I've worked for a Steel Company in that part of Arkansas before. In my experience what drove companies to move there were:
- Lax environmental regulations
- Access to the Mississippi river for raw materials
- Cheap electricity from local coal and gas plants
- Anti Union state and local governments
- Tax incentives from the state and local governments
Wages weren't really bad from what I remember. Many jobs starting at $80k, with good production bonus incentives. Though the work was often very physical with long working hours.