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Topeka, Kansas Business and Investment

The capitol city of Kansas, Topeka encompasses 57 square miles of real estate. As Topeka is located within the central region of the U.S., many businesses have realized the benefits of being so well situated. Almost equidistant from both coastlines, as well as between the Canada and Mexican lines, Topeka holds a central position unlike almost any other major city except for Kansas City.

Topeka Transportation Hub

Topeka sits almost in the heart of the United States and has an excellent transportation network. Three major interstates, I-70, I-470 and I-335, all go through the city, as well as four major highways. Three airfields are within an hour of Topeka, as well as two major freight train services, Amtrak and Greyhound Lines. In addition, Topeka boasts one of the most sophisticated telecommunications systems in the nation.

Intelligent Workforce

Age 25 years and older, Topeka’s population percentage of those with a high school education and higher is almost 87%, with 27% have a bachelor’s degree or higher. The majority of the workforce has between 12 and 15 years of education. Part of this can be directly contributed to the many resources the city dedicates for employers to train and retrain employees. Another reason is due to the number of higher education opportunities. Among public, master-level universities, Washburn University ranks sixth in the Midwest.

Topeka is Business Friendly

The state of Kansas was ranked as the 20th Best State for Business by Forbes, with labor ranking at 19 and regulatory environment at 9. Topeka offers training funds, state income tax credits, industrial revenue bond financing and up to a ten-year property tax exemption for real estate property. In addition, no property taxes are required on newly acquired or placed into service machinery and equipment for business.

Topeka Target Markets

Topeka’s official website says the city has “the infrastructure today for the business of tomorrow”. Many of those businesses are in the bioscience sector, with initiatives expected to generate over $500 million in the next 10 years. Topeka is the preferred location for animal and life sciences companies, supporting 40% of the national animal health market. City bioscience businesses encompass five leading veterinary research laboratory training facilities, as well as national companies such as Hill’s Pet Nutrition.

Topeka Companies

Other markets include many manufacturing and distribution facilities of Fortune 500 companies such as Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, Goodyear Tire and Rubber, Payless Shoe Source, Frito-Lay, Inc and Hallmark Cards, Inc. In addition, Topeka hosts industries such as flourmills, iron foundries, food-processing plants and printing/ publishing companies.

Businesses expanding into Topeka will find fantastic incentives. Tax credits, tax exemptions, fee waivers, loan assistance and utility rate discounts are just a few. A recently implemented quarter-cent sales tax helps support economic development activities. From property tax exemptions to help for small and startup businesses, Topeka has set out to be one of the most business-friendly cities in the United States.

Interested in becoming part of Topeka’s business community? Contact Essen Travel today for hotel bookings close to pertinent corporate locations in Topeka, at 1-800-568-1972.

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