The Mid-Willamette Valley grew stronger this year. The numbers prove it.
The Strategic Economic Development Corporation (SEDCOR) said nearly $80 million in new private investment came to the region in fiscal 2025. One hundred thirty-six jobs were added. The work was steady. The results were clear.
The money came from food and from machines. Don Pancho/Reser’s put $37 million into the old NORPAC plant in Salem. George Packing/Northwest Hazelnut added $32 million to expand its reach. Together, they created 89 jobs. These are the industries that built the Valley. They are the ones keeping it alive.
The annual report, presented at SEDCOR’s meeting in Salem, measured the work of a year. It told a story of expansion, of companies that stayed and grew, of leaders who used the tools of state and city to make the deals work. Incentive programs like Oregon’s Enterprise Zone and Rural Industrial Property Tax Exemption gave companies the confidence to put down money. Local governments gave their support. Businesses took the risk.
The outcome, according to SEDCOR, will ripple. The $79.5 million will lead to more than $1 million in new property tax revenue once incentive periods end. That money will help schools. It will pay for police and fire. It will fund the services that hold a community together.
Erik Andersson, SEDCOR president, said the mood in the room mattered as much as the numbers. “I was there to celebrate the good news stories, and I think we all need a bit of good news these days,” he said. “Most people I saw when I was leaving were smiling after having a good celebration.”
The event also honored local businesses with awards, recognizing growth and resilience across the region. Andersson said the variety of winners tells the story of a healthy, diverse economy. “It looks good for the region and the regional economy when we can celebrate a cider company and a kombucha company alongside Agility Robotics and Don Pancho,” he said. “It’s a testament to the diversity of our economy here.”
The story of Don Pancho/Reser’s shows it. The company brought life back to a silent factory. A site once dark with the fall of NORPAC now hums again with new production. It put people back to work. It sent a signal that Salem is open for business.
The hazelnut expansion tells the same truth. Oregon grows most of the nation’s hazelnuts. George Packing and Northwest Hazelnut bet on that strength. They built bigger. They hired more. They gave farmers a buyer and workers a paycheck.
Since 1982, SEDCOR has worked to hold this line. Its mission has been simple: keep jobs, grow jobs, bring in jobs. Its targets have been the industries that trade across borders—advanced manufacturing, food processing, technology, wood products. The aim is diversity. The aim is resilience.
This year showed results. The Valley is stronger than it was twelve months ago. That is what the numbers say. That is what the jobs mean.
The work is not finished. It never is. But today the outlook is steady. The economy is moving. The companies are building. The people are working.
