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On the fast track
Martinsville-Henry County is poised to make big noise in the auto industry.
Cars are something of an obsession to the people of Martinsville-Henry County. The community’s crown jewel is the legendary Martinsville Speedway, which hosts two Nextel Cup races and has a seating capacity of 86,000. The area is also home to Fork Mountain Raceway, a throwback to the early days of NASCAR offering races nearly every weekend from March to October, and Lake Sugar Tree Motorsport Park, bringing the best in motorcross and ATV excitement to Martinsville-Henry County. They take their racing seriously.
It’s not just racing – it’s a way of life. That’s why they take the auto industry so seriously too. The people of Martinsville-Henry County are sure they can attract auto industry companies to their community.
Can you blame them? Martinsville-Henry County is conveniently located, great transportation advantages, offers abundant skilled labor, a high quality of life and low cost for doing business. Pretty appealing.
In the middle of everything
Martinsville-Henry County is centrally located at the hub of the Southern auto corridor and is within 650 miles of 54 percent of the total population of the United States. It also within about 50 miles of both Greensboro, North Carolina and Roanoke, Virginia, and sits squarely in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is an area rich with outdoor recreation opportunities and scenic landscapes.
And, speaking of driving, Martinsville-Henry County is only 30 minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway, one of the most popular (and most mountainous) stretches of road in the United States.
But Martinsville-Henry County is also highly accessible. The community sits within 50 miles of four major interstates that connect it to virtually any community in the country. In addition, two major airports are within 50 miles of town and the Norfolk Southern Railways provide freight services to major ports along the East Coast.
Ready to get to work
That accessibility proves an advantage for drawing skilled workers. Martinsville-Henry County has a workforce of nearly 800,000 people within a 50-mile radius. Martinsville-Henry County maintains one of the lowest unionization rates in the country and a long-standing textile and furniture manufacturing history, which has created a workforce where more than 50 percent are already trained in manufacturing skills.
In addition, there are numerous training resources available, including the newly established New College Institute, Patrick Henry Community College, the Workforce Investment Act and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.
But trained workers, high quality of life and accessibility don’t come at a high price here. Construction rates in Martinsville-Henry County are 28 percent below national averages and the median price for a single family home is almost one-third the national average. Utilities rates also average almost 38 percent below the rest of the country.
Combine those advantages with highly competitive incentive packages for business, reasonable tax rates and an incredibly pleasant local climate and you have a package that’s very hard to beat.
That’s why the people of Martinsville-Henry County are confident in their ability to compete for auto industry attention. They have a workforce that has been trained for success. They understand what it takes to win and they’re willing to stay in the race for the long haul.
For more information on Martinsville and Henry County, contact Leigh Cockram at (lcockram@yesmartinsville.com or 276-403-5940) or visit www.yesmartinsville.com.
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