Advanced Brand Design
A wealth of creative talent puts a face on leading consumer brands such as Pampers, Reese's and AT&T. With companies like Brandstorm, a division of Cincinnati's largest advertising agency, Northlich, LPK and Brandimage, Cincinnati provides the creative force behind many well-known consumer products.
Advanced Manufacturing
Northern Kentucky is home to a number of advanced manufacturing
corporations that aggressively help to drive the region's economy
forward. As the manufacturing sector continues to grow (it currently
accounts for 14 percent of US GDP and 11 percent of total US
employment), the NKY region matches pace by attracting creative,
high-tech talent alongside innovative high-growth companies. Northern
Kentucky's commitment to the Advanced Manufacturing sector continues to
provide opportunity for new and existing business to thrive in the
areas of: industrial machinery and equipment; polymers and other
advanced materials; surgical and medical equipment; pharmaceutical
products; and process automation and controls. Some of the area's
advanced manufacturing companies include:
- Givaudan Flavors
- HK Systems
- Johnson Controls
- LSI
- Lafarge
- MAG Cincinnati
- Mazak
- Messier-Bugatti USA, LLC
- OYSTAR Jones
- Parkway Products
- Schwan Global
- Ticona
- Wagstaff
- WILD Flavors
Aerospace
Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati play critical roles in the
aerospace industry, as the region is home to the nation's largest jet
engine maker and serves as a hub for domestic and international air
traffic. GE Aviation and Messier-Bugatti, designs and manufactures
engines and parts for some of the most popular passenger and military
jets worldwide, while Delta Air Lines maintains its second-largest hub
here, flying daily nonstop routes overseas as well as to more than a
hundred destinations inside the U.S.
Architecture
Cincinnati is not only home to the works of world-renowned architects such as Zaha Hadid (the Contemporary Arts Center) and Daniel Libeskind (the Ascent at Roebling’s Bridge), but also to dozens of architectural firms that are designing landmarks around the city and elsewhere. Firms such as FRCH Design Worldwide, GBBN Architects and KZF Design are leaving their marks on corporate headquarters, school and universities, retail centers and public spaces.
Automotive
The automotive industry in Greater Cincinnati is no Rust Belt vestige. It is alive and well, providing the world's automakers with everything from brain power to horsepower. Toyota runs its North American manufacturing operations from here, while Ford builds transmissions for many of its cars and trucks. Germany's ZF supplies several major automakers with parts and many smaller manufacturers, such as Mubai and Toyota Boshoku produce everything from shocks to seats to brake components.
Chemical and Plastics
From the jug that holds your milk to the refrigerator you keep it in, from the car you drive to work to the fragrance you splash on for an evening out, there’s a good chance Cincinnati had something to do with it. The chemical and plastics industries have historic roots here and the businesses have adapted to today’s needs. Sun Chemical manufactures pigments used in automotive paints, inks and cosmetics. Cognis Corp. is breaking new ground in using renewable raw materials for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. Swiss giant Givaudan operates a major research base, seeking new ways to deliver flavors and fragrances to consumers. And the machines made and sold by Milacron are used in the making of that milk jug in the fridge and even the fridge itself.
Consumer Research
No one knows more about what consumers want than Procter & Gamble, as it sells more than 300 brands in markets around the globe. P&G's world-renowned savvy for deciphering the needs of consumers has helped give rise to many other companies that delve into why shoppers make the choices they do. They include Burke Inc., Hill Top Research and international powerhouse,
Ipsos Understanding Unlimited.
Emerging Technology
There's a current of start-up energy around the region, as
entrepreneurs look for ways to apply new technologies to our lives and
work. They are companies like iStatus.com, creating virtual
storefronts for business-to-business customers; ThinkVine, which
develops software for the consumer industry, and ClicShare, which has
created online communications platforms for the mobile and broadband
markets. Incubators such as the Northern Kentucky e-zone and the
Hamilton County Development Center provide start-up assistance, office
space and access to funding.
Entrepreneurship
For the brave business person, inventor, student or dreamer willing to take a risk on a new idea, Northern Kentucky offers a multitude of resources to help launch businesses. From Northern Kentucky University's small-business development centers to community-wide incubators such as the Northern Kentucky ezone, a division of Northern Kentucky Tri-ED, the region holds a number of resources and advice on getting started.
Financial Services
We all know money talks and the range of financial services represented in Cincinnati is making a big noise. From banks to brokerages to insurance, it's here, including Fifth Third Bancorp, a homegrown bank that evolved into a large regional financial services company; Fortune500 giant American Financial Group, and major operations of two of the nation's top financial powerhouses, Fidelity Investments and Citigroup.
Green Building
The green building movement is gaining momentum in Cincinnati: the architectural and construction community began a chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council and City Hall recently launched the City Green Initiative. Examples of green construction are found in banks, schools and even Great American Ball Park, home of the Cincinnati Reds.
Higher Education
The area's colleges and universities are growing and adapting to meet the needs of tomorrow's students. The University of Cincinnati attracts students for it programs in medicine, music, design, art, architecture and planning, engineering, law and more. Xavier University maintains a commitment to liberal arts while offering undergraduate and graduate programs in business, and Northern Kentucky University is a rapidly growing campus that recently began, among other programs, a College of Informatics, where aspiring artists, doctors, entrepreneurs and scientists can learn how technology is taking their fields to the next level.
High-Tech
Not much can spur a region’s development or economic growth faster than the High-Tech sector including Aerospace technology, Biotechnology, Information technology, Nanotechnology and Robotics. This perception has made areas of the country that can provide footholds and incentives for High-Tech companies to gain advantage extremely attractive.
Northern Kentucky’s focus on a variety of technology sectors, innovation and entrepreneurship is the foundation for attracting and retaining an excellent base of companies such as:
Life Science and Medical Research Innovation
University of Cincinnati Medical Center and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center are two of the nation’s leading institutions for research into the life sciences, as their physicians and researchers seek new, promising ways to diagnose and treat cancer, stroke and heart disease, as well as break new ground in the understanding of more exotic diseases. Entrepreneurs are pushing the medical boundaries at BIO/Start, a life sciences startup center that has helped launch 85 companies, producing nearly 200 high-paying jobs.
Professional Office Operations
Northern Kentucky is home to a thriving culture of Professional Office
Operations which includes corporate headquarters, regional sales
offices and technical support centers. And that culture is growing
within financial service, healthcare and business services sectors. The
community is rich with a variety of companies that have made a
tremendous commitment to the Northern Kentucky region including:
- Citi
- Fidelity Investments
- Nielsen Company
- Omnicare
- Toyota Boshoku America
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing N.A.
- WILD Flavors
- Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals
Sustainability
From hybrid buses to designing buildings with geothermal heating, sustainable design and construction is a growing practice in Cincinnati, as architecture firms such as McGill Smith and Punshon and developers such as Miller-Valentine promote the concept to reduce the depletion of natural resources, help offset rising energy prices and improve the quality of life in communities and workplaces.
Venture Capital
New ideas and new businesses need funding to get their ideas into the marketplace and Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati have a variety of venture capital firms looking to fund the next big thing. The NKY Angel Investor Network, organized by the Northern Kentucky ezone, was launched in April. Blue Chip Venture Co. has funded firms in software, media, health care and other industries; while CincyTech USA is committed to fostering the growth of new technology ventures. There is also a fund devoted to entrepreneurial ventures led by women.