Why a Technology Park?

Why is an innovative, technology-based industrial park now emerging from the former farmlands of Jones County, Mississippi – and why should technology-based firms pay attention?

The answer lies in several distinct economic forces that have merged at just the right time and place to make this park a reality. Perhaps the most influential of these is the growth and development of technology-based industries along a 168-mile stretch of Interstate 59.

Now known as the I59 Technology Corridor, this regional cluster represents a diverse range of technology-related businesses, government entities and educational institutions. From its northern point in Meridian, Mississippi to its southern terminus at John C. Stennis Space Center, the corridor is an emerging mix of industry, research development and labor force. Its growth has created the need for a planned location that can facilitate further business expansion in tandem with training and development opportunities.

One company located within this technology corridor has become a force for economic development in its own right. Howard Industries, a longtime leader in the manufacture of transformers and other electrical components, has recently forayed into the 150 billion-dollar market of technology services and lists up to 190,000 products sold by their Technology Solutions division.

Development opportunities statewide have also exerted influence on the creation of the park. Because many of these operations will involve a technological component, they will require services and locations specifically tailored to their unique needs.