Cities of Commerce, Industry, Santa Fe Springs and Vernon partner with business leaders to champion Southern California’s industrial economy

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The BIG 4, an alliance between the cities of Commerce, Industry, Santa Fe Springs, and Vernon, today announced a new partnership with the Supply Chain Federation, a national advocacy organization representing business and labor in goods movement, and CREDA SoCal (formerly NAIOP SoCal), the region's leading commercial real estate association, to advance a regional approach to industrial development, workforce opportunity and supply-chain resilience across Southern California.

As its first major initiative, the partnership will host the second annual BIG 4 Summit in 2027, bringing together regional and national stakeholders to advance conversations around industrial development, supply-chain resilience, workforce opportunity, economic competitiveness, industrial land, infrastructure and public-private collaboration.

Since its formation in October 2025, the BIG 4 has established a unified voice for the shared interests and needs of its four cities and worked to expand business opportunities in the region through streamlined permitting, tax incentives, low-interest financing and reduced energy costs. In its first year, the BIG 4 has launched business incentives, convened the inaugural BIG 4 Summit, advocated for SB 1274 and closed its first joint economic development deal, keeping 80-year-old Juanita's Foods and its manufacturing operations in Southern California.

Together, the BIG 4 cities account for 250 million square feet of industrial space – roughly a quarter of L.A. County’s total – while occupying less than 1% of its land. The approximately 5,000 businesses located in these cities employ a combined workforce of 200,000 people and annually generate more than $32 billion in economic output while contributing over $283 million in aggregate tax revenue. Roughly three-quarters of jobs across the four cities are in occupations that don't require a four-year degree.

The new partnership pairs these cities – which together form one of the largest industrial concentrations in Los Angeles County – with leading organizations representing the broader supply chain and industrial real estate sectors. The partners will collectively pursue additional research, education and programming and engage organizations across the broader economic ecosystem, including the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC).

The upcoming 2027 summit builds on the inaugural BIG 4 Summit, held in April 2026 at the Clarke Estate in Santa Fe Springs, which drew regional officials, developers and logistics operators to discuss how environmental mandates are reshaping industrial investment decisions. The summit explored findings from the Supply Chain Federation and Ramboll study of the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s WAIRE Program and Indirect Source Rules, evaluating whether these mandates achieve true environmental progress or simply function as a “logistics tax.” With the Supply Chain Federation and CREDA SoCal now joining as partners, the second annual summit will widen that discussion to regional and national stakeholders and showcase the BIG 4 as a potential model for how local governments and industry can work together to strengthen regional economies. Registration details will be announced in the coming months.

“Our four cities sit on a small footprint of Los Angeles County and represent a significant share of its industrial economy,” said Brian Saeki, City Administrator of Vernon. “We didn't get there by accident. We got there by working together. This collaboration builds on that regional approach and creates an opportunity to demonstrate how communities can work together to strengthen economic opportunity and the industrial base that supports their residents.”

The cities of Commerce, Industry, Santa Fe Springs and Vernon represent a substantial share of Southern California's industrial economy, which in turn anchors the national supply-chain network connecting the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach with freight rail, trucking, manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, airports and last-mile delivery. Together, this infrastructure supports the movement of food, medicine, consumer goods and manufacturing inputs to businesses and households throughout the country.

A recent study from Pepperdine University's School of Public Policy and Beacon Economics found that Southern California's industrial ecosystem supports approximately 1.5 million jobs and roughly one out of every nine dollars of regional GDP. Many of those jobs provide meaningful career opportunities without requiring a traditional four-year college degree, making the industrial economy an important source of middle-class employment and economic mobility.

“Southern California is a critical link in our national supply chain, and decisions about land, infrastructure and workforce have implications far beyond any individual community,” said Tim Jemal, CEO of the Supply Chain Federation and CREDA SoCal. “No parcel in this network stands alone, and decisions that fail our supply chain will fail the communities that depend on it. We’re proud to partner with the BIG 4 and bring local governments and industry leaders together to strengthen the systems that support businesses, workers and the movement of essential goods.”

To learn more about the BIG 4, visit www.citiesbuilt4business.com.

About The BIG 4
The BIG 4 is a regional economic development alliance between the cities of Commerce, Industry, Santa Fe Springs and Vernon. The initiative brings together four of Los Angeles County's most business-focused communities to create a coordinated approach to attracting investment, supporting business growth and strengthening the industrial economy.

About Supply Chain Federation
The Supply Chain Federation is a national advocacy organization working to strengthen America's supply chain by bringing together business and labor to protect jobs, support domestic infrastructure and promote a resilient and reliable goods movement system. The Federation advocates for policies that strengthen the infrastructure, workforce and industries that support the movement of goods and services across the country.

About CREDA SoCal
With over 1,200 Members, CREDA SoCal (formerly known as NAIOP SoCal) is the leading association representing commercial real estate in Southern California. Its mission is to provide advocacy, education and networking opportunities that support the industry’s growth and success. With a focus on innovation and leadership, CREDA SoCal is dedicated to shaping the future of commercial real estate in the region.

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