Industries
The City of Vernon is uniquely structured to accommodate businesses of all types. Throughout the last century, Vernon has consistently provided a supportive climate for a wide range of businesses.
Vernon’s motto “The City That Does More” is a reference to the affordable commercial and industrial utility rates as well as top-notch police and fire protection provided by the city. Such attractive incentives helped earn Vernon the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation’s “Most Business Friendly City” designation in 2008.
Vernon leadership remains committed to meeting the ever-changing needs of the industrial community, and to streamlining permitting and regulatory functions in order to maintain low governmental expense.
Together, Vernon’s diverse array of businesses provide a wide variety of jobs to residents in neighboring communities. The LAEDC has identified and tracks the progress of these industry types in Los Angeles County, all of which operate within Vernon’s City limits:
Agricultural Production
Apparel Design and Manufacturing
Chemical Manufacturing
Courier and Messenger Services
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
Food Manufacturing and Processing
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing
Machinery Manufacturing
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing
Paper Manufacturing
Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing
Printing and Related Support Activities
Repair and Maintenance Services
Recycling – Rendering, Medical, Metal, Plastics, Glass, Corrugated Box
Textile Product Mills
Truck Transportation
Warehousing and Storage
Wholesalers - Nondurable Goods
These industries are important drivers of the regional economy because they export goods to the rest of the state, the nation, and, indeed, the world. In doing so, they bring “new money” into Los Angeles and California that helps the regional economy grow.
Given its industrial profile, Vernon plays its biggest role in the Food Manufacturing area. Vernon-based food product companies employ almost 10,700 workers, more than 15% of the Los Angeles County total for this group. Vernon also plays an important role in the region’s Fashion--Apparel and Textile Design/Manufacturing/ Wholesale industry cluster, with more than 11,200 employees or 10.66% of the L.A. County total.
Other regional industry clusters in which Vernon plays a large role include Furniture and Home Furnishings, Fabricated Metal Products and Industrial Machinery, Toys, Auto Parts, and Wholesale Trade and Logistics.
Economic Impact to the State of California
The State of California collects a large percentage of tax revenues associated with private-sector business activities carried out in the City of Vernon – about $310 million annually. Most of these revenues are actually paid by the employees in the form of state personal income taxes and sales taxes. Workers pay an estimated $193.5 million in personal income taxes to the State of California. Spending by employees related to Vernon-based businesses also generates sales tax revenues for the cities and counties in which the purchases take place.
