Why Darke County?

Supporting your business

Whether it's agriculture, technology, manufacturing, retail or service based, Darke County provides a unique backdrop for your business to grow and thrive. We believe that you will find that Darke County's rural setting + easy access to urban areas is the perfect mix for your business.

Our participation within regional collaborations that support economic development is yet another reason why Darke County is a great place to be. Please take a few minutes to review our collaborations below and please contact us so we can start a conversation about your development vision today!

CONTACT DCED TODAY

PARTNERING FOR PROGRESS

What is Partnering For Progress

A collaborative economic development effort providing comprehensive support to the Darke County business community. This effort consists of a diverse group of public and private entities and individuals from across Darke County.

All partnership goals aim to help foster new opportunity for Darke County businesses and citizens as well as the growth and vibrancy of our communities.

Existing Industry Support

Ensure that a county-wide business retention and expansion program is successfully maintained
Partner with the business community to increase the growth of quality jobs and capital investment within Darke County

Resource Development

Develop new tools and resources for existing business support and the attraction of new opportunity

Marketing/New Business Recruitment

Aggressively promote Darke County as a viable business location
Strengthen regional partnerships to aid Darke County's growth through the growth and health of the entire region

Workforce Development

Strengthen the linkage between education and training providers and the business community to ensure adequate curriculum and skills development for industrial needs

*Expansion of the partnership is an on-going goal.

Unified efforts yield remarkable results.

DOWNLOAD: ROI CHART

PARTNERING FOR PROGRESS

BUSINESS FIRST

Business First! At A Glance

Darke County Economic Development proudly participates in the regional Business First! Retention & Expansion initiative. To access the Business First! website directly: www.businessfirstdaytonregion.com

The BusinessFirst! Program uses a customer-focused approach to link businesses with resources that help businesses stay and grow in the community. The BusinessFirst! team is a coordinated group of more than 100 economic, community, workforce development and government agencies who are ready to assist firms in meeting their corporate objectives.

The program gives a business owner a single point of contact for a wide range of assistance that is available from local, county, regional, state and federal agencies. Highly trained and motivated outreach specialists meet with individual business owners to learn more about each business and identify resources to assist the firm in succeeding in today's competitive environment.

Business First! Facts

Business First!membership includes 29 jurisdictions in the Greater Dayton Region from Montgomery, Greene, Miami and Darke Counties, as well as the City of Springboro, which lies in Montgomery and Warren Counties, and the City of Eaton in Preble County.
Business First! Regional Resource Partner membership has grown from 34 members to approximately 100 Regional Resource Partners to serve regional businesses.

Results

Approximately 2,000 business visitations have occurred since the inception of Business First!
Businesses have received assistance in workforce training and recruitment, exporting, strategic and business planning, e-commerce, financing and more.
The BusinessFirst! Team has been instrumental in helping the following Montgomery County companies to stay and grow in the region: Eurand Pharmaceutical, IMI Norgren, Smiths Aerospace, GE Consumer Finance, SK Tech, Paxar, Dayton-Phoenix, Inc., Moto Photo, ConSpan Bridge Systems, Appleton, LORD Corporation and more...

Partial Listing of Regional Resource Partners

and Support Agencies

Advanced Integrated Manufacturing (AIM) Center
Antioch University - McGregor School
City Wide Development Corp
COUNTY CORP
Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce
Dayton Development Coalition
Dayton Power & Light
Dayton Tooling & Machining Association
Downtown Dayton Partnership
Edison Materials Technology Center
Greater Dayton Foreign Trade Zone, Inc.
Greater Dayton IT Alliance
Miami Valley Career Technology Center
Miami Valley International Trade Association
Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority
Minority Contractors & Business Assistance Program Center Montgomery County

Dayton-Montgomery County Port Authority
Ohio Department of Development
Ohio Bureau of Worker's Compensation
SBC/Ameritech
Service Corps of Retired Executives
Sinclair Community College
South Central Ohio Minority Business Council
South Metro Chamber of Commerce
Southern Area Manufacturing SAM/SBDC
TechSolve
The Entrepreneurs Center
The Job Center
Time Warner Cable
U.S. Small Business Administration
University of Dayton
US Department of Commerce
Wright State University

For more information, or if you would like to meet with a Business First! Specialist, contact:

Erik Collins - Economic Development Manager - 937-225-4642 or e-mail collinse@mcohio.org.

