Business Industries
Greater Louisville embraces its rising iconic brands. Along with a vibrant entrepreneurial climate, the region has a diversified economy with an emphasis in the sectors surrounding health, logistics, manufacturing, food and beverage, and business services. Combine this with the fact that 95% of the world’s bourbon is made in Kentucky, and it is easy for the region to toast the greatness of its companies.
Key Industries Include:
Healthcare & Aging Innovation:
A Hub for Innovative Healthcare
Greater Louisville has been at the center of leading-edge heart, hand, and cancer research and innovation for years. Louisville is recognized for the first self-contained artificial heart implant, the first successful hand transplant, and home to a nationally recognized leader in cancer research – the UofL James Graham Brown Cancer Center. As a national hub for corporate and long-term care businesses, Greater Louisville is well-positioned for the attraction and expansion of companies in the healthcare industry.
Health-related Networks
Health Enterprises Network (HEN), is an investor-led organization that leads, organizes, and facilitates region-wide economic growth in the healthcare sector. HEN’s Very Innovative Pioneer (HEN VIP) program is designed to bridge the gap between health-related entrepreneurs and existing healthcare organizations in Louisville. The Louisville Healthcare CEO Council (LHCC) leverages the collective voice of Louisville’s top healthcare companies. The Council engages in initiatives designed to improve the healthcare economy. The THRIVE Center is the “first of its kind” National Senior Living Innovation Center. It is a place for health care providers and seniors to try technology products, services, and educational programs that are specifically designed to improve quality of care and quality of life for seniors. XLerateHealth is enterprise-focused and helps early-stage healthcare companies build out their commercialization strategy.
Business Services:
Including technical, legal, financial, human resources, marketing, and real estate companies among others, this industry employs 30,000 people regionally. The industry continues to grow year over year in Greater Louisville, and is expected to grow another 20 percent in the next 10 years.
Logistics & E-Commerce:
A Logistics Center of Excellence
Home to UPS Worldport, three major interstates, eight regional airports, three riverports, and multiple rail lines, Greater Louisville allows companies to have the capacity to deliver everything from automotive supplies, temperature sensitive health-care solutions, and e-commerce products within a fast timeframe. Plus, it helps that the region is located within one day’s drive of 66% of the U.S. population.
Advanced Manufacturing:
Louisville has always enjoyed a rich manufacturing tradition of excellence. It is this tradition which provides the foundation to become a global leader in the next century as old line manufacturing shifts into a new era of flexible, advanced manufacturing. It is home to more than 1,300 manufacturing companies in the areas of automotive, food and beverage, plastics, appliances, and electrical components, to name a few.
Food & Beverage:
Louisville is a hub for food and beverage companies of all sizes, from local to global – including production, manufacturing, flavor development, distribution and everything in between. More than 125 food and beverage companies collectively employ well over 15,000 individuals, and account for $23 billion in annual revenue.