Revisiting Newton, Iowa: How a Small Town’s Economy Grew Stronger After Losing Its Largest Employer
12 Nov 2015
You may remember the story of Newton, Iowa—where there is a long history of manufacturing, but where, in 2008, it was uncertain if that would continue. That year, Maytag (a manufacturer of household appliances and Newton’s largest employer) closed its doors, laying off nearly 1,900 workers in a town of only 16,000 people and nearly crippling the local economy.
In response, the Newton Transformation Council used a federal Regional Innovation Grant (RIG) to partner with EMSI and Maher & Maher. Together, they sketched out a revitalization plan, and by the fall of 2008, Newton had attracted more than 1,200 new jobs in advanced manufacturing and high-tech industries, including wind tower and turbine manufacturers.
