| Recently Assisted
Expansions/Relocations |
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| Overview |
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| While
the headlines have been full of gloom and doom scenarios about the economy, a
host of diverse businesses providing higher-than-average-wage jobs has been
quietly expanding in Manatee County. Most serve global markets and either
create or use technology, thus demanding the knowledge workers who tend to
command a higher wage. Their diversity of industries and markets bodes well
for Manatee County’s long-term economic future. See a sampling of companies
below. |
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| Companies
on the Move - 2012 |
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| Feld Entertainment, Inc. |
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| January
30, 2012 -
Feld Entertainment, Inc., in conjunction with the Manatee Economic
Development Corporation, officials from the State of Florida and Manatee
County Government, today are pleased to announce the new location for the
company’s worldwide production headquarters in Ellenton, Fla. Feld Entertainment produces the most
well-known brands in live family entertainment, including Ringling Bros. and
Barnum & Bailey®, Disney On Ice, Disney Live!, Monster Jam and other Feld
Motor Sports productions. The company’s new Ellenton global production
facility will allow for growth that cannot be accommodated at the company’s
current location in nearby Palmetto. |
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| “We
are very excited to move our global operations headquarters to this new
location,” said Feld Entertainment Chairman and CEO Kenneth Feld. “This new
facility will enable us to consolidate many of our operations in Ellenton so
that we can continue to create the high quality live family entertainment
spectaculars that our customers around the world expect. We are grateful to
the State of Florida and Governor Rick Scott, the Manatee Board of County
Commissioners, the Manatee Economic Development Corporation, and all of the
other state and county officials who have helped to make this move a
reality,” he added. |
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| “Feld
Entertainment’s plan to make Florida its new home exemplifies the strength of
the state’s business climate,” said Florida’s Secretary of Commerce Gray
Swoope. “I would like to compliment
Governor Rick Scott for providing the right atmosphere, talent and resources
to help companies enhance their growth and productivity.” |
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| The
move will preserve 148 local jobs and is projected to create 235 new high
skill, high wage jobs in Manatee County over the next five years. “We are
excited about the prospects for capital investment and job growth in Manatee
County that will ensue from Feld Entertainment’s relocation and expansion,”
said Sharon Hillstrom, MEDC president. “This project is the result of many
months of coordination between the MEDC, county government, state officials
and the company. We look forward to continuing to work with Feld on
permitting and employee training as the facility plans move forward.” |
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| Feld
Entertainment’s new facility, located at 2001 North US 301, occupies 47
acres. It will consolidate and house
Feld Entertainment’s operations responsible for the design, production and
support of the company’s global tours, including scenic design, costumes,
sound and lighting, as well as the company’s circus train maintenance. The
site includes 100,000 square feet of office space with an additional 450,000
square feet of manufacturing space in two buildings. The site was originally
developed by The Siemens Corp. and most recently occupied by General
Electric. Studley, Inc. served as Feld Entertainment’s real estate advisor
for purchasing its new facility. |
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| Feld
Entertainment qualified for local and state performance-based incentives and
training grants totaling $3,779,734.
The incentives include $1,174,765 from the state’s Qualified Targeted
Industry fund, $650,000 from the Quick Action Closing Fund, and $1,500,334
from the Manatee County Government. |
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| “The
Feld Entertainment relocation represents a significant capital investment by
the company and will help retain and grow jobs locally. By facilitating
business expansion projects like this through appropriate incentives and
expedited permitting, the Manatee Board of County Commissioners is working to
improve the local economic climate for residents,” said Ed Hunzeker, Manatee
County administrator. A list of Manatee County's economic development
incentives is available at www.mymanatee.org/econ_dev. |
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| Feld
Entertainment will continue to occupy its corporate headquarters in Vienna,
Va., but will gradually move its corporate operations to the new facility in
Ellenton over the next five years.
Current rehearsal locations for circus, ice and stage shows will
continue, although the new facility would allow for the creation of rehearsal
space. |
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| About
Feld Entertainment: Feld Entertainment, Inc. is the worldwide leader in
producing and presenting live family entertainment that lifts the human
spirit and creates indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance
at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment’s productions have appeared in
more than 70 countries and on six continents to date and include Ringling
Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Disney On Ice, Disney Live! and Feld Motor
Sports. More information is available
online at www.feldentertainment.com. |
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| Clare
Controls Inc. |
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| January
5, 2012 -
Clare Controls Inc., which provides home automation systems for the custom
home audio/video industry, has launched in Manatee County and plans to add 62
employees over the next four years, according to Sharon Hillstrom, president
of the Manatee Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). The Manatee Board of
County Commissioners recently approved $248,000 in performance-based
incentives, and the State of Florida also committed $248,000. The new jobs
will pay on average twice the county average, or $66,896. The county also will provide an estimated
$7,797 in impact fee incentives to facilitate the company’s renovation of a
20,000-square-foot leased building at 7519 Pennsylvania Avenue in South
Manatee County. In addition, the
company qualified for a Quick Response Training grant from the State of
Florida in the amount of $93,000 for employee training. |
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| Clare
Controls (www.clarecontrols.com) provides systems that optimize the
installation, management and use of sophisticated home automation solutions.
Deployed from the “cloud” and run in customers’ homes on Mac platforms, these
systems encompass lighting, security, multi-zone audio, video entertainment,
energy, CCTV and other applications.
All are controlled by users through iPhone, iPad and browsers, using
interfaces that they design and deploy themselves, without outside
assistance. The company also offers
ClareVision, its IP video surveillance solution, as a freestanding package
for use in residential and commercial applications. ClareVision uses advanced analytics
(computer algorithms originally developed for military analysis of live
video) to turn raw video into actionable intelligence. This major advancement
over traditional CCTV gives users the potential to proactively intervene in
developing situations, before they escalate. |
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| Clare
President Brett Price owns a related business in Manatee County, Tempus Inc.,
which installs and services home automation systems. Formed in 2002 after
Price sold Cheetah Technologies, Tempus has 50 employees in Manatee County. “While Clare Controls is a startup, the
owner’s track record for growing good jobs and the company’s technology and
business model give us confidence in helping to accelerate Clare’s hiring in
Manatee County,” said Hillstrom. The MEDC assisted the company in applying
for county and state incentives, and in permitting for facility
improvements. “Clare Controls is the
type of company Florida seeks to spark further growth in its information
technology sector, which is a target for economic development,” said Gray
Swoope, president & CEO of Enterprise Florida Inc., the state’s lead
economic development organization.
“Therefore, Clare’s selection of Florida and the new jobs involved are
more than welcome news. It’s a
validation of this state’s ability to meet the needs of both progressive
businesses and high-growth industries. |
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| “A
significant market opportunity exists in the home automation industry where
Clare’s solution will simplify the user experience and use the power of the
“Cloud” to achieve efficiency for the custom audio/video dealer and improve
customer satisfaction,” Price said. “We chose to locate Clare in Manatee
County because this has been a great community for our other businesses, with
the right combination of a business-friendly environment and excellent
quality of life.” Price said the
company is working on facility improvements for offices and engineering labs,
and investing in computers and test equipment. He plans to hire the first 39
employees in 2012. Job candidates may review openings at www.clarecontrols.com. |
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| “By
judiciously applying performance-based incentives and providing efficient
services to businesses that want to locate and expand in Manatee County, the
Manatee Board of County Commissioners is accelerating job creation for local
residents,” said Ed Hunzeker, Manatee County administrator. A list of Manatee
County's economic development incentives is available at
www.mymanatee.org/econ_dev. |
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| Companies
on the Move - 2011 |
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| Ipe Clip
Fastener Company LLC |
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October 3, 2011 – The Ipe Clip Fastener Company LLC has moved its
headquarters and manufacturing operations from South Carolina to Manatee
County where the company plans to add 80 employees over the next five years,
according to Sharon Hillstrom, interim executive director of the Manatee
Economic Development Council (EDC). Ipe Clip designs and manufactures a
patented line of hidden deck fasteners, deck building tools, stainless steel
screws, deck finishing products, and accessories. The Manatee Board of County Commissioners
approved $80,000 in performance-based incentives for Ipe Clip
(www.ipeclip.com). To qualify for the incentives, the company must hire 80
employees over the next five years at an average wage that is 15 percent
higher than the county average.
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| “Manatee
County provides us with the unique opportunity to employ the high-caliber
workforce and staff necessary to manage operations and facilitate future
growth,” said Doug Reid, in charge of media relations at Ipe Clip.
“Logistically, the location of shipping ports and major airports were also
huge considerations for our relocating to Manatee County. Members of the
investor group supporting our expansion live in the area and made the company
aware of the opportunity to locate here.”
Ipe Clip sells its products nationally and internationally. Reid said
that increased customer demand caused the company to outgrow its previous
15,000-square-foot facility in Gaffney, S.C. Ipe Clip began operations in
Manatee County in August at a 70,000-square-foot building near State Road 70
and U.S. 301. Ipe Clip uses plastic
injection molding, metal stamping, and CNC machining to produce tools and
deck-building accessories. As the company develops new products, it will add
equipment to expand its manufacturing operation, Reid said. |
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| Four
key employees moved with the company from South Carolina, but other positions
will be filled locally. Ipe Clip plans to fill 10 skilled positions and 40
unskilled by the end of 2012. Job candidates may submit their resumes to 2111
58th Avenue East, Bradenton, FL 34203
“The international reach of The Ipe Clip Fastener Company demonstrates
Manatee County’s viability as a location for manufacturing companies that
want to reach a global market,” Hillstrom said. “As with many corporate
relocation decisions, the key was having the right building available to
accommodate the business now and its expansion in the future.” “The Manatee EDC was crucial in providing
us with relocation services for key personnel,” Reid said. “We received some
wonderful relocation information packages that made the move easier for our
key employees. The EDC also provided great assistance with permitting
processes and locating various facilities that would fit our size
requirements.” “Attracting The Ipe
Clip manufacturing operation and its quality jobs reinforces the wisdom of
judiciously applying performance-based incentives, which is part of Manatee
County’s push to grow jobs, and grow them now,” said Ed Hunzeker, Manatee
County administrator. A list of Manatee County's economic development
incentives is available at www.mymanatee.org/econ_dev. |
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| Global Components |
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| September 12, 2011 Global Components Inc., a division of
U.K.-based plastic component manufacturer TCB-Arrow, has selected Manatee
County for its U.S. operations and plans to create 50 jobs over three years,
according to Sharon Hillstrom, interim executive director of the Manatee
Economic Development Council (EDC). Global Components designs, engineers and
manufactures plastic injection molded components as a contract manufacturer.
The company also provides high-tech assembly and produces its own automotive
ignition components. The Manatee Board
of County Commissioners approved $60,000 in performance-based incentives for
the company, matching a $240,000 commitment from Florida’s Qualified Target
Industry Tax Refund and Enterprise Zone incentive programs. Global Components
qualified for Enterprise Zone tax incentives based on the company’s location
on 17th Street East in the Palmetto/Manatee County Enterprise Zone. |
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| “We
have identified a number of excellent growth opportunities in the U.S. market
and want to be close to vendors, suppliers and customers in the automotive,
aviation, medical and high technology sectors,” said Global Components
President Lindsay Rolfe, whose business is based in Camberley Surrey, U.K.
“Manatee County is also a great jumping-off point for our expansion into
Central and South America. We plan to begin hiring in Manatee County by early
2012.” Global Components
(www.globalcomponentsinc.com) provides component and total assembly of
plastic injection-molded products and silicone valves. The company helps
customers take products from concept through design, engineering,
manufacturing, sales and distribution, Rolfe said. Global’s international
relationships help customers reach a worldwide market quickly, he said. |
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| In
addition to providing contract manufacturing for clients, Global makes its
own automotive ignition components that are sold worldwide. Rolfe said the
16,000-square-foot facility in Manatee County will include a “clean” room
that will be FDA-compliant, allowing Global to serve the medical industry and
other clients whose products require a specialized controlled production
environment. “In addition to the jobs
it will create, Global Components should be a magnet for the company’s
partner customers, subcontractors and suppliers,” Hillstrom said. “The
international relationships the company brings to Manatee County could pay
substantial dividends in the future.” The EDC assisted the company in
applying for state and local incentives, and facilitated Global’s interaction
with local governments. |
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| “The
Manatee EDC is almost like an extension of the business in this expansion,”
Rolfe said. “They seem to take a personal interest in helping with
permitting, introductions and advice. We appreciate the assistance provided
by Manatee County Government and the State of Florida, which will accelerate
our expansion and hiring locally.”
“The Global Components expansion into Manatee County demonstrates how
we can combine state economic development incentives with local dollars to
help businesses grow faster and add jobs now,” said Ed Hunzeker, Manatee
County administrator. Information on Manatee County's economic development
incentives, including the benefits of locating in the Enterprise Zone, is
available at www.mymanatee.org/econ_dev. |
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| C Products Defense Inc. |
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September
6, 2011 C
Products Defense Inc. has moved its manufacturing operation and distribution
arm from Connecticut to Manatee County where the company plans to add 100
employees in the next five years, according to Sharon Hillstrom, interim
executive director of the Manatee Economic Development Council (EDC). C
Products Defense (CPD) uses robotic welding units to manufacture ammunition
magazines for law enforcement, military and U.S. rifle manufacturers. The Manatee Board of County Commissioners
approved $100,000 in performance-based incentives for CPD. To qualify for the incentives, the company
must hire 100 employees over the next five years at an average wage that is
15 percent higher than the county average.
