Monday – October 8, 2006

DEBARY APPROVES SITE PLAN FOR ADDITIONAL INDUSTRIAL SPACE – The City of DeBary has approved a site plan for Springview Commerce Park Lot 4 for the construction of several buildings totaling 30,600 square foot of industrial and distribution space in the city’s Springview Industrial Center. Construction is expected to be completed in 2007. This latest approval brings the total amount of industrial space in the city’s industrial center to more than 300,000 square feet.

UTILITY PIPE SALES OPENS IN ORMOND BEACH, NEEDS EMPLOYEES -- The county’s economic development team has announced that Evansville, Indiana-based Utility Pipe Sales, a distributor of utility pipes and equipment, in November will be moving to a 9,000-square-foot location at 6 Aviator Way in the Ormond Airport Business Park. The company is seeking inside and outside sales personnel, drivers and warehouse workers. For more information concerning these job opportunities contact Randy Buckman at 863/595-0088.

WORKFORCE SURVEY: AREA’S UNDER-EMPLOYED DECLINES – According to a recent workforce study commissioned by the Center for Business Excellence and the county’s Division of Economic Development, there are 42,800 workers in the Volusia/Flagler market available to fill employment vacancies. Contained within this number is an estimated 30,100 workers classified as under-employed. These workers possess a greater technical skill and level of training than the current job position they hold. These workers generally are available to new and expanding employment opportunities when employers are looking to fill more technical and competitive-waged positions. The number of under-employed workers is down from an estimated 38,000 workers identified in a similar survey conducted in 2004. Continued low unemployment rates and strong job growth have been the driving factors in lowering this number during the past two years. An additional 3,900 individuals also were identified as willing to re-enter the job market if the right opportunity presented itself. If you would like to read more about the under-employment study contact the Center for Business Excellence online at www.centerforbusinessexcellence.net

EMPLOYMENT INCENTIVE APPROVED FOR MANUFACTURER – The DeBary City Council has approved an $80,000 employment performance grant to support the negotiations and potential relocation of more than 200 high-skilled, high-waged manufacturing jobs to the city. DeBary’s employment grant will be matched with a similar commitment from the Volusia County Council approved in September. This city-county partnership is part of a six-month effort to court American LaFrance, a manufacturer of emergency vehicles to relocate its production facilities to Volusia County.

DBCC’S SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER OFFERS FREE CONSULTATION – The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) on the Daytona Beach Community College main campus has certified business analysts available for business owners and managers to access assistance in finance, strategic planning, management, market research and much more. The SBDC offers a free consultation service to support the area’s small businesses. In addition to small business counseling, the SBDC also hosts workshops to help business owners and mangers hone their management and business skills. Upcoming workshop topics include QuickBooks, Business Startups, and the Business Plan series. For more information and to reserve a spot for upcoming seminars contact Nancy Franssen at 386/506-4723.

MINORITY, WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS MATCHMAKER EVENT PLANNED FOR NOVEMBER – In an effort to enhance sales opportunities for Florida’s minority and women-owned businesses, Florida is hosting the Minority and Women Business Matchmaker and Expo at the Orange County Convention Center and the Rosen Center in Orlando November 15-17. For more information, go online to www.flmatchmaker.com or contact Windell Paige at the Florida Office of Supplier Diversity at 850/487-0915.

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. If you wish to have your name removed from this weekly email broadcast, please let us know.