Target Industries

Advanced Materials

Northeast Indiana’s emerging Advanced Materials industry is a critical driver of innovation across a wide range of important technology and industrial sectors. As a foundation for manufacturing innovation in core industries such as medical device & technology and vehicles, the advanced materials industry includes three areas: raw materials, manufactured goods and research and testing.

Design & Craftsmanship

Home to companies like Sweetwater Sound, Vera Bradley, Smith Brothers of Berne, Matilda Jane Clothing and high-performing architectural and graphic design firms, Northeast Indiana is a destination for business looking to benefit from or join the growth of the creative economy. Our Design & Craftsmanship industry encompasses three areas: specialty consumer products, spatial design and creative, and technology services.

Defense and High-Tech Communications

Northeast Indiana’s defense and high-tech communications contractors bring in millions of dollars every year, employ thousands of specialized personnel, and develop products that change our nation. The region’s defense industry leaders include BAE Systems, Raytheon, and Harris Corporation, to name a few.

Food & Beverage

The Food & Beverage industry in the Wells County area continues to advance and empower the region. The region has an abundance of suppliers, as well as resources, like an excess water capacity, to support the needs of food-processing companies. We also feature a large supply of certified shovel-ready industrial sites that have the infrastructure in place, including water and sewer capacity, highway and rail access, and competitive electric and gas rates to support new food-processing projects.

Logistics & E-Commerce

Northeast Indiana serves as a strategic distribution hub for businesses targeting the Great Lakes and Midwest. We are located only two hours from Indianapolis and three hours from Chicago, Detroit, Cincinnati, and Columbus, Ohio. Our Logistics & E-Commerce industry in the Wells County area is strong and continues to grow. 

Medical Device & Technology

Northeast Indiana Medical Device & Technology companies are leaders in the $48.1 billion orthopedic and biologics industry, with companies in Northeast Indiana controlling 39.5 percent of the worldwide orthopedic market. That’s $19 billion in revenue. Our region recognizes innovation as a key driver of success in the medical-device industry and embraces medical entrepreneurship.

Specialty Insurance 

Northeast Indiana has served as a hub for Specialty Insurance. As a founding place for successful insurance companies, our Specialty Insurance industry is fueled by innovative product lines. From the very beginning, Northeast Indiana’s insurance industry has been made of creative problem solvers. Industry-leading advancements have originated right here in the Fort Wayne area. By working together with the Regional Chamber of Northeast Indiana, we foster new and amended legislation for a continuously improved business climate and regulatory environment.

Vehicles

Northeast Indiana has a history of innovation and manufacturing in the automotive sector. Today, the Wells County area continues to have a very high concentration of vehicle manufacturing, which makes up 19 percent of the manufacturing employment in the Northeast Indiana region, compared to 13 percent for the United States.

Join Us in Our Pursuit

Are you ready to join forces and make your business the best it can be? Let us find the right fit for your business in our cluster-based strategy.

Our business development strategy benefits your business by identifying and targeting specific industries that are high-growth and high-potential sectors to fill our value chain. Chosen due to their competitive advantages and potential to support significant job growth in the region, these industry clusters often represent a natural fit and are dependable assets in the community.