Industry Clusters
Glendale is home to several leading Southern California industry clusters. The city and surrounding region boast an impressive network of global and nationally recognized firms that benefit from Glendale’s strategic location, public safety record and highly skilled workforce and vendor base.
Industry clusters are concentrations of companies operating in the same or complementary sectors within a relatively small area. By locating within a cluster of similar companies, businesses can project the right image, benefit from essential services, gain access to a skilled labor pool and open up rich networking opportunities.
Glendale’s leading industry clusters include:
- Retail Trade
- Healthcare
- Business Services
- Animation & Entertainment
- Manufacturing & Wholesale Trade
- Automotive Sales & Service
- Financial Services
- Technology and New Media
Retail Trade
Led by the Glendale Galleria and The Americana at Brand, the City of Glendale is a leading Southern California retail trade center drawing consumers from the San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley and throughout the Los Angeles basin. The city is strategically located to reach over 2.5 million residents within a 10 mile trade area via four major freeways.
Healthcare
With three outstanding hospitals and a wide variety of ancillary services, Glendale is a leading regional healthcare center serving Southern California. Glendale’s convenient location and public safety record attracts a wide range of medical professionals, specialists and healthcare facilities that draw patients from throughout greater Los Angeles.
Business Services
Glendale is a regional leader in the business services industry. The city boasts an impressive network of quality business services, such as law offices, credit reporting/ collection firms, personnel services businesses, specialized software companies, and other outsourcing firms supporting the corporate services industry.
Animation & Entertainment
In combination, the cities of Glendale, Burbank and Universal City have one of the world’s highest concentrations of entertainment firms and employment. DreamWorks, Disney Imagineering, KABC, E Style and Technicolor have headquarters or major production operations in Glendale. Glendale is also one of Southern California’s busiest cities for producing feature films, television shows and commercials.
Manufacturing & Wholesale Trade
Southern California is the nation’s leading center for manufacturing activity with Glendale contributing its share of economic output. Dozens of manufacturers produce and support industries such as metal parts, plastics, aerospace & defense, architecture & engineering, food processing, building & construction materials and automotive aftermarket parts.
Automotive Sales & Service
Over 300 businesses in the auto and transportation industry call Glendale home including the celebrated Brand Boulevard of Cars featuring 25 major car dealers and automotive service centers located along South Brand Boulevard. In addition, dozens of aftermarket parts and service firms draw customers from throughout the LA Basin.
Financial Services
Long known as a regional financial center, Glendale continues to attract finance, insurance and real estate firms seeking a safe and strategic location with easy access to the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, and the San Gabriel Valley. In addition, Glendale’s daytime working population of 80,000 includes a highly skilled labor pool of financial service industry professionals.
Technology/ New Media
Increasing numbers of technology and new media companies, are choosing Glendale as a low cost alternative to more expensive Westside and San Fernando Valley locations. Glendale offers lower operating costs and a safe environment for employees with non-traditional work hours.
| Business Sector | Total Firms | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Services | 5208 | 42% |
| Finance, Insurance, Real Estate | 3148 | 26% |
| Retail Trade | 1947 | 16% |
| wholesale distributers | 595 | 5% |
| construction trades | 550 | 4.5% |
| manufacturing | 393 | 3% |
| transportation | 339 | 2.5% |
| public admin/government | 99 | <1% |
| total | 12279 | 100% |
