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Cleveland EDC adopts target-industry analysis, names five priority sectors
Summary
The City of Cleveland Economic Development Corporation unanimously accepted a consultant'produced Target Industry Analysis recommending manufacturing, distribution/logistics, data centers, construction materials and aviation as recruitment priorities.
The City of Cleveland Economic Development Corporation voted unanimously to accept a Target Industry Analysis prepared by Applied Marketing on a motion by Mr. Thompson and a second by Mr. Buckley.
The study recommends five priority sectors for Cleveland: manufacturing (especially metal fabrication, machinery and plastics), distribution and logistics, data centers, construction materials and aviation-related industries. Consultant Lee Hao said the analysis combines quantitative data with focus-group input from education, real estate, workforce and regional economic-development stakeholders.
Why it matters: Board members and staff said the report gives the EDC specific NAICS targets and marketing guidance to use in lead generation and recruitment, including lists of trade shows and subsector priorities. Director Emilio said the EDC will pass NAICS codes from the study to its business-recruitment partner to generate leads.
Most of the discussion centered on how each industry matched Cleveland's assets: an existing manufacturing base, strong transportation links and the incoming BNSF logistics center. Hao flagged data centers as an opportunity tied to AI and cloud demand but noted they require substantial land and power commitments. She recommended a local discussion about whether using scarce land for data centers would match the community's long-term goals.
Board members asked about workforce availability and the consultant said smaller manufacturers can likely be staffed locally while larger employers would draw from surrounding counties. Emilio and Hao cited regional partners including workforce development and the school district as part of a longer-term strategy to prepare local labor.
The board's formal action directs staff to use the analysis in recruitment and marketing efforts; staff said they have already given NAICS codes to the EDC's recruitment partner. No incentives or specific contracts were approved as part of the vote.
Next steps: Staff will integrate the study's NAICS targets into active outreach, report back on lead generation, and use the profiles to inform decisions about incentive deployment and event attendance.
