Arkansas Department of Commerce

08/31/2026

Smackover Lithium, a partnership between Standard Lithium and Equinor, has signed a commercial offtake agreement for the South West Arkansas Project with LG Energy Solution. Under this agreement, Smackover Lithium will supply LG Energy Solution with 8,000 metric tonnes of battery-quality lithium carbonate per year - which is worth an estimated $1.5 billion over a 10-year period.

David Park, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Lithium stated, “We are excited to be entering into this Agreement with LG Energy Solution, one of the world’s leading battery producers with a diverse and global customer base and a presence in many dynamic and growing industry segments. The Agreement further anchors our customer offtake portfolio, complementing the contract with Trafigura we announced in March of this year, and is another major milestone in the development of the SWA Project. We have now secured a vast majority of the offtake agreements needed to move forward with our Project financing plans and a Final Investment Decision. We expect this to be the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial partnership whereby we will provide LG Energy Solution with a long-term supply of U.S.-based and sustainably produced battery-quality lithium carbonate.”

Read more: https://commerce.arkansas.gov/smackover-lithium-lg-energy-solution-south-west-arkansas/

04/29/2026

AI is moving fast, and manufacturers are sorting through where it actually fits.

We’re encouraging small and mid-sized manufacturers across Arkansas to take a few minutes to complete a new national AI survey.

The results will be shared, giving us a better picture of how manufacturers are using AI to improve productivity, profitability, and competitiveness.

If your company is exploring AI, using AI, or simply trying to understand where to start, your perspective would be valuable.

🕒 The survey is open through May 20

🔗 Take the survey here: https://form.jotform.com/261044418697059

04/10/2026

Cable manufacturer AmerCable announced plans to expand its existing operations in El Dorado, Arkansas with an investment of more than $10 million. The expansion will create 13 new jobs over...

03/24/2026

The Stock Market Game is an essential program for teaching Arkansas students about financial markets and overall financial literacy.

Through a public-private partnership between the Arkansas Securities Department and the Walton Family Foundation, participation in the Stock Market Game is free in Arkansas.

Arkansas Bank Commissioner and Arkansas Securities Commissioner Susannah Marshall recently highlighted the advantages of participating in the Stock Market Game and the lessons that students learn from the game.

"What do students gain from the experience? Every principle of economics. They see how markets respond to world events, how diversification reduces risk, why interest compounds and what it means to invest for the short term versus the long haul. They also gain vocabulary such as stocks, bonds, dividends and market capitalization that will serve them for a lifetime. Most importantly, they experience decision-making with real stakes, even if the money is virtual. Programs such as The Stock Market Game show the power of education to connect theory with practice, making classroom lessons meaningful long after students leave school."

For many of us, the first time we encountered economics was in a textbook, defined in terms of supply and demand — accurate, yes, but not

03/24/2026

🎙️ New Arkansas Inc. Podcast Episode 🎙️

Faymonville Trailers to the MAX is making a significant investment in Little Rock, Arkansas with its first U.S. production facility.

The manufacturing facility will create 500 new jobs and represents an investment of more than $100 million in the region. In 2026, Faymonville recently hit a major construction milestone with a steel topping out ceremony for the facility at the Port of Little Rock.

Faymonville Group CEO Alexander Fickers and Faymonville Group Communications Team Lead Anne Faymonville joined the Arkansas Inc. Podcast to highlight the company's growth and its decision to invest in Arkansas.

Alexander and Anne joined Clint O'Neal, CEcD and Jack Thomas with the Little Rock Regional Chamber to discuss the facility's construction milestones, doing business in Arkansas, and much more.

Listen to the podcast here:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/anne-faymonville-and-alexander-fickers/id1236201130?i=1000757011382

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0zVthO7aK3lJUE3VOwwy3V

01/07/2026

Arkansas set a record for the number of Arkansans in the labor force and for the number of employed Arkansans in the November 2025 employment report. The labor force participation in Arkansas also reached a 12-year high.

Read more here: https://commerce.arkansas.gov/arkansas-posts-4-1-unemployment-rate-in-november/

11/05/2025

Provalus, a cutting-edge information technology (IT) company dedicated to providing dependable, scalable, top-quality IT services from the heart of America, has selected Harrison, Arkansas as the location for its newest facility in the U.S. Heartland.

Harrison Regional Chamber of Commerce | City of Harrison, Arkansas – Government

10/16/2025

10/03/2025

The State of Arkansas is partnering with Google to help grow digital skills and increase access to workforce training resources across the state.

Through this partnership, Google will offer no-cost scholarships to its Google AI courses and Google Career Certificates to tens of thousands of Arkansans.

Read more: https://commerce.arkansas.gov/arkansas-partners-with-google-on-digital-and-ai-skills-initiative/