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| The
county’s rapid response permitting program expedited CPD’s move to an
existing 19,600-square-foot facility in south Manatee County. CPD’s sister
company, LCJ Wholesale (http://www.lcjwholesalestore.com/), also has located
in Manatee County and will distribute CPD’s magazines along with other
manufacturers’ products. “The state
has proven its commitment to manufacturers moving to Florida, where the
advantages for expansion and growth are exceptional. The state and Manatee
County understand the importance of manufacturing companies locating in
Florida,” said CPD President Larry Panka, Sr. |
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| Two
members of the existing management team have relocated from Connecticut, but
other positions will be filled locally. CPD will hire 15 employees in Manatee
County this year and 35 more in 2012. New jobs will range from assembly to
management. Job candidates may inquire via email to
jwalls@suncoastworkforce.org. LCJ Wholesale also will add employees over
time, Panka said. Both businesses give hiring preference to military
veterans. The company’s continuing
investment in robotic welding units represents “a commitment to quality and
our corporate goal to remain the leader in the industry,” said Panka. CPD
plans to become ISO certified within the next few months. |
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| “C
Products Defense’s precision manufacturing business is a welcome addition to
the defense and homeland security industry sector that already thrives in
Manatee County,” Hillstrom said. “The company’s growth and commitment to
sourcing its production needs within Florida will stimulate opportunities for
local suppliers, which should lead to even more job creation.” The EDC assisted the company in site
selection and applying for economic development incentives. The EDC also
worked with county government on facility permitting and connected CPD to
Suncoast Workforce for employee recruitment and training resources. |
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| “The
EDC helped us with employee training, site selection, the many incentive
programs, shortening the interview process for new hires, and much more,”
Panka said. “The EDC and Suncoast Workforce personnel have made our move here
seamless.” Panka also credited Community Bank & Company for understanding
CPD’s business and facilitating financing for the relocation. “The C Products Defense project
demonstrates how performance-based incentives through Manatee County
Government can accelerate job creation in our community,” said Ed Hunzeker,
Manatee County administrator. A list of Manatee County's economic development
incentives is available at www.mymanatee.org/econ_dev. |
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| Trojan
Powder Coating |
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| August
30, 2011 Trojan Florida Powder Coating, whose parent
company is based in Bay Shore, N.Y., is opening a facility in Manatee County
and plans to hire 30 employees over three years, according to Sharon
Hillstrom, associate director of the Manatee Economic Development Council
(EDC). The Manatee Board of County
Commissioners recently approved $18,000 in performance-based incentives to
match a $72,000 commitment from Florida’s Qualified Target Industry incentive
program. To qualify for the incentives, Trojan must provide an average annual
wage of at least $33,448 and hire 30 employees over three years. |
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| New York-based Trojan Powder Coating (www.trojanpowder.com)
provides environmentally safe powder coating services to other manufacturers
of aluminum and steel products. Trojan
coats architectural aluminum for window, door and skylights, as well as
lighting, architectural railings, fencing, retail displays, electrical and
many other products. The company,
which has 65 employees in New York, also powder coats with a process that
emulates wood grain and marble-like finishes. Powder coating increases
durability and creates an attractive finish. Trojan’s work is certified by
the American Architectural Manufactures Association, which is required for
many commercial and governmental applications of powder coating. |
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| “We
know from our existing customers and suppliers in the Southeast and Florida,
such as PGT Industries in Venice, that there is a tremendous need for a
certified powder coater in this region,” said Carl Troiano, president at
Trojan. “Manatee County is attractive
because of its central location to the entire state and proximity to other
southeastern states. By maintaining our facility in New York, we will be able
to cover the entire eastern United States and reduce shipping time and
costs.” |
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| The
company is locating in a 97,000-square-foot building in South Manatee County.
Operations should be under way by November, said Troiano, who invited job
candidates to email resumes to admin@trojanpowder.com. “Trojan Florida Powder Coating is a welcome
addition to the region’s manufacturing support businesses,” said Hillstrom.
“Trojan will be able to serve a large geographic area of customers from its
Manatee County location.” The EDC assisted the company in applying for
economic development incentives. “The
Trojan Florida Powder Coating project is another example of how Manatee
County's economic development incentives are helping to stimulate the
creation of new, quality jobs here," said Manatee County Administrator
Ed Hunzeker. A list of Manatee County's economic development incentives is
available at www.mymanatee.org/econ_dev. |
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| Rational Energies |
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| August 22, 2011 Minnesota-based
Rational Energies MC Inc. has selected Manatee County as the location for the
company’s first green energy manufacturing facility, according to Eric
Basinger, executive director of the Manatee Economic Development Council
(EDC). Rational Energies, which converts agricultural and municipal waste
into synthetic crude oil, plans to hire 21 employees in Manatee County by
early 2012. The Manatee Board of
County Commissioners recently approved $12,600 in performance-based
incentives to match a $63,000 commitment from the State of Florida’s
Qualified Tax Incentive program. To qualify for the incentives, the company
must hire 21 employees through 2012 at an average wage that is 15 percent
higher than the county average. Rational Energies’ renovation of an existing
36,000-square-foot facility in south Manatee County will be expedited through
the county’s rapid response permitting program. |
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| “We
considered other locations in Florida, as well as Georgia and Tennessee, for
our first production facility,” said Ed Driscoll, CEO at Rational Energies
(www.rationalenergies.com). “Manatee County was the most desirable because it
provided good access to waste materials we use in production, attractive
lease rates, and a cooperative and pro-active county staff.” “Rational Energies is a wonderful addition
to Florida’s green industry sector,” Basinger said. “The company is seeking
to become part of the solution to global challenges of dealing with municipal
waste and creating sustainable transportation fuels. Manatee County also
welcomes the manufacturing jobs that Rational Energies will bring.” The EDC
assisted the company in applying for economic development incentives and
working with county government on facility permitting. Rational Energies was formed in 2007 to
produce and market valuable commodities, such as crude oil, which are derived
from the material in municipal solid waste and agricultural residue. The
company uses plastics that otherwise would go to a landfill and produces a
very clean form of crude oil that refineries convert into high-value products
like gasoline and diesel fuel, Driscoll said. The Manatee County plant will
be the first in a global network of similar facilities, he said. |
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| “We
have an experienced technical and production team,” Driscoll said. “Our
Manatee County plant will convert roughly 15,000 tons per year of waste
plastics into 3 million gallons per year (71,000 barrels) of synthetic crude
oil.” The production process uses
commercially available equipment that grinds plastic and then slowly heats it
until it reverts to a liquid state. The process consumes very little water
and all discharged water is first treated on site. The company’s plant was
designed to have minimal impact on the site. No odor is associated, and noise
and truck traffic is typical of a small manufacturing business. Driscoll expects to complete hiring for the
Manatee County plant by early 2012. Job candidates may inquire via email to
hr@rationalenergies.com. |
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| "The
Rational Energies project is another example of how Manatee County's economic
development incentives package is contributing directly to the creation of
new, quality jobs here," said Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker.
"Over time, those jobs are going to add significant value to our
community." A list of Manatee
County's economic development incentives is available at
www.mymanatee.org/econ_dev. |
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| Grand Incentives |
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| August 11, 2011 Grand Incentives Inc., a travel and
lifestyle incentives membership and marketing company, is expanding its
Manatee County headquarters and plans to add 60 employees over the next five
years, according to Eric Basinger, executive director of the Manatee Economic
Development Council (EDC). The Manatee
Board of County Commissioners recently approved $60,000 in performance-based
incentives and an estimated $7,797 in impact fee incentives to facilitate the
company’s expansion. In addition, the company qualified for a Quick Response
Training grant from the State of Florida in the amount of $81,890 for
employee training. |
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| Grand
Incentives specializes in the administration and fulfillment of innovative
travel and lifestyle incentive programs. Headquartered in south Manatee
County, the company has operations in North, South and Central America
supported by over 95 employees in those offices. In addition, the company
offers a wide range of club membership products and related fulfillment
services to accommodate the needs of various client groups. “We recently acquired a significant membership
base from a large online travel company. Those members will become part of
our feature product, Coast to Coast Grand Getaways, a travel membership club
that caters to the avid traveler,” said Larry Biondi, chief operating officer
at Grand Incentives. “To support this large-scale effort, we are adding 9,200
square feet to our existing 14,000-square-foot headquarters operation, and we
plan to add 60 employees in membership services and supervisory positions.” |
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| “We
understand that many of the new employees at Grand Incentives will be hired
in the next 60 to 90 days, and the company is adding technology and
communications systems to support the expansion,” said Basinger, whose staff
assisted the company in applying for county incentives and rapid-response
permitting. “The fast track for this project is vital to the company, and to
local residents who may benefit from the jobs created at Grand
Incentives.” According to Biondi,
Coast to Coast Grand Getaways provides “best in class” experiences with major
discounts on resorts, vacation packages, adventure travel, cruises, hotels,
car rentals, railways and airfare. As a full-service travel agency, Grand
Incentives applies significant volume purchasing power to provide to its more
than 60,000 members substantial savings at over 3,500 resorts in 105
countries. “We enjoy having our
headquarters located in Manatee County, and are pleased that we will be able
to keep our expansion in the Bradenton-Sarasota area,” Biondi said. “The EDC
and Manatee County Government have helped us meet our timeline and have been
instrumental in assisting us with permitting and employee recruitment.”
Candidates for positions at Grand Incentives may inquire by sending email to
careers@grandincentives.com. |
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| The
Manatee Board of County Commissioners approved $60,000 in performance-based
incentives for Grand Incentives, which has committed to adding 60 new
employees over the next five years at 115 percent of the annual average wage
in Manatee County. The county also will provide transportation impact fee
incentives estimated at $7,797. Additionally, the company qualified for the
county’s rapid-response permitting program to expand the headquarters
facility. “The Manatee Board of
County Commissioners is focused on helping our community attract and retain
good jobs for local residents. By carefully applying performance-based
incentives to qualified expansions and relocations, and by making our own
governmental processes even more responsive to business, we can contribute to
economic growth,” said Ed Hunzeker, Manatee County administrator. A list of
Manatee County's economic development incentives is available at
www.mymanatee.org/econ_dev. “State
College of Florida is excited to assist Grand Incentives in coordinating
training for their new employees that will help boost our local economy,”
said Daisy Vulovich, associate vice president of Corporate and Community
Development at SCF. In the Quick Response Training grant process, the college
acts as the fiscal agent, coordinating the company’s training efforts with
the reimbursement of state funds available through Workforce Florida. In
addition, SCF will be a training provider, she said. |
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| CEC Motor
& Utility Services |
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| June 6, 2011 CEC Motor & Utility Services will
locate in Manatee County in 2011 to remanufacture industrial motors for high
energy efficiency. The company plans to create at least 36 jobs over the next
five years, according to Eric Basinger, executive director of the Manatee
Economic Development Council (EDC).
CEC Motor & Utility Services is a spin-off of Detroit-based CEC
Controls Co. Inc., which has a small sales office in Sarasota County. That
function will co-locate with the new company in a 21,000-square-foot building
in Palmetto. CEC Motor plans to renovate the existing building and invest
more than $1.25 million in facility improvements and equipment. The highly efficient motors that result
from our patented technology and remanufacturing process are the first of
their kind in North America,” said Jim Hough, chief operating officer for CEC
Motor. “Any user of industrial motors can take advantage of these
energy-saving devices. We expect strong sales growth in North America that
will drive job creation at our Manatee County location.” |
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| CEC
Motor considered several other locations, including Atlanta and Detroit,
where the parent company has offices. The company also considered locating
near test sites for the technology used in the remanufacturing process. “Manatee County’s readily available labor
pool and the helpful attitude of county government and the EDC attracted us,”
said Robert Scheper, president of both CEC Motor and the parent company. “We
appreciate the assistance with evaluating properties and understanding
permitting issues.” “We are excited to
welcome CEC Motor & Utility Services to Manatee County. High technology
manufacturing is a prime business sector for creating a more diverse economy
and generating high-impact jobs,” Basinger said. |
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| The
Manatee Board of County Commissioners approved a total of $126,000 in
performance-based incentives for CEC Motor, while the State of Florida
pledged $72,000. The company committed to creating 36 jobs over five years,
but according to Hough, the pace of job growth could be closer to 50 in that
timeframe. “By applying
performance-based incentives in a judicious way for qualified employers, the
Manatee Board of County Commissioners is helping our community attract and
retain good jobs for local residents,” said Ed Hunzeker, Manatee County
administrator. “The EDC, county and
state government enabled us to offset startup costs with incentives, allowing
us to further concentrate our capital on equipment and facility upgrades to
quickly bring our products to market,” Hough said. “The training funds that
they have proposed will help to accelerate our new employees training
establishing them as a qualified, competent work force in a short period of
time. |
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| xByte
Technologies |
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| May 2, 2011 xByte Technologies, a reseller of
Information Technology (IT) equipment, plans to more than double its
footprint in Manatee County and add 38 new jobs in the next five years,
according to Stephen Jaynes, chief operating officer and vice president of
sales. The Manatee Board of County Commissioners recently approved a $76,000
performance-based incentive grant to help facilitate the company’s
growth. "Sales are up in 2011 and
we are forecasting continued growth as we add more manufacturers’ product
lines to our inventory,” said Jaynes, who currently has 20 full-time
employees. “Our current warehouse is maxed out, and we are looking now for a
larger facility. As we grow, we’ll be adding employees throughout the
organization.” |
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| “xByte
Technologies relocated to Manatee County in 2003, and we are encouraged to
see that the company is experiencing strong forward momentum, even in a slow
economy,” said Eric Basinger, executive director of the Manatee Economic
Development Council, which assisted the company in applying for the county
grant. “Because xByte is in the secondary market of refurbishing and
reselling quality IT brands, the demand for their products from
cost-conscious businesses makes sense.”
