Monday – September 25, 2006

GRANTS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT EXPORTING OPPORTUNITIES – The county Department of Economic Development has matching grants available to Volusia County companies to assist in funding customized sales initiatives to more than 100 international markets. The county’s economic development professionals partner with the U.S. Department of Commerce Foreign Commercial Service to provide personalized assistance to help identify new markets and establish sales meetings in the countries of choice. For more information please e-mail Paul Mitchell, Business Specialist, at pmitchell@co.volusia.fl.us.

TRAINING FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR CONSTRUCTION TRADES -- The Regional Workforce Development Board’s Center for Business Excellence (CBE) has funding from Workforce Florida, Inc. to implement local construction training programs as part of a statewide effort to assist the construction industry. The funding awarded to CBE will provide resources to train new workers and upgrade the skills of current workers. Interested individuals can call 386/323-7035 or go to www.onestops.com for more information. Businesses interested in on the job training opportunities or upgrading the skills of current workers can call 386/323-7008.

BOSTON AREA TRADE SHOW PRODUCES PROMISING RESULTS – The county’s economic development team recently returned from another successful trade show featuring more than 500 New England manufacturers. Accompanying the county business team were representatives of the Halifax Area Business Development Partnership and American Industrial Plastics, Daytona Beach. Several area manufacturers provided product marketing literature and samples for distribution including Advanced Machining, New Smyrna Beach; RAF Technologies, DeLand; Rotomation, Inc., Ormond Beach; Superior Handling Equipment, Ormond Beach; Piedmont Plastics, Daytona Beach; Gamma High Voltage Research, Ormond Beach, and Command Medical, Ormond Beach. If you would like to have your company represented at the Medical Devise Manufacturing trade show in Minneapolis October 25-26, please contact Paul Mitchell at 386/274-3439.

PRESIDENT OF COMMAND MEDICAL TO ADDRESS VMA -- Finding alternatives that can help position your company to compete globally will be the subject of a presentation by David Slick, president of Command Medical, Ormond Beach, at the Volusia Manufacturers Association’s monthly meeting September 27. Slick has found an alternative relatively close to home which has allowed his Ormond Beach factory to prosper in this changing economy. For more information please call the VMA at 386/673-0505.

TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING SUPPORT AVAILABLE -- The Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program (SATOP) provides small businesses access to a wealth of knowledge and technology developed by the U.S. Space program. Small businesses can submit a technical challenge to SATOP. If SATOP is able to assist, the business is provided with up to 40 hours of free technical assistance from a space program scientist or engineer. For more information visit the Florida Technological Research and Development Authority’s SATOP website at spacetechsolutions.com/center.

MANUFACTURER SEEKS 15,000 SQUARE FEET -- The county’s economic development team is helping a northeast manufacturer to find a site in the Greater Daytona Beach Area for an operational facility. If you know of a manufacturing space that can accommodate up to 15,000 square feet of production space, please contact Phil Ehlinger, Business Recruitment Manager, at 386/248-8048. All responses will be forwarded to the company.

BE CHARTER SMARTER – For detailed information on the seven proposed amendments to the Volusia County Home Rule Charter that will be on the ballot November 7, please access the Charter Smarter website.

NEWS ITEMS WANTED! – Please send your business news items to Dave Byron, Volusia County Community Information Director, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand, 32720-4612, by fax at (386) 822-5072 or by e-mail at dbyron@co.volusia.fl.us.