NEW KPMG STUDY CONCLUDES LEWISTON ADVANTAGEOUS FOR BUSINESS
(LEWISTON, ME) – In a new global study comparing the costs of locating business operations, Lewiston fared better than any other New England community studied. KPMG International’s recently released “2006 Competitive Alternatives” study measures the combined after-tax impact of 27 different “cost components” including labor, land purchase, construction, and utilities. Researchers identified these components as necessary in the start-up and operation of a business over a 10-year planning window.
The eight-month project – KPMG’s most thorough bi-annual study yet — analyzed and compared 17 industry sectors in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the U.S.
North America was divided into five regions, and did not include Mexico. Lewiston was categorized under the New England/Atlantic Canada region, and was ranked as having more of a cost advantage than its New England counterparts Boston; Burlington, Vermont; Hartford, Connecticut; and Providence, Rhode Island.
Of the 49 U.S. communities analyzed, Lewiston finished 24th overall. Lewiston also ranked first in New England in KPMG’s 2004 study.
Among other study findings:
- Overall, labor and facility costs accounted for the highest proportion of the total cost of starting a business.
- Singapore had the lowest salary and wage costs among the nine countries examined.
- Transportation costs vary significantly by industry, and represent between 1 and 15 percent of location-sensitive costs for the manufacturing operations examined.
Detailed results can be found at www.CompetitiveAlternatives.com.
