Shipbuilding
An inland gateway with the infrastructure to build, move and grow.
In collaboration with the Port of Stockton and state partners, North Valley THRIVE is helping coordinate efforts to promote not just our regional port but the additional infrastructure available to support this industry.
The Port of Stockton is a strategic inland gateway. It offers ship, rail and truck access for domestic and international distribution, modern warehouse facilities, recently upgraded cargo handling equipment and more than 400 shovel-ready acres approved for new development. As a California Special District, it pairs the stability of a public entity with the flexibility to move fast on business solutions.
Beyond the port, the region offers:
- over 43,000 acres of industrially zoned land
- multiple foreign trade zones, including one of the largest in the United States
- Interstate 5, Highway 99 and freight rail
- utilities, water and former military assets already in place
Three coordinated workforce development boards stand ready to support employers as they grow. Together, these assets make the North San Joaquin Valley a ready-made platform for shipbuilding and the supply chains that support it.
AgTech
Where the world’s most productive farmland meets the technology shaping farming’s future.
Agriculture is the heartbeat of the North San Joaquin Valley, and our region is becoming a hub for the tools and technologies that will define how food is grown worldwide. Growers, researchers, students and entrepreneurs work side by side here, so new ideas can be tested and refined in real working conditions.
That ecosystem is growing. With support from North Valley THRIVE’s Catalyst Grant Program, Merced College built the Center for Ag Robotics and Entrepreneurship & Smart Farm. It’s a hands-on learning space with research orchards, irrigation systems and a student-built outreach trailer that brings agtech demonstrations straight to local schools. In partnership with GO-Biz, North Valley THRIVE also welcomed 16 international companies to Merced for an inside look at the region. The visit connected them with local growers, researchers and industry leaders, and opened the door to new investment and partnerships.
Circular Bioeconomy
The North San Joaquin Valley is one of the few regions in the world that has the capabilities to amplify the biocircular sector, thanks to our agricultural strengths and sustainable innovation.
The bioeconomy represents the segment of the economy based on products, services and processes that come from biological resources (for example, plants and microorganisms). In the circular bioeconomy, waste becomes input for products designed to be reused, reducing resource use and environmental waste. This growing industry plays an increasingly critical role in our environmental future, national security and global economy, with a forecasted economic impact of $4 trillion over the next 20 years.
Advanced Manufacturing
Manufacturing has been woven into the fabric of our region for generations. As the industry has evolved, we have been at the forefront of innovation.
Advanced manufacturing is a cornerstone of the North San Joaquin Valley’s economic transformation, positioned at the intersection of sustainability, innovation and equitable growth. While historically rooted in food processing and logistics, the region is now growing new high-value, high-wage manufacturing segments, including building materials, mobility technologies and measurement and testing equipment.
Advanced manufacturing is a traded sector poised for long-term growth due to shifting national and global dynamics favoring domestic production, clean energy integration and resilient supply chains.
Currently, the sector employs over 58,000 workers in the tri-county region, with 14% growth since 2018 and projected continued expansion. Wages in this sub-sector significantly exceed the regional average, with core roles — like CNC operators, production supervisors and engineers — commanding median earnings above $70,000. The sector also supports workforce participation for individuals without a four-year degree, expanding economic mobility.
Clean Energy
We are a test bed for new clean energy opportunities due to our unique assets and cutting-edge development.
Clean energy is an increasingly vital part of the North San Joaquin Valley economy, representing about 2% of total employment in 2024. Today, 55% of jobs in the sector are concentrated in traditional TDS and HVAC and solar technologies, but the opportunity is rapidly expanding.
As costs fall and new markets like carbon management and hydrogen emerge, the sector is poised for significant growth. This trajectory is further strengthened by California’s requirement that all retail electricity be sourced from renewable and zero-carbon resources by 2045.