The company, formerly known as The Old Store Inc., rebranded with the
xByte Technologies label in August to better reflect its core business.
Currently, the company specializes in Dell, HP and IBM equipment. Jaynes said
the business has more than 100,000 network servers, data storage solutions
and parts in inventory, all inspected and refurbished by xByte employees. The
company maintains supplies of parts for several generations of the
manufacturers’ products, which allows customers to gain a longer life from
their existing systems. |
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| Jaynes
said one reason for the company’s uptick in sales in 2011 is a new website
with an e-commerce function that he says is unique in the IT secondary
market. It allows customers to customize and select computer servers, storage
devices and parts. Then the program recalculates the price in real time.
“This system saves our customers a lot of time,” said Jaynes, adding that
employees are available to assist customers by phone or online chat, as
well. “This is a great region for us,
and we are growing our sales locally, as well as nationally and
internationally,” Jaynes said. The company has been challenged to find
qualified technical sales staff and has reached out to the EDC and Suncoast
Workforce for assistance in recruiting employees. xByte also is involved with
the Suncoast Technology Forum and the Manatee Chamber of Commerce technology
committee to support IT education and training in the region, Jaynes said. |
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| “Performance-based
incentives are helping Manatee County’s growing businesses add jobs for local
residents,” said Ed Hunzeker, Manatee County administrator. Employers receive
funds only if they add and retain employees at an annual average wage that is
at least 15 percent higher than the county average, he said. Manatee County offers several incentives to
businesses wishing to relocate or expand in Manatee County. |
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| A list of Manatee County's economic development
incentives is available at www.mymanatee.org/econ_dev. |
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| Creonix |
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April 18, 2011 Creonix LLC, an advanced electronics manufacturing services company,
is expanding its Manatee County facility and plans to add 105 employees over
the next five years, according to Eric Basinger, executive director of the
Manatee Economic Development Council (EDC).
Creonix, which has been in business since 1988, provides electronic
manufacturing services for leading companies in the medical, military,
aerospace, and industrial sectors. Creonix’s capabilities include complex box
build and systems integration, cable and wire harness manufacturing, and
advanced printed circuit board assembly and test, both functional and
in-circuit. “In the past year, Creonix
has more than doubled revenues, because of our dedication to building
strategic partnerships with our growing customers,” said Creonix President
Ken Piela. “Manatee County has been proactive and very helpful with our
expansion. We are increasing our Manatee County footprint by 25 percent and
we continue to invest in new, leading-edge manufacturing equipment.”
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“Creonix ultimately made its decision based on the
business case for expanding its operations at a facility in Manatee County.
Performance-based incentives approved by the Manatee Board of County
Commissioners also encouraged Creonix to stay and grow in the Bradenton
area,” Basinger said. The Manatee
Board of County Commissioners approved a total of $121,000 in
performance-based incentives for Creonix. Manatee County offers several
incentives to businesses wishing to relocate or expand in Manatee County. A
list of Manatee County's economic development incentives is available at www.mymanatee.org/econ_dev. “By applying performance-based incentives
in a judicious way for qualified employers, the Manatee Board of County
Commissioners is helping our community attract and retain good jobs for local
residents,” said Ed Hunzeker, Manatee County administrator.
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| Tropicana Products, Inc. |
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| February 23, 2011 Tropicana Products, Inc. is reinforcing its
64-year commitment to its Manatee County facility and employees with a
multi-million-dollar investment in a new building, equipment and workforce
training. According to Eric Basinger, executive director of the Manatee
Economic Development Council (EDC), rapid-response permitting through Manatee
County Government helped accelerate the pace of Tropicana’s move to clear,
plastic bottles. Last summer, the company converted Trop50 to a very
successful new bottle that has helped contribute to growth of more than 50
percent. In February, it began transitioning its flagship Tropicana Pure
Premium brand to a new bottle in the western region of the U.S. and has plans
for expanded distribution. “Tropicana
had many choices of location for this project, and we are thrilled the
company chose to reinvest in its original home in Manatee County,” said Ed
Hunzeker, Manatee County administrator. “The county’s rapid-response
permitting program was designed for this very purpose: to accelerate the
investment by qualified businesses in their local facilities.” |
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| Tropicana
is replacing outdated structures by building a 36,000-square-foot, $4-million
facility for manufacturing. It also is investing in state-of-the-art
equipment for the new bottle. “Rapid
response permitting is making a huge difference for us in meeting market
demand for Tropicana products in our innovative new packaging,” said Michael
Haycock, Tropicana vice president of operations. “We can’t say enough about
how positive our experience has been working with the EDC and Manatee County
Government.” “The EDC is proud to
facilitate an outstanding working relationship between Tropicana, a legacy
employer in our community, and Manatee County Government to speed
construction and help the company begin its new manufacturing approach to
meet consumer demand,” Basinger said. |
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Manatee
County Economic Incentives Support Creation of
Over 2,800 Potential Jobs Since Program’s Inception
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January 25, 2011 Companies approved for economic development incentive
grants by the Manatee Board of County Commissioners in the past two years
plan to create or retain over 2,800 jobs in the next five years, according to
Manatee County Government and the Manatee Economic Development Council
(EDC). “Manatee County Government has
stepped up in a big way to support incentives for business retention,
expansion and relocation of quality jobs for local residents. The results are
starting to pay off with a brighter future for the local economy,” said
Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker.
Since the grant program was implemented in 2009, the county has
approved a total of almost $3.5 million in various incentives to 32 different
companies planning to create or retain a total of 2,844 jobs. The average
wage of those jobs is $48,278, which is 43 percent higher than the average
wage in the county. The companies assisted are in targeted industries that
tend to provide high-impact jobs. Examples include corporate headquarters,
medical manufacturing, financial services and information technology, among
many others.
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| The
return on investment to the community from the incentives program is
substantial, according to Karen Stewart, economic development manager in
Manatee County’s Neighborhood Services Department. For example, including
payroll from direct and indirect jobs, plus capital expenditures and
estimated new property taxes, one company’s $333,732 incentive package is
estimated to return almost $80 million to the local economy and $367,440 in
taxes over five years. The EDC is
implementing a multi-year strategy that outlines tactics in the areas of
workforce development; entrepreneur and technology development; business
recruitment and international trade; and business retention and expansion.
While many of the EDC’s traditional efforts as a vital business resource for
existing companies must and will continue, according to EDC Executive
Director Eric Basinger, the new plan calls for unprecedented efforts in the
recruitment of high-impact employment providers drawn from across the United
States and around the globe. |
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| “The
partnership between Manatee County Government and the EDC is essential to
creating and retaining jobs,” Basinger said. “Exceeding the milestone of
2,800 jobs is a magnificent accomplishment. It really shows that the sky is
the limit. If we can do this in a couple of years, imagine what we can do in
a good economy. We have the outreach plan in place, we’re producing leads,
and there are more potential jobs in the pipeline.” |
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| Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) |
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| January 21, 2011 Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
(LECOM) presented plans for the LECOM School of Dental Medicine in Lakewood
Ranch, a project facilitated by incentives totaling $203,300 approved by the
Manatee Board of County Commissioners.
LECOM plans to invest $52 million to bring the dental school to
Manatee County and will employ nearly 200 individuals including dental
faculty, administrators and dental hygienists, along with technical,
administrative and other support staff,
The EDC assisted LECOM in applying for performance-based incentives
from Manatee County Government. “We are excited to bring this substantial
investment and important educational opportunity to Manatee County,” said
Robert Hirsch, D.D.S., dean of the LECOM School of Dental Medicine. “The
direct impact of institutional, employee and student spending should reach
approximately $14 million in the Bradenton area, and as much as $35 million
through direct and indirect spending statewide.” |
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| The
Manatee Board of County Commissioners approved an economic development
incentive grant of up to $174,000 over four years and transportation impact
fee refunds of up to $29,300. The incentives are based on LECOM’s commitment
to hire 58 new employees over four years at an annual average wage that is at
least 15 percent higher than the county average. The Florida Commission for Independent
Education has provisionally approved the dental school at LECOM's Bradenton
campus in Lakewood Ranch. LECOM is awaiting initial accreditation in February
from the Commission on Dental Accreditation, at which time the college is
expected to recruit students for the dental school, which will be only the
third in Florida. |
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| The
LECOM School of Dental Medicine will open in Bradenton for classes in 2012.
The school’s first class will enroll 100 first-year students. Within four
years of its inaugural class, the School of Dental Medicine will enroll 400
students. In addition, dental clinics
staffed by faculty and students will be able to treat up to 600 patients per
day providing dental health care for many who are currently underserved. Only
those patients whose treatment regimen meets the educational requirements of
the dental school will be accepted. |
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| Oshkosh Corp. |
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| January 6, 2011 Manatee Economic Development Council and
Pinellas County Economic Development announced that through Florida economic
development assistance, Oshkosh Corp., a Fortune 350 company, is expanding
its Pierce Manufacturing and Frontline Communications operations in
Florida. The result could add up to
200 jobs in Bradenton and Clearwater in 2011.
After an extensive review, the Fire and Emergency segment of Oshkosh
Corporation has decided to relocate two of its businesses -- Medtec
Ambulances and Oshkosh Specialty Vehicles (OSV) -- and consolidate them with
two other existing business units in Florida.
Medtec Ambulance will be relocated and consolidated with Pierce
Manufacturing in Bradenton, while OSV will be relocated and merged with
Frontline Communications in Clearwater.
The existing Fire & Emergency operations in Florida currently
employ approximately 450. |
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| Enterprise
Florida and the governor’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development
worked with local officials and economic development organizations to assist
the company’s relocations. The planned
relocations qualify Oshkosh for up to $1.44 million in economic development
incentives. Contributors included: state of Florida, $1,074,000; Manatee
Board of County Commissioners, $333,732; and Pinellas County Government,
$40,000. |
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| Medtec
Ambulance Corp. will relocate its current manufacturing operations in Goshen,
Indiana and White Pigeon, Michigan to existing facilities of Pierce
Manufacturing Inc. in Bradenton. Approximately 100 to 150 highly-skilled
manufacturing and office employees will be added to Pierce’s Bradenton
operations as a result of this consolidation. Similar to its other
operations, the company will install a state-of-the-art, flexible assembly
line that will allow multiple vehicle types to be assembled in the Bradenton
facility. In addition, OSV will
relocate its Harvey and Calumet City, Illinois manufacturing operations to
Florida where they will be consolidated with Frontline Communications, an
Oshkosh company located in Clearwater. Approximately 50 manufacturing and
office employees, at 150% of the Pinellas County average wage, will be added
to Frontline’s Clearwater operations as a result of this consolidation, which
will improve the overall competitiveness of the businesses for the long term. |
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| Medtec
is a leading North American manufacturer of custom ambulance vehicles. Pierce
Manufacturing is the worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of fire
apparatus and other emergency vehicles. Pierce Florida will manufacture
Medtec products at the Bradenton location while still producing its own
portfolio of emergency vehicle products. Medtec will continue to operate as a
separate brand, with Medtec manufacturing operations combining with Pierce
Florida in Bradenton. Frontline
Communications is a premier manufacturer of command and communications
vehicles and broadcast vehicles in Clearwater. OSV is a global leader in high
technology mobile medical imaging vehicles and high technology transportable
and re-locatable trailers and shelters for military and commercial
applications. |
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| It
Works Global |
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| January 4, 2011 It Works Global
Inc. will relocate its corporate headquarters from Grand Rapids, Mich., to
Manatee County in January 2011 – a move that will add 90 jobs over the next
three years, according to It Works CEO Mark Pentecost. The company qualified
for state and local performance-based incentives totaling $799,785. It Works’ innovative products have made the
company a trailblazer in the direct sales industry, Pentecost said. One of
its flagship products, the Ultimate Body Applicator™, is a naturally based,
detoxifying, body-contouring wrap that produces tightening, toning and
firming results in 45 minutes, he said. The company also offers an extensive
array of premium nutritional supplements and a line of luxury skincare
products. |
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| “We’re
excited to welcome It Works Global to Manatee County,” said Eric Basinger,
executive director of the Manatee Economic Development Council, which is
assisting It Works with the relocation. “With the help of performance-based
incentives approved by the Manatee Board of County Commissioners and the
State of Florida, we were able to focus the company’s relocation plans toward
Manatee County, which will generate good jobs for local residents.” The company is planning to renovate the
Stoneybrook Golf Club facility in Bradenton.
