Tucson is extremely military friendly and a hub for aerospace and defense industries. In fact, the region is home to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Fort Huachuca and the 162nd Fighter Wing of the Arizona National Guard.
After nearly a decade, Tucson’s industrial market is nearing where it was prior to the recession. This can be seen in the warehouse, distribution, manufacturing and aerospace and defense sectors especially.
Raytheon, which specializes in defense, civil government and cybersecurity, is currently expanding in Tucson, while Amazon recently announced its plans to open a facility at the Port of Tucson. The 850,000 square-foot-plus-facility brings 1,500 jobs to Tucson. These employees will pack and ship small items, such as books and electronics, among others.
Moreover, Caterpillar relocated its regional headquarters to Tucson, bringing with it 600 executive jobs. On top of that, Hexagon, an international mining tech firm, relocated its North American headquarters to downtown Tucson, giving the city a jolt in economic prosperity.
Health care is also blossoming in this portion of Southern Arizona, as Community Health Systems and Northwest Medical Center are looking to recruit top talent in the area. Likewise, Geico is constructing a new regional office in Tucson, which will add 700 positions.
In order to sustain this momentum, and recruit even more business, community stakeholders must remain involved. As one of the top-ranked research institutions in the nation, the University of Arizona ensures that it’s on the cutting-edge of the latest trends in bioscience and technology. Tucson is home to two of the most innovative bioscience entities in the nation.
Critical Path Institute participates in research and educational programs that assist the Food and Drug Administration with developing safe new drugs. BIO5 partners with scientists from a variety of fields to solve significant biological issues.
Moreover, Tech Parks Arizona creates the “Interactive Ground” that generates, attracts and retains technology companies and talent in alignment with the research, mission and goals of the University of Arizona (UA). Tech Parks Arizona directs the UA Tech Park at Rita Road, a 1,345 acre campus, and is developing the UA Tech Park at The Bridges, a 65 acre campus off Kino Blvd and 36th Street. The tech parks offer assistance with product development and business incubation, a lab, office facilities and access to the endless tools and expert knowledge found at the University of Arizona.
Helping sustain, recruit and grow business, the City of Tucson Economic Development and Pima County Economic Development entities ensure that the region prospers today, tomorrow and in the distant future. The city of Tucson administers incentives to job creators, offers business assistance and development services programs. Pima County helps start-ups, already established businesses and relocaters find success here.
Sun Corridor Inc. is a transformative economic development organization representing one of the most dynamic and growing major business centers in North America. Located in Southern Arizona and encompassing four counties (Pinal, Pima, Santa Cruz and Cochise), Sun Corridor Inc. is a CEO-driven regional alliance whose members aggressively champion mega-regional issues that impact economic competitiveness and quality of life.
The organization has helped to drive significant business investment into the Tucson and Southern Arizona region through primary job creation, resulting in an economic impact of $22.5 billion.
By Sarah Lancaster
Largest Employers
University of Arizona 11,251
Raytheon Missile Systems 9,600
State of Arizona 8,500
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base 8,580
Pima County 7,060
Tucson Unified School District 6,770
Banner – University Medical Center 6,272
U.S. Customs and Border Protection 5,739
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. 5,530
Walmart 5,500
Source: Visit Tucson
Major Industry Sectors
(Number in thousands – March 2018)
Total nonfarm 383.8
Mining and logging 1.7
Construction 16.5
Manufacturing 24.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities 61.0
Information 5.3
Financial activities 17.7
Professional and health services 66.2
Leisure and hospitality 45.6
Other services 13.1
Government 80.2
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Arizona Commerce Authority
(602) 845-1200
www.azcommerce.com
Arizona Corporation Commission
(602) 542-3026
www.azcc.gov
Arizona Secretary of State
(602) 542-6187
www.azsos.gov
Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona
(520) 888-5353
www.bbb.org/tucson
City of Tucson Economic Development
(520) 837-4100
https://www.tucsonaz.gov
Consumer Information and Complaints
(602) 542-5025
https://www.azag.gov
Desert Angels
(520) 327-7420
www.desertangels.org
Pima County Economic Development
(520) 724-8450
https://webcms.pima.gov
Pima Community College Small Business Development Center
(520) 206-6355
http://pccsbdc.azsbdc.net/
Small Business Administration
(602) 745-7200
www.sba.gov/offices/district/az/phoenix
SCORE
(520) 505-3636
http://scoretucson.org/
UA Map Dashboard
(520) 621-2155
https://mapazdashboard.arizona.edu/
Business Licenses
City of Tucson
(520)-791-4566
www.tucsonaz.gov/finance/business-license-and-tax-information
Town of Marana
(520) 382-1999
http://www.maranaaz.gov/business-licenses
Town of Oro Valley
(520) 229-4700
www.orovalleyaz.gov/town/departments/town-clerk/business-license
Town of Sahuarita
(520) 822-8800
http://sahuaritaaz.gov/248/Business-Regulatory-Licenses
State of Arizona
(602) 255-3381
www.azdor.gov/Business/LicensingGuide.aspx
Pima County
http://webcms.pima.gov/business/running_a_business/licensing_and_permitting/
Employment Services
Allstaff Services, Inc.
(520) 296-1666
www.allstaffaz.com
Arizona @ Work Pima County
(520) 724-7700
http://webcms.pima.gov/cms/one.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=28947
Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services
(602) 255-3373
www.dvs.az.gov
BBSI
(520) 512-8984
www.barrettbusiness.com
DK Advocates, Inc.
(520) 790-7677
www.dkajobs.com
Dorado Personnel
(520) 323-3350
www.doradopersonnel-tucson.com
GPS of the Midlands, Inc.
(520) 223-9669
www.gpsjobs.net
JobPath, Inc.
(520) 324-0402
www.jobpath.net
Randstad
(520) 751-8775
www.randstadstaffing.com
Remedy Staffing
(520) 745-9696
www.remedytucson.com
Robert Half International
(520) 584-3490
www.rhi.com
The Temp Connection
(520) 323-3100
www.thetempconnection.com