ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball joined the Baltimore Metropolitan Council to welcome a diplomatic delegation representing 12 countries to the Baltimore region. During the Tour, Ball touted the Baltimore region’s economic vitality as the premiere hub for international businesses. Photos from the event can be seen here.
Howard County’s strategic location in the Baltimore region and its access to both the Port of Baltimore and BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, make it a highly valuable destination for significant economic development. As evidenced by our recent agreement with Tradepoint Atlantic to expand into Howard County, our region is leading the way for bold, game-changing investments that will make us a regional powerhouse for business, innovation, and economic development.
The countries represented by the international delegation included Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
“We are thrilled to host the Belmont Shipping Club and demonstrate the economic force of our region,” said Mike Kelly, Executive Director of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council. “The unique geographical positioning of the greater Baltimore region makes us a premiere hub for development, and we are excited to see these international partnerships formalize.”
The Baltimore region is one of 31 federally designated “Tech Hubs”. In 2024, there was more than $4.4 billion in economic activity. One of the bigger giants include Under Armor whose global headquarters represent a $1.3 billion commitment to the city and reinforces Baltimore’s status as a leader in sport innovation.
The region is also quickly becoming a hot hub for risk management, IT and AI-driven healthcare solutions, as evidenced by the recent Bluesight acquisition of Protenus. This $50 million backed midstage technology startup showcases Baltimore’s prominence in these fields.
Bora Pharmaceuticals Expansion, formerly known as Emergent BioSolutions, entered the Baltimore Region and is operating an 87,000 sq. ft. sterile manufacturing facility.
This Spring, Tradepoint Atlantic, a company known for the multi-billion-dollar redevelopment of the former Bethlehem Steel site at Sparrows Point, announced it is developing a 3,300-acre logistics hub on Route 1 in Savage through a $1 billion investment to expand Port of Baltimore's container capacity by 70%. Additionally, Tradepoint will invest upwards of $100 million to create an inland office industrial park to be named “Tradepoint at Savage Crossing.”
It is expected to generate an estimated 500 new family-supporting supply chain and logistics jobs in Howard County. The project will be completed in about three years.
“Tradepoint at Savage Crossing presents a great opportunity to leverage our industrial development platform and expand our footprint of logistics focused assets in key submarkets with proximity to major commercial centers,” said Marc Salotti, Managing Director, Tradepoint Atlantic. “The redevelopment of historic commercial corridors promises to bring new jobs as we work to strengthen and diversify our local and regional economies. The Baltimore/Washington Corridor is an ideal location for investment with great access to skilled labor catalyzing continued growth domestically and internationally in our sector.”
The Eastern Howard County Enterprise Zone was inspired by Tradepoint’s model of redevelopment at Sparrows Point. The Enterprise Zone is a massive incentive program for businesses along Route 1 and in Columbia Gateway, offering tax credits to businesses looking to reinvest in their properties and tax benefits to those looking to grow their employment base.
One of just 36 such areas statewide in 20 jurisdictions, the Enterprise Zone encompasses 2,337 total acres of commercial and industrial properties along the Route 1 corridor roughly bounded by I-95 to the west, the Anne Arundel County line to the east, MD 100 to the north and MD 175 to the south.
Howard County is establishing itself as a global leader in cyber, tech, health, innovation and economic development through its recent launch of the first Howard Cyber accelerator program—a 12-week intensive initiative designed to target and support early-stage, product-focused cybersecurity companies as they scale their businesses, refine their technologies, and establish a strong market presence.
Last fall, Ball, along with the Howard County Economic Development Authority, led a trade mission to Europe to strengthen global partnerships in cybersecurity and innovation.