Director of Distributor Relations Steve Neeson explains, “We are
looking forward to pampering our distributors by regularly hosting red carpet
events, leadership retreats and training seminars. It will also serve as a
place for our distributors to come relax and enjoy their time together.” |
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| It
Works will lease additional space at another Bradenton location. Pentecost
expects the corporate headquarters to be operating in Manatee County in
January 2011. “At It Works Global we
really embrace an inspiring, youthful, active, and vibrant corporate
culture,” explained Pentecost. “The fact that we will now be operating out of
the beautiful Stoneybrook Golf Club in the sunny state of Florida will
amplify these values. Within three years, we plan to move much of our
operations down to Manatee County.”
“Our corporate office shares its success with a close-knit community
of approximately 18,000 independent distributors who conduct sales in the
United States, Canada, Europe and Australia,” said Director of Marketing Pam
Sowder. It Works Independent Distributor Denise Walsh explains, “Mark wants
others to experience the same success that he has, and now works tirelessly
to give people an amazing opportunity with It Works.” |
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| Over
the next three years, Pentecost plans to develop a call center and shipping
operations in Manatee County. The company’s executive team and some of its
existing 45-member staff will make the move to Bradenton, and additional
employees will be recruited in the areas of accounting and finance, customer
service, creative functions, marketing, and project management. Candidates
for career opportunities with It Works Global should send email to
projectparadise@itworks.net. “By
judiciously applying local performance-based incentives to this project, the
Manatee Board of County Commissioners continues to demonstrate its commitment
to working with the Manatee Economic Development Council and the State of
Florida in supporting the growth of good jobs in our community,” said Manatee
County Administrator Ed Hunzeker. |
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| Pentecost
noted that before he narrowed his focus to Manatee County, he worked with
both the Manatee EDC and the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota
County. “We all met together, and it was seamless, like one organization just
trying to help make the best decision possible for my business,” he said.
“The assistance we have received has been well organized and well run. We’re
confident that as we make the move, our people will feel welcome and at home
in Florida. It Works Global is looking forward to building a relationship
with the people and community of Manatee County.” |
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| Companies
on the Move - 2010 |
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| Dynamic
Innovations LLC |
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| October 26, 2010 Dynamic Innovations
LLC, a defense-based engineering and manufacturing company that specializes
in applications for advanced composite materials, has relocated to a larger
facility and plans to add 100 employees in the next 12 months, according to
Alan Taylor, president and chief engineer at the Palmetto-based company. A
$41,000 performance-based incentive grant approved today by the Manatee Board
of County Commissioners will help facilitate the company’s growth. "We’re excited to build on our
traditional defense contracts into high-end consumer and commercial product
markets allowing us to showcase our innovations in material science,
engineering and high-speed, precision manufacturing,” said Taylor, who
currently employs 15 people. “The grant from Manatee County will allow us to
speed up the addition of equipment, facilities improvements and hiring to
support our growth.” |
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| “Dynamic
Innovations has exciting plans for expanding on its solid base in defense
contracts,” said Eric Basinger, executive director of the Manatee Economic
Development Council, which assisted the company in applying for the county
grant. “In a difficult economy, it’s gratifying to see another innovative
business in Manatee County that is creating new products and adding
employees.” |
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| Taylor
said part of the company’s growth is being fueled by its association with the
Demmer Corp., a large defense contractor that acquired 90 percent of the
company in April. The Demmer connection drives more business for Dynamic
Innovation’s products such as composite armored plating for vehicles and
ruggedized computer cases. Composite
materials, the company’s specialty, are lighter weight and much stronger than
materials traditionally used for such applications, he said. The company also
has created ways to use conductive composite materials to more efficiently
move heat out of hot electronic components. In addition to the defense
products, Taylor is planning a line of upscale consumer products that
showcase the company’s materials and design. Examples include a $7,000
briefcase to be marketed through luxury car brands, as well as a line of
travel cases. The products will be marketed through the brand name Clad Cases
(cladcases.com). Dynamic Innovations
also has developed a relationship with local audio technology innovators at
Sleek Audio in Palmetto to manufacture Sleek’s products that formerly were
produced in Asia. |
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| Taylor
said the company will hire mechanical engineers, electrical engineers and
industrial designers, as well as technically skilled manufacturing employees
over the next year. Employment candidates may send their resumes via email to
hr@d-inno.com. |
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| “Performance-based
incentives are helping Manatee County businesses add jobs now,” said Ed
Hunzeker, Manatee County administrator. “Employers receive funds only if they
add and retain employees at an annual average wage that is at least 115
percent of the county average.” |
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| Natural Prosthetic
Dental Lab Inc. |
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| October 5, 2010 Natural Prosthetic Dental Lab Inc., a
26-year-old Bradenton company, announced today it will expand its facility
and hire 283 employees over the next five years to support demand for
digitally produced dental restorations. The announcement was made by NPDL
President and Chief Operating Officer Eric Grimes, who said the company has
teamed with global technology giant 3M to establish a revolutionary digital
technology pathway that cuts production time and costs, allowing NPDL to move
work back to the United States from China.
“NPDL is on the leading edge of ushering in the digital revolution of
dentistry,” said Grimes, who estimates the capital investment for the project
at $10 million. “We have spent nearly two years working with 3M on the
technology pathway that is now operational, and we have established a
business model that will allow us to resell the scanning devices and become a
training provider for digital dentistry in the United States.” |
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| Like
most dental labs, NPDL has made dental prosthetics – crowns, bridges, implant
restorations and removable prosthetics – using dental impressions provided by
dentists. The traditional impression process requires a tray of impression
material that has to set up in the patient’s mouth. Creating the prosthetics
is often done overseas with cheaper labor, Grimes said. With the new digital
technology, NPDL can afford to bring manufacturing back to Bradenton. NPDL will train dentists to use a digital
scanner to map out a patient’s dental structure. The scan is sent
electronically to NPDL where the digital information is processed. NPDL then
fabricates the restoration to the doctor’s prescription. The digital process
is faster and more precise than traditional methods, Grimes said. Manufacturing dental prosthetics is a
$60-billion dollar industry worldwide, Grimes estimated. The largest lab in
the United States has less than a 2 percent share of the market. Grimes and
partners David Jensen, Dennis Cooley and Steven Pinto expect NPDL to grow
five to 10 times its current size within three years. |
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| “The
only way to compete with overseas cheap labor is with technology,” Grimes
said. “We’ve been working with 3M for years, since they are a leader in
dental materials, and we saw the writing on the wall. Within the decade,
digital dentistry will be the standard. We want to lead that wave and grab
market share. Before we even announced the expansion, we had achieved our
three-year sales goal. The equipment is set up and operating, but we are in
very tight space.” NPDL plans to break
ground this fall on a new 15,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in East
Bradenton. The expansion will allow the business to consolidate other local
operations at one site, he said. The new building could be ready by spring
2011. The Riverside Real Estate Co. and NDC Construction Co. are assisting
with the project. “The Manatee
Economic Development Council (EDC) and Manatee County Government have been
tremendously helpful in our achieving this expansion,” Grimes said. “The EDC
helped us apply for a county incentive grant, and we will use the county’s
rapid response permitting to get the facility up and running so we can add
more employees.” |
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| “It’s
exciting to assist a local company that is poised to take such a giant leap
in its industry,” said Eric Basinger, EDC executive director. “Our next step
is assisting with the facility permitting and employee recruitment. NPDL also
is forming a partnership with a local training institution to create a
pipeline of students that are trained in the new technology.” NPDL declined
to name which institutions are in the running for that role. The Board of
Manatee County Commissioners approved a performance-based incentive for NPDL
of up to $283,000 over five years, based on the company’s hiring 283 new
employees at an average wage that is 115 percent of the county average. “I understand that NPDL’s president/COO is a
sixth-generation Floridian who was born and raised in Bradenton, said Ed
Hunzeker, Manatee County administrator. “This kind of local success story
reinforces the county’s commitment to providing the right assistance to help
retain and grow Manatee County businesses.” |
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| Wide
World Security Inc. |
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| August 11, 2010 Wide World Security Inc. of Bradenton plans
to hire up to 100 employees over five years to operate a $35-million
headquarters and training center for security and first-responder personnel
on 400 acres in eastern Manatee County, according to Eric Basinger, executive
director of the Manatee Economic Development Council (EDC). The EDC assisted
the start-up company in successfully applying for $178,330 in incentives from
the Manatee Board of County Commissioners.
Located 11 miles east of Interstate-75 on SR 70, the facility will
provide training to meet the needs of police, fire, emergency management
agencies and private security agencies, according to Lyle Allen, president
and CEO of Wide World Security. The first phase is slated to open in the
first half of 2011 and will include a 25,000-square-foot command center,
office and training center with an indoor shooting range. Initially, the
business will employ 15 instructors and operations personnel. |
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| “Our owner and founder, Dell Hyland, has
lived in Lakewood Ranch since 2002 and wanted to locate the facility in this
area,” said Allen, who says the company plans to add up to 100 employees over
five years. “The Manatee Economic Development Council and Manatee County
Government have made a huge difference in helping to move the project
forward. They have all the right people at the table and are helping us make
valuable connections.” “Homeland
security technologies and training continue to be growth industries,” said
Basinger, whose organization is also assisting the company with workforce
recruitment, training and rapid response permitting through county
government. “The Wide World Security training center has been designed to
meet the needs of multiple, diverse markets, from fire departments to
personal security for celebrities.” |
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| The
Manatee Board of County Commissioners approved up to $100,000 over five years
in performance-based incentives for the company as the business hires
employees. The average annual wage provided by the company must exceed 115%
of the county average wage for Wide World Security to receive grant funds. In
addition, commissioners approved a refund of $78,330 for transportation
impact fees once the company has received its certificate of occupancy on the
first phase. “Performance-based
incentives from Manatee County are helping to create jobs in our community
for local residents,” said County Administrator Ed Hunzeker. “Our rapid
response team is focused on meeting the needs of growing businesses that
deliver well-paying jobs.” |
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| Wide
World Security Inc. of Bradenton was formed in 2009 to provide private
security services, in addition to developing the multi-use training center.
The company is led by two disabled military veterans, Dell Hyland and Lyle
Allen. Hyland is a 17-year veteran of the security industry following a
successful career in the US Marine Corps. Allen is a decorated US Army
veteran, combat engineer and recruiter. Pending approval by state regulators,
the company will provide security personnel for corporate and residential
clients, as well as executive and celebrity protection. Wide World also will
provide private investigator services. The training center and its services
will be available to public and private agencies. Instructors will be
qualified to provide training for police, fire, hazardous materials and FEMA,
as wells private security agencies. The center will also be certified by the
Veterans’ Administration, said Allen. |
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| Mustang Vacuum Systems |
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August 2, 2010 An $184,842 training grant will help
Mustang Vacuum Systems LLC ramp up operations in its new facility in Manatee
County where the company plans to add 125 jobs in the next three years,
according to Eric Basinger, executive director of the Manatee Economic
Development Council (EDC). “The EDC
and State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) were instrumental in
helping us apply for the training grant and design the right programs for a
wide range of skills,” said Richard Greenwell, president of Mustang Vacuum
Systems LLC. “With this grant, training programs will be implemented for up
to 125 employees, including welders, IT specialists, engineers, electricians,
scientists, salespeople and managers. Our technical skills requirements in
manufacturing are highly specialized, so we needed a customized approach to
training. SCF and the EDC helped us achieve that goal.”
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| Mustang
moved into a 50,000-square-foot facility in Sarasota Commerce Center in South
Manatee County earlier this year. The company, which has 32 employees,
manufactures equipment used by solar cell manufacturers. Mustang’s expanded
production capacity will drive down the cost of solar energy for consumers by
incorporating technologies into solar cell production that will reduce costs
as well as increase efficiency of the cells, Greenwell said. Mustang Vacuum Systems LLC, an affiliate of
Mustang Dynamometer, manufactures vacuum coating and metalizing equipment,
including sputtering machines, optical coating units, and batch metalizers.
With assistance from the EDC and consultant Ryan Inc., Mustang successfully
applied for state and local performance-based incentive grants in 2009 to
facilitate its expansion. |
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“We
are excited to assist such an entrepreneurial company that is adding so much
to our local economy and is making significant contributions to the clean
energy industry,” said Daisy Vulovich, associate vice president of Corporate
and Community Development at SCF. In the Quick Response Training grant
process, the college acts as the fiscal agent, coordinating the company’s
training efforts with the reimbursement of state funds available through
Workforce Florida. In addition, SCF will be a training provider, she
said. “The EDC strongly recommends
that Manatee County businesses examine their training needs and consider
taking advantage of available grants,” Basinger said. “During difficult
market periods, creating a highly productive and motivated workforce is even
more vital in making your business more competitive and profitable.”
