INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
Live Large Among Our Giants.
We’re home to more than 46,000 businesses1, including four Fortune 500 and four Fortune 1000 headquarters2.
International Trade in Nebraska and Iowa Sustains Over 710,000 Jobs and Creates More Than #30 Billion in Imports and Exports.3
Top Industries
- Agribusiness
- Financial Services
- Logistics/Warehousing
- Food Products
- Life Science
They Come Here for Better. We are.
Attracting companies and individuals from around the globe –
Start in the Middle – and Radiate. That’s How We Change our World.
Our region provides an ideal central location for companies to reach their customers quickly and efficiently.
9.2 Million People Live Within 250 Miles with Average Earnings Approaching $200 Billion4
Eppley Airfield offers over 88 departures for domestic and international travel, including non-stop travel to 34 cities5.
We enjoy immediate proximity to Interstates 29 and 80 – making it possible to reach the majority of U.S. destinations within two to three days by truck.
Barge traffic can navigate on the Missouri River 10 months out of the year (March – Nov.).
We’re a major rail center served by Union Pacific Railroad, Canadian National Railway Company and Burlington Northern Santa Fe.
Foreign Trade Zones
Access to our two foreign-trade zones (19 and 59) assists importers and encourages efficient international trade by reducing, deferring or even eliminating duties on goods.
Increasing Exports
This region is growing places. Over the past 10 years, exports in Greater Omaha have increased by $1.9 billion, growing an average of 0.9 percent each year. In 2017, the Omaha MSA exports totaled 3.8 billion.6
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Top Trading Partners in Nebraska & Iowa7 |
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Exports |
Imports |
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Canada |
Canada |
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Mexico |
China |
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Japan |
Mexico |
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China |
Germany |
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South Korea |
Japan |
| Australia |
India |
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Germany |
United Kingdom |
| United Kingdom |
Switzerland |
| Hong Kong |
Italy |
| Netherlands |
France |
We Value Where You’re From – and Where You’re Going
With highly-valued relationships around the world, we are connected with the global business community, economic development and government organizations as well as our six Sister Cities:
- Yantai, China
- Braunschweig, Germany
- Shizuoka, Japan
- Naas, Ireland
- Siauliai, Lithuania
- Xalapa, Mexico
Certificates of Origin
Attention exporters – the Greater Omaha Chamber is partnering with essCert to streamline the way Certificates of Origin are processed.
Contact us to create an essCert login.
Already have an account? Log in here.
Cost for Certificates of Origin services:
- $20/certificate for the first 100 shipments for members
- $10/certificate for 101+ shipments for members
- $75/shipment for non-members
Exceed Your Boundaries and Flourish.
We are a Region Built to Grow Business.
Greater Omaha’s labor force totals more than 790,000 people within a 60-minute commute from the metro’s epicenter8. We boast a motivated and high-quality available workforce and lower than average labor costs.
Education9
Adults 25+ Graduated from High School Greater
Omaha: 91.1%
National: 87.3%
Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
Greater Omaha: 34.5%
National: 30.9%
Our stable tax structure – for both businesses and individuals – utilizes targeted business tax incentive programs and exemptions at low tax rates.
Top States for Business10
Nebraska: #5
Iowa: #13
Utilities
Rates for commercial and industrial users are 21.3 and 14.7 percent below the national average.11
OPPD will be 51 percent renewable by 2020 12
Favorable Climate
- Abundant water
- Low risk for natural disaster
Tax Incentives
Our incentive and training programs are available to businesses of all sizes.
Flourish Explore, Toast and Live Large with Us
Greater Omaha’s Cost of Living is 5.0% Below the National Average13
We are a cultural hub, drawing creative and talented people from all over the globe. World-class museums, Broadway-caliber productions, dance companies and renowned symphonies are just a few of the dynamic offerings our community embraces.
Dine in some of the finest restaurants in the U.S. with cuisines ranging from Laotian to classic Midwest steakhouses frequented by our own Warren Buffett.
Affordable housing, great schools and universities, and innovative hospitals and medical centers encompass all of the indispensable elements you and your family need to flourish.
- Infogroup, 2019
- Fortune 500, 2019
- Business Roundtable, “Benefits of Trade Data”, 2019
- StatsAmerica, “Big Radius Tool”, 2018
- Omaha Airport Authority, 2018
- S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, “MSA 2017 (Full Year) Exports”
- S. Census Bureau, USA Trade Online, “State Import and Export Data (Quick Reports)”, 2018
- JobsEQ (data derived from ACS 2013-2017)
- S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, “Table S1501: Educational Attainment”
- Forbes, “Best States for Business”, 2018
- S. Energy Administration, 2017 Average Retail Price of Electricity.
- Omaha Public Power District (OPPD), 2017
- Council for Community and Economic Research, Cost of Living Index: 2018 Annual Average
Available Go Ready Properties
Blair South Business Park
Located 35 minutes from the Omaha metro, Blair South Business Park is a certified, shovel-ready site ideal for manufacturing, logistics and warehousing.
South Pointe Industrial Park
Located in Council Bluffs, Iowa and adjacent to Omaha, Nebraska, South Point Industrial Park is a certified, shovel-ready site ideal for light manufacturing, warehouse/distribution and data centers.
Fourmile Industrial Park
Located just minutes south to Omaha, Four Mile Industrial Park is a municipally owned, certified virtual shovel-ready site ideal for manufacturing, warehouse distribution and food processing.
I-80 Logistics Hub
Located in Nebraska’s fastest growing county Sarpy County, I-80 Logistics Hub is a certified, shovel-ready site ideal for clean tech/advanced manufacturing, warehouse distribution, food processing, and data centers.
Springfield Commerce Park
Located in Nebraska’s fastest growing county Sarpy County, Springfield Commerce Park is a privately owned, certified virtual shovel-ready site ideal for warehousing, light industrial and commercial.