Former Whirlpool manufacturing and distribution campus.

Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas. With a metro area population of 280,241 it is a regional manufacturing center, with major plants located in the city operated by Rheem, Trane, Georgia-Pacific, Gerber, Kraft Planters Peanuts, Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas, Mars Petcare, Umarex USA, Graphic Packaging, and many others.

Fort Smith is home to several corporations including Baldor Electric Company, a member of the ABB Group, Arkansas Best Corporation, and poultry company OK Industries.

Fort Smith is a major transportation hub for the surrounding region. It sits at the crossroads of two major interstate highways, is surrounded on three sides by the Arkansas River, is served by one major and two regional/switching railroad companies, and is the home of a regional airport.