Keeping Our Finger on the Pulse of Orange County Business

Orange County Partnership team touring Aladdin Packaging, LLC in Newburgh.

Economic development doesn't stop once a company decides to locate in Orange County. In fact, that's often when the real work begins.

Businesses face new challenges every day, from workforce recruitment and infrastructure needs to utility capacity, permitting, expansion planning, and navigating available programs. Staying connected to those businesses is one of the most important ways the Orange County Partnership can continue to support their success.

That's why we've launched Orange County Business Pulse, a renewed Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E) initiative focused on getting back out into the community, visiting local employers, and listening.

For nearly 40 years, the Orange County Partnership has worked alongside companies to support growth throughout the region. Since 1986, we've helped facilitate 886 business attraction and expansion projects, resulting in more than 34,000 career opportunities, 18.3 million square feet of industrial and commercial development, and $7.9 billion in private capital investment.

Those projects are only part of the story. Behind every expansion is an ongoing relationship. As companies evolve, so do their needs. Through Business Pulse, our team is reconnecting with businesses we've worked with over the years to better understand what's happening inside their operations today, and where they're headed tomorrow.

Since launching the initiative, we've already had the opportunity to meet with a diverse group of employers representing a wide range of industries, from small and mid-sized food and beverage manufacturers to packaging manufacturers, healthcare suppliers, cannabis processors, agricultural businesses, and film production companies. Recent Business Pulse visits have included companies such as Minkus Family Farms, Satin Fine Foods, Monroe Cable, Planet Health Foods, Superior Pack Group, Green Thumb Industries, Aladdin Packaging, and Medline, with many more visits already scheduled. These conversations are uncovering opportunities for future investment, operational improvements, and potential expansion projects while helping us better understand the needs of Orange County's existing business community.

During each visit, we discuss topics such as workforce recruitment and retention, infrastructure and utility needs, facility expansion plans, permitting challenges, and available programs that may help support future growth. Sometimes it's simply making the right introduction. Other times it's connecting a business with workforce partners, grant opportunities, utility providers, or local and state agencies.

Just as importantly, these conversations help us identify trends across Orange County's business community. Hearing directly from employers allows us to better advocate for the infrastructure investments, workforce initiatives, and policies that will keep Orange County competitive for years to come.

"Our job doesn't end once a company chooses Orange County," said Conor Eckert, President & CEO of the Orange County Partnership. "Business Pulse is about reconnecting with the companies that have invested in our community, understanding where they're headed next, and making sure they know they have a partner they can call when opportunities or challenges arise."

Whether we worked with your business decades ago or just last year, we'd love the opportunity to reconnect. If you're interested in scheduling a 20–30 minute Business Pulse visit, please reach out to our team. We look forward to hearing your story, and continuing to be a resource as your business grows.