Located in the south central region of the United States, Oklahoma offers distinct advantages to global businesses seeking to relocate or expand, including a low cost of living, a state government determined to support businesses and to grow the labour force, a regulatory climate that is both responsible and reasonable, and an educated, flexible and committed workforce.

The state’s strategic central location; access to air, water and ground transportation; ample supplies of low-cost energy; below average land and construction costs; exceptional business incentives and low overall individual  and corporate tax burdens are just some of the factors that make the cost of doing business in Oklahoma among the best in North America.

Oklahoma has a very pro-business attitude. The state and local governments are very focused on supporting job creation and economic development. There is also a world class technical training system with locations all across the state. In addition, the cost of living in Oklahoma is among the lowest in the country but the quality of life is among the highest.

GLOBAL BUSINESS LOCATION ASSISTANCE

Expanding or relocating an international business to a new market demands speed and flexibility. Oklahoma’s unique Foreign Direct Investment Team specialises in expediting the site selection process and providing confidential one-stop assistance.

OKLAHOMA’S FDI SERVICES INCLUDE:

• Personalised, coordinated site visits – from major metropolitan areas to smaller cities surrounded by vast expanses of land, the Oklahoma FDI team will help narrow in on the right place for your business. They will schedule confidential site/community visits based on your exact requirements
• Customised incentive analysis – Oklahoma has renowned incentive programmes. The Oklahoma FDI team will identify all state and local incentives applicable to your project
• No-cost/low-cost training assistance – Oklahoma has the extensive and nationally acclaimed CareerTech network. The Oklahoma FDI team can help qualifying companies coordinate start-up training at no cost as well as long-term training through the state’s CareerTech network
• State and local partnerships – Each of Oklahoma’s communities is unique and has various services to offer your business. The Oklahoma FDI team can directly connect you with regional and community economic development organisations and services, including utilities, environmental, tax and finance, workforce and training
• Workforce recruitment and hiring – Your business cannot succeed without the right workforce. Your project manager will provide you with comprehensive labour market analysis, demographics, comparative wage data and initial employee identification and screening to help you understand Oklahoma’s workforce. They can also connect you with educational institutions and other resources that will help you ensure that you always have access to the trained workforce your business needs.

Other services include:

– Visa assistance

– Export assistance

– Supplier/partner identification

– Regulatory and permitting assistance

– Foreign entrepreneur support

OKLAHOMA KEY INDUSTRIES:

• Aerospace and Defence
• Energy
• Agriculture and Biosciences
• Manufacturing
• Information and Financial Services
• Transportation and Distribution

CULTIVATING THRIVING INDUSTRIES

Oklahoma continues to be a leader in aerospace/defence with more than 1,200 aerospace-related companies throughout the state. Oklahoma is one of only seven global aerospace hubs, and home to the largest military and  commercial aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) operation in the United States.

Oklahoma is at the epicentre of innovation in Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) technology and applications. Research and technology, access to restricted airspace and infrastructure, position the state to meet future UAS needs for a multitude of applications.

Oklahoma is a major producer of natural gas, ranked fourth largest in the nation. It has five operating crude oil refineries with a combined daily capacity of over 500 thousand barrels a day. Oklahoma has 21,637 miles of natural gas pipeline, the third highest in the US. With this long-known oil and gas legacy, the state has also emerged as a major market for the renewable energy industry.

OKLAHOMA BY NUMBERS:

• Population – 3.9 million
• Employment – 1.76 million
• Location – South Central US
• Geography – 68,594 square miles
• Metros – Oklahoma City (pop. 1.3 million), Tulsa (970,000)
• GDP – $162.4 billion
• Exports – $6.3 billion
• Imports – $13.6 billion