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| UTC Fire & Security |
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| July 30, 2010 UTC Fire & Security – a business unit
of United Technologies Corp. – will preserve 227 jobs and add 23 new jobs in
Manatee County by locating the headquarters for its Global Security Products,
Global Fire Products and Fire & Security Services groups in an existing
facility in Lakewood Ranch, according to Eric Basinger, executive director of
the Manatee Economic Development Council. The company will also establish a
new fire research and test center in West Palm Beach. "When UTC Fire & Security acquired
GE Security earlier this year, we were understandably concerned about the
future of the 227 jobs at the former GE Security facility in Manatee County,”
Basinger said. “With the help of performance-based incentives approved by the
Manatee Board of County Commissioners and the State of Florida, we were able
to work with UTC Fire & Security to locate certain unit headquarters
operations in Manatee County. This ensures that the operations and the jobs
associated with the local facility will not only remain, but will grow.” |
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| In
a statement issued by Gov. Charlie Crist’s office today, UTC Fire &
Security President William Brown commented that the consolidation of these
businesses in Florida allows the company to make best use of existing
facilities while serving its growing global customer base. “The incentive
from the state of Florida has allowed us to maximize our state-of-the-art
training facilities, product research laboratories, customer demonstration
areas and available office space," he said. |
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| “The
location of UTC Fire & Security’s Global Fire Products and Global
Security Products world headquarters in Manatee County will retain 227
well-paying jobs and add 23 new jobs,” said Manatee County Administrator Ed
Hunzeker. “By judiciously applying local performance-based incentives to this
project, the Manatee Board of County Commissioners continues to demonstrate
its commitment to working with the Manatee Economic Development Council and
the State of Florida in supporting the growth of good jobs in our
community.” The Manatee Board of
County Commissioners approved a local match for state incentives, as well as
a county incentive program grant for the company. Manatee County’s total
participation will not exceed $92,000 over five years and will only be paid
out as the company retains and adds high-wage jobs. |
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| UTC
Fire & Security provides fire safety and security solutions to more than
1 million customers worldwide. Headquartered in Farmington, Connecticut, UTC
Fire & Security is a business unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:
UTX), which provides high technology products and services to the building
and aerospace industries worldwide. |
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| Trinity Graphics USA |
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| American Finishing Inc. |
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| June 28, 2010 Trinity Graphics USA and American
Finishing Inc., two companies approved for incentive grants by the Manatee
County Commission on June 22, plan to add nearly 50 employees in the next
five years. |
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| Trinity
Graphics USA, which has been in the news for its relationship with the
Hillstrand brothers of the vessel Time Bandit from the Deadliest Catch
television show, recently began producing graphic inserts for Tervis Tumbler
Company, the Venice-based firm that makes insulated drinkware. Trinity
specializes in creating product labels and other specialty design and printed
products. “We’re printing 5,000 units
a day for Tervis, and they want us to ramp up to 8,000 as soon as possible,”
said Trinity owner Robert Smithson. “That means we need to buy more equipment
and increase staffing. We are planning to have a 24/7 shift system.” Trinity is expanding into an additional
6,500 square feet of a building that the company already owns and is
purchasing additional equipment for an estimated capital investment of nearly
$2 million, Smithson said. The company plans to add 23 new jobs over the next
five years. Commissioners approved up to $1,000 per job over five years for a
maximum of $23,000 in performance-based incentives for the company. |
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| American
Finishing Inc., a metal fabricating and powder coating business, is
purchasing two vacant buildings totaling 50,000 square feet to increase
production capacity and create 25 new jobs over the next five years. The
company will occupy one building immediately and lease the other until needed
for future expansion. The capital investment for the two buildings and the
required renovation is $1.5 million. Commissioners approved up to $1,000 per
job over five years for a maximum of $25,000 in performance-based incentives
for the company. |
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| “The
incentive grants provided by Manatee County Government, which the companies
only receive if they hire and retain employees at wages that exceed the
county average, were vital in helping these growing businesses expand and
hire in our community,” Basinger said.
“Expediting expansions by American Finishing and Trinity Graphics in
cooperation with the EDC exemplifies the ‘business friendly’ climate we want
to promote in Manatee County,” said Ed Hunzeker, Manatee County
administrator. “The Manatee Board of County Commissioners has made retaining
and growing good jobs one of its top priorities.” “The Manatee Economic Development Council
was wonderful in helping us with the grant application,” Smithson said. “EDC
staff explained all of the details about the county’s incentive program.” |
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| IMG
Academies |
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May 11, 2010 Manatee County’s economy continues to
score new jobs as IMG Academies plans to add 65 employees over the next three
years with the help of local incentives approved today by the Manatee Board
of County Commissioners. IMG Academies
– the world’s largest and most advanced multi-sport training facility for
athletic, academic and personal development – will need the additional
employees to staff new programs, including the IMG Madden Football Academy,
IMG Lacrosse Academy and additional upcoming programs. IMG also plans to
construct a 50,000 sq. ft. dormitory in 2012, with a total of $25 million in
capital investments on the campus in the next five years, according to Chip
McCarthy, director of finance, planning and development at IMG
Academies.
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| “To
continue serving as a world leader in athletic, academic and personal
development, we needed to strategically expand and enhance our facilities and
programs, while providing employees to staff new initiatives,” McCarthy said.
“This grant not only helps our growth and assists our efforts to provide a
significant economic impact, but confirms that Manatee County fully supports
its valued businesses and wants to ensure a bright future for the county’s
economy and workforce.” Sports
performance is a targeted industry in the EDC’s five-year strategy to bring
more jobs to Manatee County residents and create more wealth in the
community, Basinger said. The EDC helped facilitate IMG’s application for
county incentives. “IMG Academies is a
world-renowned sports performance destination for professional and amateur
athletes,” Basinger said. “In addition to the jobs IMG provides, the
academy’s students fuel the local economy through rental accommodations,
retail purchases and restaurant visits.” |
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| IMG
Academies has played a significant role in the area’s economy since opening
as a tennis-only establishment with a handful of students more than 30 years
ago. Since then, the Academy has expanded to seven sports, while attracting
more than 12,000 youth, adult, collegiate and professional athletes from more
than 80 countries annually. Additional events like this summer’s 2010 High
School National Championships and yearly Eddie Herr International Junior
Tennis Championships will bring thousands more to the area. “Bringing good jobs to Manatee County
residents is vital to our community’s sustainability,” said Ed Hunzeker,
Manatee County administrator.
“Performance-based incentives for adding good jobs help us attract and
retain employers that our community wants and needs.” The county incentives included up to
$65,000 over five years, and IMG only receives funds as jobs are provided. Jobs
provided by the company must meet or exceed an annual average wage of
$38,619, which is 115 percent of the average wage in Manatee County. |
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| Exactech |
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| Home-Tech |
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| February 24, 2010 There’s more good news on the employment
front in Manatee County with two companies announcing plans to add a combined
51 employees over the next five years with the help of local incentives
approved by Manatee County Government, according to Eric Basinger, executive
director of the Manatee Economic Development Council (EDC). Exactech (NASDQ:EXAC), a medical
manufacturer that located a facility in Manatee County in 2008, plans to add
five more employees in 2010 and a total of 29 over the next five years.
Home-Tech, which provides repair and replacement services for air
conditioning systems and major appliances, will construct a new building for
its regional headquarters in Manatee County and add 22 jobs over five years. |
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| “More,
good jobs for the community is great news any time, and particularly in the
current economic climate,” Basinger said. “The EDC was glad to be part of
bringing Exactech and Home-Tech to the community and helping them grow here.” “Manatee County’s can-do attitude toward
businesses that want to locate and grow here is paying off with jobs for
local residents,” said Ed Hunzeker, Manatee County administrator. “Performance-based incentives for adding
good jobs and rapid response permitting for companies that are building or
renovating a facility help us attract and retain employers that our community
wants and needs.” |
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| Gainesville, Fla.-based Exactech established a new
facility in south Manatee County in 2008 to manufacture surgical instruments
used to implant the company’s joint replacement devices. The company began
production in the facility in 2009, and expects to add employees as the
business brings more previously out-sourced manufacturing in-house, according
to John Pelc, Exactech vice president of operations. The company’s
Gainesville headquarters currently designs and manufactures orthopaedic
devices that are used by surgeons in more than 30 countries around the world. |
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| “The
positions we will add in Manatee County will be in a range of professions
including machinists, quality engineers and other professional positions,”
Pelc said. “The resource pool in Manatee County is allowing us to rapidly
ramp-up our surgical instrument manufacturing operation, which will provide a
significant competitive advantage to drive our long-term growth.” |
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| Home-Tech was founded in 1981 by
Steve Marino, the company’s president and chairman of the board. The
privately held company employs more than 110 people and provides services in
Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Sarasota and Manatee counties, according to the
company’s Web site. |
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| The
county incentives included up to $58,000 for Exactech to add 29 jobs over the
next five years. Home-Tech could receive up to $22,000 for adding 21 jobs
over five years, plus the company is eligible for $5,743 in impact fee
refunds. Jobs provided by the companies must exceed the county annual average
wage of $33,582 for the incentives to apply. |
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| Oliphant Financial LLC |
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| Star2Star
Communications LLC |
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| February 9, 2010 Two companies that received incentive
grants from Manatee County Government today plan to add up to 210 employees
in 2010, according to Eric Basinger, executive director of the Economic
Development Council (EDC), a division of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce.
Oliphant Financial LLC, a debt buyer and software provider to that industry,
plans to add 100 to 150 jobs in 2010 at the company’s new financial services
headquarters location in Manatee County. Star2Star Communications LLC, which
develops and provides business grade communications solutions via the
Internet, plans to add up to 60 new employees to support the company’s sales
growth. “The incentive grants provided
by Manatee County Government, which the companies only receive if they hire
and retain employees at wages that exceed the county average, were vital in
helping these growing businesses locate, expand and hire in our community,”
Basinger said. |
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| “Expediting
Oliphant Financial’s relocation and Star2Star’s expansion in cooperation with
the EDC exemplifies the ‘business friendly’ climate we want to promote in
Manatee County,” said Ed Hunzeker, Manatee County administrator. “Retaining
and growing good jobs now is a high priority in Manatee County.” |
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| The
grant for Oliphant is $133,000 that will be paid out over five years as the
company adds and retains employees. According to the grant agreement, the
company will add 133 new employees over five years for a total of 160
employees. The county also approved an $80,000 incentive grant for Star2Star
Communications, which plans to create 80 communications technology jobs over
the next five years. To qualify for the grants, the companies must provide an
average annual wage higher than the county average wage of $33,582. |
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| Oliphant
Financial moved 30 employees into a 20,000 sf building in Lakewood Ranch in
December 2009. Economic development organizations in Manatee and Sarasota
counties worked together to keep the company in the region when Oliphant
outgrew its downtown Sarasota location. The company needed more space and
wanted to be close to I-75 for access to the Tampa Bay region’s labor pool,
said Tom Noble, Oliphant’s Chief Operating Officer. The company buys debt
from various lenders and then seeks to collect from the borrowers. Oliphant
also has developed a debt buying and collection software application that the
company sells to other firms. |
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| “The
Manatee Economic Development Council worked closely with our counterparts in
Sarasota County and with Manatee County Government to make sure that Oliphant
and its new jobs remain in the region,” Basinger said. “Oliphant is in a
growth industry and provides higher wage jobs our community desperately
needs.” |
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| “Our new location will
allow us to accommodate our growth plans,” Noble said. “We expect to add 100
to 150 employees in the next year as we bring more of the previously
out-sourced debt-collection functions in house.” Employment candidates should
visit the company’s web site at
www.oliphantfinancial.com for information. |
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| Star2Star
moved to Manatee County in 2008 from a smaller location in downtown Sarasota.
A garage-based startup in 2004, the company developed its own software and
technology to provide high quality telephone solutions to businesses using
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP). With its product and service proven, the
company in 2009 set up a national dealer organization to serve clients
nationwide, said Norm Worthington, Star2Star CEO. |
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| “Our South Manatee
County location allows us to draw employees from Port Charlotte to Tampa
Bay,” Worthington said. The company added 25 employees in the past two years
and has a total of 36 employees in Manatee County. Information about the
company is available at www.star2star.com. |
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| Ameritex
Fabric Systems |
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| January 6, 2010 The
marriage of once fierce competitors in the marine industry is spinning off a
welcome benefit in Manatee County: new manufacturing jobs with a green twist.
