From striking snow-capped peaks to desert valleys overflowing with sagebrush, the official state flower, Nevada has everything from the lights and glamor of Las Vegas to windswept areas evoking the Old West.
Known as the ‘Silver State’ and the ‘Battle Born State’—owing to it achieving statehood in 1864 during the Civil War—Nevada is famous for its history, rugged landscape, and diversified economy. Renowned for travel and tourism, mining, manufacturing, ranching, and construction, Nevada continues to attract a growing range of businesses and industries.
For many reasons, including an ideal location in the center of the United States, Nevada is fast gaining popularity as a warehousing, logistics, and distribution hub. Companies are choosing Nevada for its road and rail access and extremely reasonable tax rates, which are largely thanks to gold. Nevada is not only the leading gold-producing state in America; its output often exceeds that of entire countries. In 2024, one company alone—Nevada Gold Mines, a joint venture of Barrick and Newmont—produced 2,698,701 ounces.
Gold, and plenty of it
For decades, gold has been one of Nevada’s greatest assets. Not only has it helped keep taxes low, but it has also created a stable environment in the area, even in some troubling times. “When the 2008-2009 housing crisis collapsed everything, we were fine—nobody even noticed here,” says Executive Director of the Northeastern Nevada Regional Development Authority (NNRDA), Sheldon Mudd. And when COVID-19 hit, there were few slowdowns in the area compared to the rest of the world.
“I’ve always said this area is not recession-proof, but we are recession-insulated,” says Mudd. “That’s the thing that has been a blessing in this part of the country: we have an industry that always keeps our heads above water. When things are good, we’re doing good; and when things are bad, we are usually doing great. Fortunately, there are hundreds of years of resources still left in the ground.”
Mining and related activities remain a key economic driver in the four counties— Lander, Eureka, Elko, and White Pine—represented by the NNRDA. Just last year, Great Basin College and NORCAT (formerly the Northern Centre for Advanced Technology) announced plans for a new, state-of-the-art Mine Skills Training facility. Receiving $823,239 in funding from Workforce Innovations for a New Nevada (WINN), the new Mine Skills Training facility “will offer a diverse range of corporate training services tailored to meet the evolving needs of the Northern Nevada mining sector,” said a joint announcement. “Through a blend of hands-on instruction, cutting-edge virtual reality, augmented reality, and industry-leading education, participants will gain essential skills and knowledge vital for success in the mining industry.”
Building an environment for business
Executive Director since 2017, Mudd is passionate about Nevada and the NNRDA. Established in 2012 in response to the state’s economic development plan, “Moving Nevada Forward: A plan for Excellence in Economic Development 2012-2014,” the NNRDA encourages and coordinates “diversified development and economic growth of the Northeastern Nevada region and all of its entities,” with the vision of ensuring Northeastern Nevada’s economic stability.
The NNRDA comprises public and private members. Although its regional footprint consists of just the four counties combined, it occupies approximately 40,000 square miles, the largest geographic Development Authority in the state. According to the NNRDA, it is single-handedly responsible for a third of Nevada’s economic development pursuits. “These four counties are pretty aligned with each other, and between geography and logistics, it just makes sense,” says Mudd.
Known for their many established mining and related companies, the four counties and surrounding areas continue to welcome new businesses, one of the most recent being Aultra Tank & Equipment. A leader in steel tank refurbishment, this company has seen increased demand for its services brought about by new tariffs and shifting trade dynamics.
“We are thrilled to welcome Aultra Tank to Wells,” says Mudd in a recent media release. “Every time we attract a company to our rural communities, we strengthen the economic stability of these towns and increase the likelihood of long-term prosperity.”
Aultra’s Co-Owner and Head of Operations, Adam Gazapian, initially reached out to the NNRDA in May 2024, after discovering the organization’s website while searching for possible western expansion sites. “With our Midwest operations thriving, it made sense to establish a western hub,” said Gazapian. “Northeastern Nevada sits at the geographical heart of the region and offers excellent logistical access.”
Some reasons behind Aultra’s decision to locate its business at the junction of I-80 and US-93 in Wells Industrial Park include the fast permitting processes and support from Wells’s municipal leaders. The company plans to invest $8 to $10 million to build a 23,000-square-foot facility, creating 20 to 25 full-time jobs.
With its longstanding, worldwide reputation for mining, other corporations are also choosing Nevada to launch or expand their operations. Last year, London-based Capital Mining Services chose Elko for its American headquarters, citing its ideal location and business-friendly environment. According to Capital, the company, which has over 30 worldwide locations, will conduct mine drilling operations and geochemical analysis in Elko, deploying “groundbreaking X-ray assay technology, known as Chrysos PhotonAssay™, an environmentally friendly replacement for fire assay on-site and in the laboratory.”
