2023 Year in Review & Trends to Watch
2023 Year in Review
In 2023, Licking County saw continued growth in manufacturing and distribution. With the location of several new companies and the expansion of existing companies, we expect to continue the momentum in 2024 while taking a look at recent trends.
In March, Invenergy invested $600 million through Illuminate USA. Located in Pataskala, Illuminate USA will manufacture high-quality domestic solar panels, creating at least 850 new, good-paying administrative, assembly, and engineering jobs.
In June, Uline purchased the former Ashley Furniture warehouse located in Etna Township. Uline, which distributes shipping, industrial, and packaging materials, plans to be operational in 2025 following a 450,000-square-foot expansion. The new operation is expected to create 200 new jobs.
In August, Ryder E-commerce by Whiplash expanded its distribution footprint in Etna. This $3 million investment will also include 216 new jobs.
In October, Armstrong World Industries (Steel Ceilings) hosted a ribbon cutting for the 72,000-square-foot expansion of their facility in Johnstown. The new expansion will create 15 new jobs.
In New Albany, Google and Amazon Web Services also announced in 2023 plans to expand their data centers.
Trends to watch
Data source: Lightcast
From 2017 to 2022, the number of jobs increased by 22.6% in Licking County, compared to the national growth rate of 3.8%. The number of jobs is projected to grow by an additional 7,455 over the next 5 years.
According to the most recent data, Licking County’s population grew by 4.4% over the past 5 years. The population is expected to grow by an additional 3.5% over the next 5 years.
The top specialized skills identified in Licking County were warehousing, merchandising, and nursing. Manufacturing jobs also exceeded the national average of 6,200 jobs with 8,147 manufacturing industry jobs.
For more information, stay tuned for our 2023 Annual Report – coming soon!
