The Heartland Lakes region hosts precision fabrication ecosystems and supplier networks that align with TEAM manufacturing clusters and contract machining. Local workforce pipelines, equipment investments, and a favorable tax/credit mix support expansions and relocations, particularly for firms seeking a balanced rural-urban access profile and a high quality-of-place for recruitment.
A strong retail and service corridor supports distribution and logistics functions, with L&M Fleet Supply and other regional enterprises anchoring employment. Proximity to national or regional markets via road networks, combined with a small-city tax and regulatory climate, can be attractive for headquarters, regional offices, or distribution hubs seeking lower occupancy costs and a life-work balance attractive to employees.
HLDC’s Hangar coworking and startup-support ecosystem positions Hubbard County as a magnet for remote workers, microbreweries or food producers launching pilot lines, and tech-enabled service providers. The local business assistance network, including ILT Academy-like training and access to revolving loan funds, supports early-stage ventures and expansions.
The regional potato supply chain and potato-processors, along with adjacent food-related suppliers, position Hubbard County as a meaningful node in Minnesota’s agri-food corridor. The presence of firms such as Lamb Weston/RDO and related cold-storage, packaging, and distribution services supports linkages to local farms and regional co-ops.
Heartland Lakes communities enjoy a live-work-play environment with outdoor recreation, parks, and cultural amenities. Shoulder-season visitation growth, climate-smart trail systems, and enhanced lodging infrastructure are core to diversifying revenue beyond peak-season visits and into spring/fall shoulder periods.