Along with Capital’s arrival in Nevada, last year also saw the establishment of the new Epiroc USA National Competency Center in Elko. “The opening of the Competency Center in Elko is a pivotal strategic goal for Epiroc USA,” said Jon Torpy, President and General Manager of Epiroc USA, on the company’s website. “This facility embodies our commitment to helping customers build the mines of the future, delivering reliable, trustworthy expertise. It signifies a major step forward in our mission to extend fleets’ longevity and contribute to the industry’s sustainable development.”
Among the two-story, 48,000-square-foot Competency Center’s amenities are a 4,000-square-foot training center, 8,000 square feet of office space, a 16,000-square-foot warehouse, and a well-equipped 20,000-square-foot workshop with an outdoor staging area and multiple bays. Epiroc received the NNRDA’s 2024 Economic Development TOP GUN award for its role in advancing sustainable mining practices at the Competency Center.
Although the state has sales and property taxes, residents do not pay individual income tax or state tax on income derived from salaries or wages. And since no commerce tax is charged for businesses with a gross revenue under $4 million in a fiscal year, Nevada is extremely attractive to smaller companies. “As far as business taxes and individual taxes go, that’s one of the beautiful things about Nevada: we don’t have to pay those state income taxes,” says Mudd. “We try to get people to move here from Idaho or Utah, because with not having to pay that state income tax, it’s almost immediately a seven to nine percent wage increase.”
Welcome aboard
In 2024, multinational mining solutions company Sandvik announced the construction of a massive new campus in Elko. Representing the Swedish company’s biggest investment in the U.S., the $51.6 million campus will grow from 6,000 square feet to 24,000 square feet. Warehouse space will triple to 45,000 square feet, and workshop space will expand by over 50 percent to 22,000 square feet.
“We are creating a new, modern work environment for our people, and in turn, for our customers, who operate in rapidly changing market conditions with fast-evolving technology,” said Victor Tapia, Vice President, Sales Area USA, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, in a media release. “The new building will facilitate increased collaboration opportunities and enable us to better serve our customers for years to come.”
Says Mudd: “The project is quite impressive, and they see a [bright] economic outlook for the future of the area and have invested millions of dollars.” Earlier this year, several Swedish companies came to Nevada on a trade mission to investigate opportunities.
One of the latest success stories for the NNRDA is welcoming online retail giant Amazon to Wells, with a new distribution center. The move will see Amazon expand its delivery network into Northeastern Nevada, which will support approximately 100 jobs. “This is going to be one of our biggest wins in the office,” says Mudd. “We’re talking about a community of 1,200 people, so it’s going to change the dynamics of that community.”
Wells is about an hour’s drive east of Elko, at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and US Highway 93. A new coffee shop riffing off local themes opened up there called the Buckaroos Hitching Post and Coffeehouse, owned by retired military special operations veterans from the Marine Corps. “Seeing the growth coming, they decided to invest some cash and put together this coffee shop, which is really nice,” says Mudd. “So it has added to this tiny town, and if you ask me, it’s that first spark that’s going to help build things up. I anticipate that we’ll see a lot of projects like that coming to fruition.”
Another area success story is KADRI. Frustrated by the lack of adventure-tactical clothing designed for women, KADRI sells multifunctional products developed by female special operations veterans. Items like the KADRI Valkyrie Field Pants are best-sellers for this women-owned and operated business, and the business complements target sectors such as defense and aerospace.
Making connections
Mudd is optimistic about the future of Northeastern Nevada, and the NNRDA continues to make the area attractive to existing and new businesses alike. “People are seeing opportunity and making investments in our little towns,” he says, adding that they will soon see a new hotel come to the region.
All industries—including mining, agriculture, aerospace, defense, and warehousing and distribution—need roads and rail to receive and move product. Owing to its prime location, the NNRDA is targeting these sectors, which will benefit from expanded rail access. “We have the Union Pacific mainline that comes right through the area, east to west, through three of the four counties,” Mudd explains. “From a logistical standpoint, it’s a huge asset.”
The challenge, however, is that railway spurs are full. Lander County, on the far west, has allotted over $10 million to begin construction on a rail siding that will go into some county-owned land, roughly 300 acres that they hope to turn into an industrial park. “The idea that they have a rail-served industrial park right in the area should be a pretty attractive asset for any logistics company.” The next phase will see a developer come in once the rail is in place. “Usually, about 20 percent of people reaching out to our office are requesting rail,” Mudd tells us.
He believes that the region’s story is one of resilience, opportunity, and forward momentum, and is looking forward to what the future will bring. Rooted in a proud mining tradition that continues to underpin the state’s economy, Nevada is also embracing diversification, innovation, and sustainable growth. With its strategic location, business-friendly environment, and communities eager to welcome new investment, Northeastern Nevada in particular is becoming a magnet for industries far beyond mining, from logistics and aerospace to retail and advanced manufacturing.
As more companies recognize the value of setting down roots in the Silver State, Nevada is poised to shine even brighter, building on its heritage while charting a dynamic path for the future.