Bradenton-based Ameritex Fabric Systems, which became a division of the
Taylor Made Group in 2009, will supply canvas doors for Chrysler Group Global
Electric Motorcars LLC, according to Don Zirkelbach, Ameritex president. “Our relationship with Global Electric
Motorcars is part of our plan to diversify at least 25 percent of our
business beyond the marine industry,” said Zirkelbach, whose company has 58
employees and plans to add 10 to 20 manufacturing jobs in the next year. “The
combination of Taylor Made and Ameritex with our numerous patents opens up
tremendous opportunities.” |
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| The
global recession hit the marine industry hard, leading to job losses and
plant closures across the industry, including in Manatee County. The entire
industry “had to hit the reset button” and create new business models and
ways of doing business, Zirkelbach said. In the case of Ameritex and Taylor
Made, Ameritex moved into part of a Taylor Made facility and is focusing on
fabric-related products while Taylor Made will concentrate on windshield
design and manufacturing, he said. Taylor Made recently closed a fabric plant
in Georgia and integrated the operation into Ameritex in Bradenton, bringing
additional jobs to Manatee County. The
electric car industry is one diversity target for Ameritex. Global Electric Motorcars
makes six different models of battery-powered GEM cars primarily suited for
intra-city use. GEM cars are used by local, state and national government
agencies, resorts, master-planned communities, universities, medical and
corporate campuses, as well as by sports teams, taxi-shuttle services and
individual consumers. Ameritex is also looking at the resort, consumer,
recreational vehicle and golf cart industries. |
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| “The
Ameritex story exemplifies how companies in the marine industry are
restructuring to survive and thrive,” said Eric Basinger, executive director
of the Economic Development Council (EDC), a division of the Manatee Chamber
of Commerce. The EDC has assisted Ameritex over the years with employee
recruitment and facilities permitting. “The focus on diversifying into other
industries, in addition to marine products, is generating new jobs for local
residents.” |
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| Companies on the Move
- 2009 |
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| Trod
Medical |
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| December 14, 2009 Trod Medical
S.A, a medical equipment manufacturer based in Paris, France, opened its U.S.
headquarters in the Lakewood Ranch area of Manatee County in September. The
Florida location will spearhead the company’s launch of its FDA-approved
surgical device in early summer 2010 focusing in areas of urology, radiation
oncology and interventional radiology according to Manfred Sablowski, vice
president and COO of Trod Medical US LLC.
“The U.S. market is the largest market in the world for our Encage™
surgical device,” said Sablowski, who is originally from Frankfurt, Germany
and now lives in Manatee County. “This area of Florida has the infrastructure
we need.” Dr. Andre Faure, who is the world wide president and CEO of Trod
Medical as well as a medical doctor and inventor of the Encage™ device,
founded the company in Europe in 2006. He convinced Sablowski and Brook
Peterson of Orlando, president and CEO of Trod Medical US LLC, to join him in
the Trod Medical venture. Sablowski and Peterson each have more than 20 years
of experience in the medical technology field. They met while working at a
Pfizer unit in the United States. |
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Sablowski
said that Trod is planning to hire distribution and office staff for the
Manatee County office and distribution facility by mid 2010 and will also
assemble a team of regional sales directors around the country. Trod expects
to hire several employees initially for the Manatee location, he said. “Manatee County is cultivating a cluster of
medical equipment designers and manufacturers, and Trod’s entry from its
European base is an exciting chapter in that story,” said Eric Basinger,
executive director of the Economic Development Council (EDC), a division of
the Manatee Chamber of Commerce. The EDC is assisting Trod with various
business resources to help the company ramp up quickly. “Trod’s arrival is
further evidence of Manatee County’s appeal to European businesses wanting to
expand into the U.S. market. We look forward to the day when Trod Medical’s
manufacturing operation also is located in our community.”
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| Trod’s
patented Encage™ device gained FDA approval in October 2008, Sablowski said.
The device is used to treat soft tissues involving the prostate, liver and
kidney. It uses radio frequency technology to heat diseased tissue and halt
its growth. The FDA approval was a key factor allowing the company to enter
the U.S. market and open a U.S. facility, he said. “There are so many medical equipment
manufacturers in Europe that would love to enter the US market, but they
don’t have the knowledge of how to go about getting FDA approval,” Sablowski
said. “It is a difficult process, but we believe it will be well worth the
effort because of the potential in the U.S. market.” |
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| Teltronics |
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| December 8, 2009 Teltronics
Inc. (OTCBB: TELT), which provides communications products and services,
relocated its headquarters to Gulf Coast Corporate Park in north Manatee
County. Teltronics designs, develops
and manufactures electronic equipment and applications software systems that
enhance the performance of communications networks. The new headquarters
facility includes 21,520 sq. ft. of office space and 30,000 sq. ft. of
manufacturing space. Manufacturing at the new facility is scheduled to begin
the first quarter of 2010. The company has 114 employees in Manatee County
and 188 worldwide, according to Ewen Cameron, Teltronics CEO. “Located near the I-75 and I-275
interchange, the new location will vastly improve company visibility and
attract personnel in the Tampa Bay, Sarasota/Bradenton and surrounding
areas,” Cameron said. “After 27 years at the previous location, we are
pleased to find an outstanding, new facility to proudly showcase our company
and products to worldwide clients, partners, potential business associates
and the community. At the same time, we are creating an environment that
reflects the future of our business.” |
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| “Part
of having a strong existing industry program is being able to assist
companies like Teltronics when they undertake a major effort, such as a
corporate move, which triggered the permitting assistance program,” Basinger
said. “If we are going to create a more diverse economy in Manatee County, we
must concentrate not only on attracting new targeted businesses, but also on
retention and expansion of our existing businesses, such as Teltronics.” “The Manatee Economic Development Council
helped make the move to Palmetto a smooth transition by serving as the
liaison between Teltronics and county personnel,” Cameron said. “The swift
decision to relocate would not have come to fruition had it not been for the
assistance of staff in the county’s building department and economic
development department. We are pleased to continue to call Manatee County
home to the Teltronics headquarters.” |
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| “Expediting
Teltronics’ relocation in cooperation with the EDC exemplified the ‘business
friendly’ climate we want to promote in Manatee County,” said Ed Hunzeker,
Manatee County administrator. “Retaining and growing good jobs in Manatee
County is a high priority.” |
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| DemanData
Systems |
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| November 17, 2009 DemanData Systems, a leader in supply
chain information technology for the healthcare industry, relocated its
corporate headquarters into a newly renovated building in the Gulf Coast
Corporate Park of Palmetto in Manatee County in October. DemanData employs
100 people in four states; 40 employees are located in Manatee County. “We appreciated having the opportunity to
work with DemanData Systems, a targeted information technology employer, on
this expansion,” said Eric Basinger, executive director of the Economic
Development Council (EDC), a division of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce. The
EDC helped facilitate DemanData’s relocation from their facility in the
southern portion of Manatee County to their new location in the Gulf Coast
Corporate Park through the county's rapid response permitting program. |
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| “DemanData’s
relocation to Palmetto is a prime example of how county government and the
private sector can work together to bring more high-wage jobs to Manatee
County,” said Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker. “We are focused on
delivering the services that businesses need to locate and expand here, while
maintaining our community’s high standards for quality of life.” "The relationship between DemanData
Systems and the rapid response permitting team in Manatee County is a great
example of how a vision can be turned into reality, quickly and efficiently,”
said Maureen Donovan, the company’s vice president of marketing. “We are
looking forward to a long and prosperous relationship with the community here
in Manatee County.” |
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| Mustang Vacuum Systems LLC |
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| August 31, 2009 Mustang
Vacuum Systems LLC will relocate and expand its manufacturing operation in
Manatee County where the company plans to add 125 jobs in the next two years
at an annual average wage of more than $44,000. “The Economic Development
Council, Manatee Chamber of Commerce (EDC) was pleased to help Mustang Vacuum
Systems find the right location for the company’s expansion,” said Eric
Basinger, EDC executive director. “Mustang was located in Sarasota County for
four years, and in partnership with Sarasota County, Manatee County
government and the State of Florida, we were able to keep this fine company –
and its growing number of higher-wage jobs – in the region.” “We are excited to be relocating and
expanding our manufacturing facility in Manatee County,” said Richard
Greenwell, president of Mustang Vacuum Systems LLC. “With the EDC’s
assistance, we were able to locate a facility and secure a grant from Manatee
County. This will reduce some costs of our technology project, which is
geared toward lowering the cost and increasing the efficiency of solar cells
so that clean, renewable solar energy can be a viable choice for everyone.” |
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| The
50,000-square-foot facility in Sarasota Commerce Center in South Manatee
County will allow Mustang to expand its production of thin-film solar
photovoltaic cell equipment, Greenwell said. With the goal of reducing solar
energy costs, the company has designed and built three types of machines to
meet the needs and specifications of solar cell manufacturers. Customers are
now looking for larger, higher volume machines, which will provide greater
performance and output, he said. Mustang’s expanded production capacity will
drive down the cost of solar energy for consumers by incorporating
technologies into solar cell production that will reduce costs as well as
increase efficiency of the cells, he added. |
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| Mustang Vacuum Systems LLC, an affiliate of Mustang Dynamometer,
manufactures vacuum coating and metalizing equipment, including sputtering
machines, optical coating units, and batch metalizers. The Mustang Group has
been in business over 25 years. Mustang Vacuum Systems currently employs 25
people at its Sarasota County location. The company will be operating in its
location in the South Manatee County by the end of 2009, Greenwell said, and
plans to increase its staff to 150 by the end of 2011. With assistance from
the EDC and consultant Ryan Inc., Mustang successfully applied for state and
local grants to facilitate the expansion. The grants will be expended based
on the company’s performance in creating the new jobs at the anticipated
salaries. |
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| Dulond Tool
& Engineering Inc. |
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July 13, 2009 High school
and college marching bands across the United States are hustling on and off
competition fields more efficiently using specialized carts created by
Manatee County’s Dulond Tool & Engineering Inc. The company, which moved
into a new 13,000-square-foot facility in June, has sold its patented
LoadMaestro carts to schools from Alabama to Texas and from the Carolinas to
Michigan. "We originally designed
the LoadMaestro cart to help the Lakewood Ranch High School marching band get
its equipment on and off the field more efficiently for competitions,” said
Jeff Benson, Dulond Tool & Engineering president and owner. “Now we’re
looking at LoadMaestro products to account for up to 20 percent of sales
within the next few years.”
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Dulond’s
business, which is primarily focused in machining and assembly, has
traditionally come from the aviation, aerospace, computer chip and marine
industries. The company has 13 employees and has signed with a distributor in
Chicago to market the band carts. In addition, Benson said the company hopes
to be part of a security-related project that could stimulate hiring in
2009-2010. The new building allowed Dulond to move out of leased space and is
adjacent to a building the company already owns. “Dulond Tool & Engineering is an
example of the product innovation and market diversification that is helping
Manatee County companies grow in today’s marketplace,” said Eric Basinger,
executive director of the Economic Development Council, Manatee Chamber of
Commerce (EDC), which assisted Dulond’s expansion through the EDC rapid
response permitting program. “Benson and his team saw an opportunity and went
for it. The EDC is proud to have played a part in helping Dulond expand its
footprint in Manatee County.”
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| Kopco
Graphics |
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| May 21, 2009 Kopco Graphics, which specializes in
flexographic printing of pressure sensitive labels, stickers and food-grade
labels -- has tripled its Manatee County footprint in a 12,000 sq. ft.
facility to accommodate more equipment and expanded services for global
brands. The Fairfield, Ohio-based
company expanded into Manatee County in 2003 with the purchase of a Bradenton
printing business. Kopco Operations Manager Shane Barrett said the company
expects to continue growing through stronger Internet marketing and internal
sales. He plans to add up to three employees in 2009 in production and
customer service. “Our business is
strongly focused in food and nutritional supplements. Despite the slow
economy, people are still eating and taking their vitamins,” Barrett said.
“Sales revenues were up 25 percent in 2008 over the previous year, and we are
achieving a 17-percent growth rate so far this year. We hope to outgrow our
new facility within five years. When that happens, we’ll stay in Manatee
County.” |
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| In
March 2009, Kopco received the Eugene Singer Award for Management Excellence,
which recognizes excellence in business management measured by growth
and profitability ratios established by the Tag and Label Manufacturers
Institute. Kopco also received the institute’s top award in technical
achievement for a hang tag label created for a popular water product. |
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| Healthy
Chocolate Florida LLC |
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| April 23, 2009 A company
that hopes to revolutionize the chocolate business is gearing up a new, 6,000
sq. ft. research laboratory and manufacturing facility in Manatee County.