LOCATION | PROXIMITY

Darke County sits near the I-70 and I-75 interchange, providing access to one of the most highly traveled crossroads in the United States. In fact, Darke County, as a part of the larger Dayton Region, is within 600 miles of 53% of the U.S. population and 60% of workers currently employed in the manufacturing industry, providing short commutes to major markets.

DARKE COUNTY MAPS

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TRANSPORTATION

Although rural in nature, Darke County is located within a 30 to 90 minute drive of several major midwestern metropolitan communities including Dayton, Cincinnati, and Columbus, Ohio, and Indianapolis, Indiana. Because of its geographic location, Darke County is within a 90-minute air market for 55% of the population in the United States.

Location & Proximity Info for Darke County Ohio

AIR

Darke County is in close proximity to the Dayton International Airport bringing us into the mainstream of all the nation's business. The Darke County Airport, near Versailles, provides landing facilities for small aircraft, including corporate jets.

Small County-owned, public-use airport.
Located on State Route 121 just south of Versailles.
Covers 42 acres and has 1 runway.
Average of about 25 aircraft operations per day.
99% general aviation.
1% air taxi.

VISIT DARKE COUNTY AIRPORT on FACEBOOK

HIGHWAYS

This makes Darke County an ideal location because of its proximity to the interstate without the high costs associated with operation at interstate sites.

State Routes 49, 118, 121, 571 and U.S. Routes 36 and 127 all converge in Greenville (our county seat)
Interstates 70 and 75 are both only 30 minutes away.
US 36 covers approximately 1,414 miles running east-west from Uhrichsville, OH to Rocky Mountain National Park, CO.
US 127 covers approximately 758 miles running north-south. It covers from near Grayling, MI to Chattanooga, TN. Since 1987, it has been the core of the World’s Longest Yard Sale which stretches 690 miles from Addison, MI to Gadsden, AL.

MOTOR FREIGHT SERVICE

There are more than 22 motor freight and trucking companies in Darke County.

We are also within a day's drive of most major Eastern and Midwestern cities, providing the advantage of fast deliveries and lower freight costs.

RAIL

Darke County is served by RJ Corman Railroad and CSX. Founded in 1973 by Rick Corman, R. J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC serves all seven major North American railroads, as well as many regional and shortline railroads. With its national headquarters in Corman’s hometown of Nicholasville, Kentucky, its field offices are spread across 24 states and operate in many more. These operations encompass an array of services, including railroad construction, shortline railroads, industrial switching services, emergency response, material distribution, distribution centers, signal construction, locomotive design, and railroad worker training. The outstanding execution of these services depends on the dedication and expertise of over 1,600 employees, who work tirelessly to realize and maintain the company’s core values of safety, customer focus, quality, and efficiency.

Within approximately 90 minutes, our businesses and citizens have access to three international airports with daily operations that rival major metropolitan areas. In addition, the Dayton 90 minute air market reaches over 137 million people ( 75% of U.S. workers within 600 miles) and more than half of the combined population in the U.S. and Canada, allowing for twice-a-day service to five metropolitan areas plus 300 towns and large cities.

UTILITIES

Our Darke County communities offer a variety of Utility Service options for your business location.

Please contact our office if you need any additional information regarding service options for your proposed facility.

HIGH QUALITY WATER

The Dayton Region offers a sustainable source for the world's most important resource-WATER.

1.5 trillion gallons of groundwater
2,000+ gallons of water per minute routinely achieved
EPA award-winning source water protection programs
Groundwater that maintains a constant 56F° and provides a valuable source of geothermal energy

With aquifers yielding more than 13,900 gallons per minute, the Dayton Region, located in southwest Ohio, excels in the ability to obtain high quality water and in the quantity needed. And with award winning source water protection programs, the Region has a large, replenishing and pure aquifer system that is less vulnerable to water shortages than most of the U.S. In fact, the Region has so much excess capacity that it is able to tap the aquifer for geothermal systems to cost-effectively heat and cool buildings.

During times when many areas across the nation are struggling with drought conditions, the Dayton Region is drought-free and welcomes water- intensive business and industry to share its abundant water resources.

QUICK LINKS

ELECTRIC SERVICE:

CABLE & INTERNET:

NATURAL GAS: