LEE & ASSOCIATES
Your Partner for
Location Advisory Services
For more than 50 years, Global Location Strategies has conducted location strategy, site selection, and incentive negotiations for world-class industrial and manufacturing corporations. Headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, GLS assists companies with location decisions globally.
Our Service Offerings
We tailor our services to position Lee as the clear choice for representation and to drive the deal to a successful close. Our customizable offerings may include:
SALES COLLATERAL
Provide visuals and content to enhance Lee’s pitch materials. Additionally, our experts can participate as subject matter experts in your sales meetings to show the depth of Lee’s offerings.
Result: Enhanced deliverables for your sales pitch.
LOCATION BENCHMARKING
Screening of U.S. to determine optimal search region.
Result: Defined Search Region for Property Identification Based on Project Key Drivers.
LABOR ANALYSIS
Customized location comparison to state and/or U.S.
Result: Custom Industry and Labor Analysis + Overview of Strengths and Weakness Based on Workforce.
WORKFORCE BENCHMARK
Detailed analysis of 2 or more properties for prioritization.
Result: Benchmarking of Locations Based on Project Specific Criteria + Prioritization of Locations Based on Cost, Quality, and Risk.
EMPLOYER INTERVIEWS
2 corporate employer interviews (virtual)
Result: Direct Feedback from Corporate Employers + Real-Time Labor Insights.
LOGISTICS ANALYSIS
Preliminary analysis for up to 3 locations.
Result: Regional Transportation Infrastructure Overview + Transportation Costs Estimate
INCENTIVE NEGOTIATIONS
Tailored incentive negotiations for 2-3 finalist locations.
Result: Development of Location-Specific Negotiation Strategy + Implementation of Strategy and Formal Submission to maximize ROI for project.
UTILITY NEGOTIATIONS
Experienced team works directly with providers to secure the best rates and terms.
Result: Lower capital and operating costs.
BESPOKE SERVICES
Can include a variety of services such as Foreign Trade Zones,
due diligence, etc.
Our Alliance
Our reciprocal partnership model between Lee & Associates and Global Location Strategies is designed to foster shared growth and opportunities. By exchanging services and providing leads for new business, we create a collaborative ecosystem where both companies thrive. This strategic alliance ensures that each partner benefits from the strengths and resources of the other, driving innovation and efficiency while expanding business horizons together. Our location strategy experts can help you close the deal. Whether we assist your clients in benchmarking regions that meet their needs, choose between properties, dive into workforce, or negotiate incentives to reduce investment costs, let us be an extension of your team to guide your client to the right property
with confidence.
Service Highlights
Location Benchmarking
Define the Search Region
Often times, the client may not have a defined search region. With Location Benchmarking, GLS will conduct a desktop screening of the U.S. based on a set of minimum criteria critical to the success of the operation to provide a short-list of state or metropolitan area recommendations for Lee to identify properties. Minimum criteria may include unique site considerations such as minimum distance preferred to suppliers and/or raw materials, proximity to port, etc.
Workforce
Regional Workforce Benchmarking
When logistics is not the driving factor in your scope, narrow down your search with our benchmarking analysis. We focus on critical workforce and quality of life factors to identify the most promising regions for the company’s overall success. The resulting report will prioritize U.S. regions, guiding your building and site identification efforts with precision and confidence.
Site-Specific Workforce Analysis
Using your shortlist, GLS offers a customized analysis based on specific drive-time radii for each site or building under evaluation. This critical evaluation compares quality and cost of labor to help your client better understand the overall tradeoffs, environment and potential drawbacks for its new operations. Is your client weighing an expansion at an existing facility versus a potential new location? If workforce challenges contribute to the desire to relocate and/or expand, our comparative analyses use your client’s current site(s) as a benchmark to evaluate alternate locations.
Employer Interviews
Gain real-time insights into workforce dynamics with our employer interviews. We conduct confidential discussions with local businesses to uncover workforce advantages, challenges, and experiences with state and local support. This invaluable feedback helps companies prepare effective strategies for recruiting and retaining your desired workforce within the community.
Logistics
Preliminary Logistics Analysis
A preliminary cost analysis is used to provide a rough estimate that can help your client decide whether to proceed with a location, seek further detailed analysis, or explore alternative options. Our analysis uses preliminary assumptions as placeholders for transportation costs and customer service quality. More comprehensive network analysis services are also available.
Incentives Negotiations
Reduce Project Costs
State and local governments provide tax credits and incentives to support
businesses that engage in catalyst activities. The programs can provide funding, reduce costs, and support workforce development in various forms including tax abatements, tax credits, grants, and/or in-kind services. Typically, projects that will create a minimum of 20 jobs and have capital investment of $10 million are ideal candidates for incentives negotiations. Benefits often range 10-20% of the project’s capital investment.
Case Study: GLS | Broker Solution for Condair
Industry: Advanced Manufacturing
Services:
- Site Selection
- Incentive Negotiations
- Brokerage by GLS partner
Location:
Chesterfield County, Virginia
400,000 square feet
$57.2 million investment
180 jobs
NEED:
Global Location Strategies (GLS) was commissioned by Condair Group, a Swiss evaporative technologies manufacturing company, to identify a location for its next production facility. The project required access to an existing building meeting project specifications, a skilled labor pool, and speed-to-market.
SOLUTION:
This was a lead generated by GLS and in order to provide efficiency and cost savings to the client, GLS proposed a partnership with a national brokerage firm to conduct the site selection and negotiations. The scope is similar to what is shown below. The joint team participated in all milestones and the key broker activities are indicated in red.
GLS started with Location Benchmarking to compare state and metro areas that ultimately narrowed the search region to three states in the Southeastern U.S. A GLS brokerage partner was responsible for identifying the buildings within the shortlisted region that could meet Condair’s needs. GLS and the brokerage partner conducted joint site visits with the client team where the broker could lead the building tour and GLS supported with workforce analysis and incentive negotiations.
After evaluating dozens of buildings and communities, finalist sites were identified in Virginia and South Carolina. GLS negotiated and secured economic incentives on behalf of the company.
RESULTS:
In 2024, Condair Group announced the selection of Chesterfield County, Virginia for its 400,000-square-foot facility. The company plans to create 180 jobs.
Contact Us
Mike Mikulski
Lee & Associates
North American Director
of Incentives & Credits
(215) 292-2410
mmikulski@lee-associates.com
Sarah White
Global Location Strategies
Principal, VP of Site Selection
(864) 420-6291
sarahwhite@glsconsults.com