Healthy Chocolate Florida LLC founder Aharon Friedman, Ph.D., said that
pending government inspections, the company’s management team will begin
testing the manufacturing line in April and production will ramp up in
May. “We are eager to start production
using our patent-pending process to create a high-quality, sugar-free
chocolate that includes natural ingredients to help people control blood
sugar levels and reduce hunger,” said Friedman, who expects to add seven
production employees by the end of May for a total of 12 full-time and two
part-time employees. “We have been able to finish out and move into our
facility faster than I expected by being part of Manatee County’s Rapid
Response permitting program facilitated by the EDC. We completed our
permitting in record time. |
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| “We
use all organic materials as we are able to get them, including using Xylitol
harvested from organic trees,” Friedman said. “And by the end of 2009, we
expect to be using most of the organic cocoa grown in the world. We are
talking with people in two South American countries about increasing their
organic cocoa production.” |
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| Veethree
Electronics and Marine LLC |
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| April 1, 2009 Illinois-based Veethree Electronics and
Marine LLC, OEM supplier of mechanical and electronic instrumentation, has
located its global engineering headquarters in Manatee County through the
combined effort of economic development organizations in Manatee and Sarasota
counties and Manatee County Government. Veethree, which acquired the assets
of the Gauge Division of Teleflex Inc. that is closing operations in Lakewood
Ranch, also hired more than 50 people whose jobs would have been lost when
Teleflex closed. The EDC and the
Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County collaborated to find the
right location for Veethree in the region. The company qualified for Manatee County’s
Rapid Response Permitting program to help it get up and running more quickly.
In March, Manatee County Commissioners a resolution that would allow Veethree
to qualify for up to $60,000 of tax incentives based upon the number and wage
of jobs created. Veethree will
manufacture the existing Teleflex product line serving the marine and
industrial markets in its 35,000-sq.-ft. Manatee County facility, which will
be the company’s global engineering headquarters. |
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| Founded
in 1976, Veethree has a worldwide presence as an OEM, defense and aftermarket
supplier of instrumentation, clusters, sensors and switches. "We are very pleased to have the
opportunity to continue the great traditions of superior quality and styling
that Teleflex has brought to the instrumentation industry for the last 40
years," said Shekhar Tewatia, vice president of Veethree. "This
acquisition gives us a chance to enter the marine industry and consolidate
Veethree's position in the industrial segment. We are also very fortunate
that many members of the Teleflex team have decided to join us. We are most
appreciative of the assistance we received locally from economic development
organizations and Manatee County Government." |
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| Trinity
Manufacturing |
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| March 31, 2009 Trinity Manufacturing Corporation announced
that it has relocated and expanded its manufacturing operations in
Bradenton. Trinity Manufacturing
President Jim Fitch stated, “By moving into our new 18,000 square foot
facility, Trinity Manufacturing has doubled its manufacturing capacity. Since we began operations in January 2004,
we have realized outstanding growth in customers and sales. Our new facility supports our plans for
continued growth. We are pleased that
our new facility, located in Saunders Industrial Park, is close to our
previous operation which has minimized the disruption to our operations,
customers and suppliers.” Trinity
Manufacturing employs 26 people and is a contract manufacturer of cable
assemblies, wiring harnesses, and electrical panel and box assemblies for
original equipment manufacturers (OEM), distributors and contractors serving
a wide variety of industries, including defense, aerospace, medical
equipment, emergency service vehicles, commercial construction, and others. |
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| Steelgate,
Inc. |
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| March 9, 2009 A Manatee County company that provides
storage and inventory management of biomedical specimens for medical
research, has opened an office in Belgium and relocated two employees to
expand business in Europe. Steelgate will replace the two employees in
Manatee County and plans to add two more positions by mid-year, said Kate
Grayson, Steelgate’s president and CEO. Since late 2008, the company hired a
global director of sales and marketing and promoted the company’s facility
manager to director of operations and the facility supervisor to facility
manager. “Our expansion, hiring and internal promotions are results of the
growing demand for our services in storing and managing inventories of
biomedical specimens,” Grayson said. “Europe is a significant research market
with Belgium being at the crossroads and in a growth mode. Steelgate has
provided services in the United States to its European clients, but being in
Europe will help reduce the cost of international shipping and open up
business development opportunities in Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands and
the United Kingdom.” |
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| “Steelgate’s
growth since relocating from New York to Manatee County in 2004 is an
encouraging sign for the potential of the biomedical industry in our region,”
Engel said. “The company’s European expansion invites new possibilities for
focusing the spotlight on Manatee County as a viable home for biomedical
businesses.” The EDC recently
facilitated an international trade grant of $1,750 to help Steelgate attend a
leading life sciences conference in Europe that unites more than 500
companies from 20 nations, Engel said. |
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| Sleek Audio |
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| March 9, 2009 While many businesses are suffering layoffs
and slower sales, Sleek Audio in Manatee County expects to triple sales over
2008 and plans to create an additional 15 positions in the next year. Sleek Audio makes in-ear earphones that
allow music lovers to hear with unprecedented quality, said Jason Krywko,
chief operating officer. |
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| The
company performs almost all of its manufacturing at its Palmetto location, he
said, and is seeking to move the last of its manufacturing operations to
Manatee County from China. “We’re
looking for injection molding partners in the local area to work with us,” he
said. “We believe in keeping the product as American-made as possible. We
collaborated on the original design of our SA6 ‘in-ear earphone’ with a local
firm, ROBRADY design, and wrote our initial business plan with the help of a
University of South Florida professor.”
Sleek Audio spun off from Krywko’s parents’ business, Eartech Hearing
Aids, which was formed in Manatee County 30 years ago. Sleek Audio’s
patent-pending technology started as an experiment combining a custom ear
mold with a hearing aid speaker to reduce airplane noise on a flight Krywko’s
parents were taking. Last year, Sleek Audio launched the SA6 to rave industry
reviews, winning the Popular Science “Best of What’s New” award for 2008.
Krywko says he has seen no indication that the global recession is affecting
sales. The company sells its products worldwide, and international sales
outpace domestic orders. |
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| Companies on the Move
- 2008 |
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| Quasar
Bio-tech Inc. |
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Quasar
Bio-tech Inc., which produces light therapy devices for use by medical
professionals and consumers, is planning to move its manufacturing to Manatee
County and add up to 24 employees in 2009.
“We anticipate triple-digit growth to continue with the introduction
of new technology in the first half of 2009,” said Peter Nesbitt, Quasar
Bio-tech president. “To facilitate our market expansion, we plan to bring
manufacturing in-house and staff up accordingly.” Quasar Bio-Tech relocated from Valley
Forge, PA in August to 2,500 sq. ft. of leased space in South Manatee County.
The cost of doing business and workforce availability were key factors in the
company’s decision to locate in Manatee County, Nesbitt said. Quasar Bio-Tech
currently has six employees and uses a vendor in Texas for
manufacturing. The company is seeking
local suppliers, such as printed circuit board makers, to facilitate its
expansion In Manatee. In 2001, Quasar
Bio-tech began marketing red and infrared light therapy devices to
professionals for medical and cosmetic use.
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| In
2007, the company introduced photo rejuvenation devices to the consumer
marketplace and continues to be the only brand that uses professional,
medical grade technology, Nesbitt said. The company’s two best-selling
consumer products are the Baby Quasar for photo rejuvenation and the Baby
Blue for treating acne. The products are sold on-line and at retailers like
Dillard’s. Nesbitt plans to expand into international markets in 2010. |
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| Exactech |
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| Gainesville,
Fla.-based Exactech (Nasdaq: EXAC) is establishing a new facility in south
Manatee County to manufacture surgical instruments used to implant the
company’s joint replacement devices.
The 13,000-square-foot facility, located at 7455 16th St. E, is
scheduled to begin operations in December. Exactech expects to hire 12
employees during the initial start-up phase of its manufacturing and support
operations. The company’s Gainesville, Fla., headquarters currently designs
and manufactures orthopaedic devices that are used by surgeons in more than
30 countries around the world. According to Exactech Vice President of
Operations John Pelc, “The decision to begin producing our own instruments,
which have previously been outsourced, will allow Exactech to maintain a high
level of customer responsiveness and flexibility. We chose Manatee County for
its business-friendly approach to attracting new, high-tech businesses, as
well as its proximity to large population bases from which to draw skilled
employees.” |
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| Orbeco-Hellige |
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| A
Long Island manufacturer of instruments for testing water and wastewater is
relocating to Manatee County. The EDC
assisted Orbeco-Hellige Inc. with its plans to relocate from New York and
hire at least eight employees locally at a 15,000-square-foot facility the
company purchased in Parkland Center.
Orbeco-Hellige is relocating to Florida primarily to reduce expenses
on facilities and taxes, said President Brad Martell, who already lives in
Bradenton. Martell plans to begin operations at the Manatee County facility
this fall. |
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| Companies on the Move
- 2007 |
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| Gyrocam
Systems |
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| Gyrocam
Systems which designs and manufactures precision gyrostabilized camera
systems for law enforcement, security and military applications, expanded
into a 25,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and has created 20-30 new
jobs. The company’s revenues have grown from $5 million to $230 million in
the past 18 months, and Gyrocam is on the verge of closing a new defense
contract valued at $300 million. The company’s camera systems, originally
designed to be deployed on aircraft, are in high demand in Iraq and
Afghanistan where they are mounted on masts on top of military vehicles. The
cameras can identify up to 70% of roadside bombs (IEDs) and other potential
hazards in advance of a vehicle’s progress. Gyrocam has 104 employees at a
facility near Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport in Manatee
County. |
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| Beacon Products Inc. |
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| Beacon
Productions, Inc. which moved into a new 50,000-sq.-ft. facility in Manatee
County in late 2007, designs and manufactures environmentally friendly LED
lighting, which company President Michael Imparato expects to boost revenues
by 50 percent in the next two years. Beacon is working with developers and
municipalities to use LED for new installations and retrofit higher wattage,
less efficient lights. The environmental benefit of moving to LED lighting
sources could be significant. According to Imparato, a recent proposal
submitted by the company to the City of Aspen estimates Beacon’s LED product
could reduce carbon emissions in the city by 3.5 million pounds. Beacon’s
technology innovation: designing special optical components that beam a
reflection of the LED’s lamps, rather than the lamps being exposed to the
eye. The patented system reduces glare and is better for night vision. |
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| Pierce Manufacturing |
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| Pierce
Manufacturing, Bradenton Division will continue to expand its production of
Medtec ambulances with the addition of the All Duty Type I vehicles. Pierce, Bradenton currently builds all of
the Medtec brand Type II ambulances which are based on the Ford E-350 Van
chassis. The All Duty Type I
ambulances are the largest and most complex ambulances and are typically
built on a medium duty International, Freightliner or GMC chassis. The move of this product to Florida opens
capacity for the Goshen, IN based Medtec facility to expand its current
production rate and support new product offerings. This product line as well
as the Type II line and other organic growth will result in a net increase of
approximately 140 new jobs in the Bradenton area over the next two years.
Medtec Corporation and Pierce Manufacturing are wholly owned subsidiaries of
Oshkosh Truck Corporation. In addition
to the approximate 140 new jobs, Pierce will be investing up to $1.2 million
in equipment, tooling, and facility retrofitting. |
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| The Elite Group (Arrow Fence) |
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| The Elite Group (Arrow
Fence) expanded into a 106,000 sq.
ft. building, resulting in 50 new
jobs. |
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| Companies on the Move
- 2006 |
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| Eastern Portland
Cement |
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| Eastern
Portland Cement, a leader in storage and distribution of cement and aggregate
expanded its facility at Port Manatee. The expansion includes a new aggregate
terminal, two cement silos, a ship un-loader and a bagging facility. The
aggregate portion is350,000 square feet and the cement portion of the new
facility is 28,000 square feet. The 378,000 square foot facility has an
estimated capital investment of $28,000,000.
Twenty-three new jobs will be created when the facility is complete.
This is a Rapid Response Team project. |
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| C & H
Baseball |
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| In
1968, C & H Welding & Metals was contracted to manufacture the first
aluminum portable batting cage based on a design from the hitting coach for
the Pittsburgh Pirates. For 38 years, C & H Baseball has adapted,
modified, manufactured and distributed portable batting cages and aluminum
field equipment throughout the country. In 1992, C & H Welding became C
& H Baseball. They have become the
industry leader in new stadium construction netting and field equipment and
are known in the industry for being a one-stop-shop for supplying and
installing field wall padding, windscreen, barrier nets, batting tunnels and
artificial turf. Due to increased business C& H Baseball is in the
process of expanding. They are having a 16,000 square foot facility built in
Lakewood Ranch. The estimated capital investment is $1,500,000. This
expansion will create three new jobs and is a Rapid Response Program project. |
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| Beall's
Inc. |
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| Beall’s,
Inc. announced in 2006 the acquisition from Tropicana of the four-story,
149,000 sq. ft. Rossi Office Building.
Due to its expansion over the past several years, Beall’s outgrew its
current office facility and had been exploring a number of options. “We are
indeed fortunate that a facility of this caliber, within such close proximity
to our current headquarters, was available. This acquisition will enable us
to meet our office growth needs for many years to come,” said Steve Knopik,
CEO, Beall’s, Inc. The office building, which was constructed in 2002, will
house the corporate operations for Beall's Outlet Stores, Inc., as well as
several divisions of its parent company Beall’s, Inc. |
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| The
Company plans to fully occupy the building by the end of 2007. Beall’s
officials have renamed the building the E. R. Beall Center, as a tribute to
the founder’s son, who was responsible for the Company’s tremendous success
and growth during the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s. Beall's, Inc. is the parent company of
Beall's Department Stores, Inc., Beall's Outlet Stores, Inc., and Burke's
Outlet Stores, Inc. The corporation,
through its subsidiaries, operates over 560 retail stores in states across
the “sun belt”, from Florida to California with annual sales of over $1
billion. This expansion will help create 140 new jobs. This is a Rapid
Response Team project. |
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| WSI
of the Southeast, LLC |
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| Greeen
WSI Terminal, LLC, AKA Green Reefers (Refrigeration), a specialist logistics
provider for chilled and frozen products, operates 24 hours a day, seven days
a week. They offer door-to-door service of their clients’ products by using
ocean transport, terminal handling/storage, as well as inland transport and
distribution. They handle almost any type of cargo - from citrus fruit and
frozen fish, to oversized equipment and agricultural machinery.
