In 1957, the City of Industry was incorporated with a focus on business. The city’s motto, “Jobs, Enterprise, and Regional Investment” reflects how business is at the core of the city’s focus since its inception. Today, the city’s leaders maintain that focus. It is a vision that has carried the city fo over six decades of fostering a business-friendly environment in the San Gabriel Valley.
When the City Council adopted its General Plan in 1961, it paved the way for many of the commercial, industrial and civic centers that remain in the City today. Over the next two decades, the City grew and added community resources to provide support for the burgeoning businesses, from fire stations and a sheriff’s station, to new schools, as well as supporting retail and transportation advancements.
Over the past six decades, Industry has built its business foundation and transformed into the economic hub of the San Gabriel Valley – home to over 3,000 businesses that directly employ over 67,000 people. While the City has grown, its focus and city motto have remained the same: Jobs, Enterprise & Regional Infrastructure.
Thanks to this focus, the city is built like no other – one where businesses, the economic impact and opportunity they provide for the community are celebrated, supported, and given the resources needed to be successful. If you are looking to expand your business, relocate, or get your start in the L.A. market, the city is confident that the City of Industry is the best place for you.
For many businesses, solid transportation options and infrastructure are the key to their success. The City is home to direct railroad connections for businesses. In addition, Southern Pacific operates a local intermodal facility, which substantially allows for great efficiency for delivery and transit times. The rail lines connect directly to the West Coast’s largest seaports – Los Angeles Harbor and the Port of Long Beach. The City is also bordered by four major freeways and more than 50 major trucking lines are franchised to serve the area. The City is within 40 miles of three leading airports and less than 10 miles from private airports that offer additional options for goods movement.
The City of Industry was built with businesses in mind. Industry is 100% zoned for business (92% industrial and 8% commercial). In addition, there are no citywide hours of operation restrictions. The City offers a wide range of facilities to suit the needs of companies ranging from industrial, distribution, and retail, to offices and corporate headquarters.
City staff work daily to be cost-efficient for businesses. They are proud of the long-standing business-friendly policies of having no city business license fees, no wholesale, retail or manufacturing fees, and no professional tax or utility tax. The City has nearly 500 acres designated as a Foreign Trade Zone. Companies that import, manufacture, distribute, assemble or export products can defer, reduce, or eliminate U.S. Customs duties, fees and certain taxes.
The labor pool is strong and ready to work. The City is centrally located in Los Angeles County with a population of over 10 million people. Near several educational institutions that can partner with businesses that are looking to hire or train their workforces. The City is happy to help connect businesses to these resources.
City staff work daily to make it even easier for you to do business in the city. With the Business Checklist. the city created an easy-to-use startup guide for businesses looking to open in the City. In addition, the City has created a streamlined Development One-Stop-Shop at City Hall to make it more efficient to obtain permits from various agencies. LA County Building & Safety Personnel, Engineering Technicians, Plan Checkers and Code Enforcement operate onsite and are able to coordinate responses from departments significantly improving response times.
The safety and security of businesses in our City is also a top priority. The City is proactive in working with the LA County Sheriff’s Department providing additional resources to address business safety needs. The City provides funding for additional officer hours and state-of-the-art technology as part of the specialized Business Watch Program. Businesses enjoy exceptional support from the Sheriffs including in-person meetings with deputies to help guide the development of your business in a way that deters crime and keeps your facility safe.
The City is proud of the environment, services, and resources that are offered to the businesses. The City leaders make it a priority to advocate for our business-friendly environment, along with the funding, infrastructure, and resources our businesses need to succeed and continue to power the economy.
The atmosphere and outlook for business in the City of Industry is great. The Industry team is working daily to build upon this business-friendly environment and to ensure that we remain a haven for business in the San Gabriel Valley. The City of Industry is proud of its open door policy, and they invite you to come by to see first-hand what the City has to offer.
For more information on business relocation, please call the City of Industry’s Planning/Zoning Department at (626) 333-2211 or visit www.cityofindustry.org/business/relocation. For more information about on other business opportunities, please contact Joanne McClaskey at the Industry Business Council at (626) 968-3737 or visit industrybusinesscouncil.org.
