railroad in the United States.
With spectacular vistas of Mount Rainier; forested Cascade slopes; and striking, desert hillsides on its immediate perimeter, Yakima’s fertile valley will always be defined by its great natural beauty. No matter how much growth comes to this sun-kissed land, the valley is unlikely to lose its small town feel or its connection to the agricultural garden of delights that has long defined its unique character.
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