Theirspecialized reeferoperation has been developed to handle the smallest
parcels, as well as the larger volumes.
Due to increased business, they expanded their facility at Port
Manatee. Their building a 362,000
square foot refrigerated warehouse with an estimated capital investment of
$20,000,000. This expansion is
expected to create six new jobs and is a Rapid Response Team project. |
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| Tropicana
Products |
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| Tropicana
Products, Inc., a division of PepsiCo, Inc., is adding a new 28,000 sq. ft.
high-speed production line, which is the centerpiece of operations for the
nation’s leading not-from-concentrate chilled orange juice maker. This new
manufacturing facility has an estimated capital investment of
$38,000,000. Tropicana is North
America’s largest juice manufacturer and has earned more than a 40 percent
share of the orange juice market with its leading Tropicana Pure Premium
brand. |
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| The
additional production line will increase capability to support Tropicana’s
growth and roll out of Tropicana Pure, a new line of 100 percent fruit juice
blends, the company launched in August. Tropicana is the first leading brand
to enter the super premium juice category, one of the fastest growing
categories in the produce section.
“These facility developments will better equip us to meet the growing
demand for our premium juices moving forward,” said Mike Haycock, vice
president of operations, Tropicana Products, Inc. “As we get closer to completing the new
line, we will be better able to determine if and exactly how many new jobs
will be created,” said Haycock. |
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| The
new line will be located on Tropicana’s existing 280-acre plus campus. “We’re delighted Tropicana remains
committed to expanding their presence here in Bradenton and Manatee County,”
said Gwen Brown, Manatee County Commissioner. Tropicana Products, Inc. is the
community’s second largest private employer with approximately 1,600
employees. This is a Rapid Response Team project. |
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| MadahCom (purchased by Cooper Notification in 2008) |
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| MadahCom,
a manufacturer of digital wireless public warning and mass notification
systems, held an open house at their new 19,000 sq. ft. Manatee County
facility in October 2005. The company
has grown by an average of 100% a year since 2002. In 2004, the privately held company
generated more than $7 million in revenue, up from $3.5 million in 2003, and
expects to top $15 million in revenue in 2005. |
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| The
company, which was launched in 1994 with three people in New York and Israel,
has more than 150 installations of its WAVES (Wireless Audio Visual Emergency
System) systems. WAVES provides
anti-terrorism protection for U.S. troops in the Middle East and other
locations around the world. It is used
in war zones to initiate localized warnings to areas within the predicted
insurgent attack area. This warning
enables troops in the hazard area to immediately seek shelter, minimizing
casualties. For the U.S. Army,
MadahCom specifically created its portable product called TACWAVES (Tactical
Wireless Audio Visual Emergency System), which helps save soldiers lives in
the Middle East by warning them within seconds prior to insurgent
attacks. |
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| In
Iraq, the military uses TACWAVES and WAVES for anti-terrorism force
protection. Reuben Ben-Aire, an
Armenian native who served 22 years in the Israeli Air Force, is the
President and CEO of MadahCom. He
joined the company in 2001. In June
2002, MadahCom closed its offices in Israel and New York and consolidated
operations in Sarasota, mainly because Ben-Aire had a winter home in the
area. “After 9/11, the understanding
of the risk of terrorism had suddenly sunk in. Add to that the fact that we went to war
with Iraq and suddenly it opened new territories that were not there,” says
Ben-Aire. Business continued to grow,
and in 2004, the company began the process of looking for a larger
facility. |
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| The
Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County worked with the Economic
Development Council/Manatee Chamber of Commerce to find a new home for
MadahCom in south Manatee County, where they have a staff of approximately 70
people. The next step for the company
is to penetrate more of the non-military market. Said Ben-Aire, “The need for our system is
everywhere. Everywhere where there are
people that need to be managed in case of an emergency.” |
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| Jupiter
Marine International, Inc. |
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| In
late 2005, Jupiter Marine International, Inc., a powerboat manufacturing
company from Fort Lauderdale, announced their intention to expand operations
in Palmetto, Florida. The company’s
initial investment of $1.5 million in a 54,000 s.f. facility in North Manatee
County will bring approximately 75 jobs over a period of 12 months. The Economic Development Council received a
marketing reply card, that was placed in targeted tourist magazines, from
company president, Carl Herndon requesting information on relocating a
business, in May, 2004. The niche
manufacturer of center console models varying in size from 27’ to 38’ with
price tags ranging from $98,000 to $210,000 was looking at sites in Florida,
Georgia and North Carolina. |
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| Through
the cooperative efforts of the Palmetto CRA, the City of Palmetto, and the
EDC, the company decision makers chose a site off U.S. 301 near Haben
Blvd. “We had no strong feelings about
exactly where we wanted to be, but in doing our research, we found out the
City of Palmetto is very growth- and business-oriented,” Herndon said. “That meant a lot.” Jupiter commenced operations at the
Palmetto facility in April 2006. |
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| The
company is now manufacturing its new 29’ Forward Seating Center Console model
and the 31’ Open and Cuddy Cabin models in Palmetto. Other models will remain in production at
the Fort Lauderdale facility. Mr.
Herndon stated, “One of our primary goals over the past three years has been
to increase our production capability to accommodate higher volume. We are currently operating at near-full
capacity at our Fort Lauderdale facilities, and we expect that the company’s
expansion to Palmetto could potentially double the number of boats we
manufacture. |
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| In
addition, Jupiter now has manufacturing facilities strategically placed on
both coasts of Florida. We feel that
the Palmetto facility will greatly enhance our position in a highly
competitive marketplace, and be instrumental to the Company’s growth in the
coming years.” With over 35 years of
boat building experience, the Jupiter team is committed to building the
finest, most technologically advanced offshore sport fishing boats available
today. Every Jupiter boat is
individually built to the exact specifications of the sportsman who demands
the very best in offshore performance, style and reliability. |
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| Invisa |
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| In
March, 2005, the Economic Development Council announced that Invisa, Inc., an
industry leader in innovative presence sensing solutions for safety and
security applications, relocated to Manatee County. Stephen Michael, Acting President of Invisa
stated, “The EDC and the Rapid Response Permitting Team helped us to meet our
critical timelines for the move into our new 5500 square foot space at
Airport Business Center.” “In addition
to finding a facility suitable for our build-out and timeline, we are
especially pleased with the ‘central’ location,” said Edward King, Chief
Financial Officer. “Airport Business Center is well located considering that
our employees commute from as far north as Palm Harbor in Pinellas County,
from the west on Bradenton Beach, Manatee County east of I-75, as well as
Sarasota County.” |
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| Established
in 1998, Invisa has ten employees and plans to grow as its patented safety
and security solutions gain momentum.
InvisaShield™ enabled devices create an invisible zone of detection at
the leading edges of powered closures (such as gates and garage doors),
making them safer. A zone of detection
around monitored objects (such as museum exhibits and displays) makes them
more secure. “There are some very
exciting applications we’re working on. We’ve really just begun exploring the
potential of this technology,” said Carl Parks, Invisa’s VP of Operations. |
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| Haemacure
Corporation |
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| The
Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund and a strong working relationship with
the EDC Sarasota County led to a decision by Haemacure Corporation officials
to locate their manufacturing facility, U.S.
offices and R&D labs on Tallevast Road in Manatee County. This
location will eventually function as the company’s worldwide
headquarters. Specializing in the
development of innovative biological adhesives, biomaterials, and surgical
devices, Haemacure’s expansion will create 51 new high-value jobs at an
average annual wage of $65,000 and make initial capital investments totaling
more than $10.8 million in facility renovation and manufacturing equipment. Haemacure President and CEO, Marc Paquin,
states, “After considering Canada, North Carolina and Virginia, we came to
the conclusion that Manatee County offered the infrastructure, and more
importantly, support from local and state officials that will play a vital
role in our success.” He continues, “Receiving the QTI incentive from the
state was another key factor in our decision.” |
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| In addition to the QTI, Haemacure qualified
for Rapid Response Permitting assistance, a county program that assists
value-added companies in meeting their critical timelines. The facility will be located in a building
adjacent to the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. The building is approximately 50,000 square
feet, of which 40,000 square feet will be used for production, including a
7,000 square foot modular clean room, mechanical rooms, storage and shipping,
and the balance for offices and laboratories.
Over the next few years, the cost of operating Haemacure is estimated
at $25 million. |
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| Approximately
$10 million is related to facility design, construction and the purchase and
validation of manufacturing equipment. The cost of producing clinical
material, including plasma, supplies and all other consumables, and of
commissioning the facility, is projected at $1.4 million. The cost of clinical trials is projected at
$3.2 million. The remaining $10.4
million will be required for operations. The facility will have a capacity to
process 75,000 liters of plasma per year, with a potential of generating up
to $200 million in revenues annually. |
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| GE Security (Purchsed by UTC Fire & Security in 2009) |
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| The
relocation of GE Security’s world headquarters from Austin, TX to Manatee
County was a huge accomplishment for the EDC in 2005. In March 2005, GE Security purchased
Edwards Systems Technology, a fire detection systems business with an
operation in Manatee County. GE’s
Security headquarters now occupies the former Edwards Systems Technology
building located in Lakewood Ranch. GE Security’s robust product offering is
designed to help protect people, assets and communities. The company has
operations in more than 35 countries and is represented by some of the
best-known brand names for intrusion and fire detection, access and building
control, video surveillance, explosives and drug detection, key management
and structured wiring. |
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| A
subsidiary of General Electric, with operations in more than 35 countries, GE
Security’s new location in Bradenton has resulted in the creation of 70
high-wage jobs in addition to the 150 employees currently at their newly
acquired business unit, Edwards Systems Technology. The initial capital investment is over $6
million in equipment, relocation and worker recruitment. According to a relocation impact analysis
of this project, the gross county product is estimated to be $9.8
million. In addition to the QTI
program (20% of which comes from County funds) and the Closing Fund, Manatee
County added a $140,000 QTI Bonus incentive contingent on the approval of the
Closing Fund. |
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| Beall's
Inc. |
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| Beall’s
Inc., founded and headquartered in Manatee County, has been in a growth mode
with over 375 retail stores across the Sunbelt from Florida to
California. To improve efficiency and
accommodate their continued growth, Beall’s needed to consolidate their
distribution centers. Timing was critical for these projects, so the Rapid
Response Permitting Team was put into action for the new $25 million, 150,000
square foot automated distribution center. |
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| Lake Erie College of Medicine |
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| Lake
Erie College of Medicine has announced that they will build a 15-acre branch
campus of their Pennsylvania osteopathic college. Planned for a September 2004 opening, the
95,000 square foot facility will have at least 80 employees and a capital
investment of $20 million. The college is expected to generate a multimillion
annual economic impact on the area. This is only the second osteopathic
training facility in Florida. |
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| SYSCO Food
Services - West Cost Florida |
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| After
an extensive site search process for a location for their new West Coast of
Florida Operating Center, SYSCO Food Services chose a location in the Gulf
Coast Corporate Park in north Manatee County with the understanding that they
must be in their 200,000square foot food distribution center in less than
nine months. The Rapid Response
Permitting Team went to work and was able to issue approvals for site plans,
constructions plans, and construction permits in 47 days. The company moved
in on time and has followed up with two more expansions. They also received
two Quick Response Training grants, one for the initial expansion in the
amount of approximately $500,000 and a second one for nearly $125,000. |
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| Edwards
Systems Technology (Purchased by GE
Security in 2005) |
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| Edwards
Systems Technology, a world leader in innovative fire alarm and life safety
systems solutions for commercial and industrial applications, has announced
plans to relocate the corporate offices in Manatee County to a new, two-story
109,000 sq. ft. building in Lakewood Ranch. The Manatee County office is the
center for all of their product research and design functions including
engineering, testing, technical support, and documentation, as well as being
home to their marketing and training centers. |
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| Chris-Craft |
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| When
Chris-Craft decided that they would begin manufacturing high-end classic,
yachts for worldwide distribution, they hired a consulting company to help
make the decision on where to locate.
After looking at other sites in the southeast, they decided on
expanding their facility in Manatee County. To assist with this expansion,
the EDC helped Chris-Craft obtain a $600,000 QTI (Qualified Target Industry
Tax Refund) through Enterprise Florida to be paid out over four years. This
project will result in $13 million in capital investment and 200 total jobs. |
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