Monday – April 16, 2007

INDUSTRIAL ACREAGE NEEDED FOR MANUFACTURING PROSPECT – The county Department of Economic Development is working with a manufacturer that requires an industrial site of 18-20 acres to construct a production facility. The prospect specifically has identified the DeLand, Orange City, DeBary and Deltona areas. If you or someone you know has a property that meets these basic requirements, please contact John Kizer, Business Specialist, at 386/248-8048. Your information will be provided to the company for review and consideration.

FREE MARKETING OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL AVIATION PRODUCT PROVIDERS -- The World Trade Center Miami and Enterprise Florida are producing the Florida Aviation Products and Services Directory for worldwide distribution. The directory is designed to promote and increase export sales for Florida companies. This is a free service for Florida’s aviation industry. If you would like to have your company’s products included in this directory, scheduled to be distributed at the Paris Air Show in June, visit www.worldtrade.org to complete and submit the required questionnaire. Deadline for submissions is April 30. For additional information, please call 305/871-7910.

MANUFACTURER SEEKS LARGER INDUSTRIAL SPACE – The county Department of Economic Development is working with a manufacturer that requires a minimum of 100,000 square feet of production space with a minimum ceiling height of 24 feet. The facility and site must have the capability of being expanded to a maximum of 200,000 square feet. Only sites in the Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach, Port Orange, New Smyrna and Edgewater areas will be considered. If you or someone you know has a property that meets these basic requirements, please contact John Kizer, Business Specialist, at 386/248-8048. Your information will be provided to the company for review and consideration.

FLORIDA’S BUILDING DECLINES – According to the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic & Business Research, the value of residential building permits in Florida declined by $3.8 billion or 53.4 percent between February 2006 and February 2007. During this same period, Volusia’s building permit activity declined by $35.3 million or 27 percent.

ANOTHER INDUSTRIAL SITE NEEDED – The County Department if Economic Development is working with a manufacturing prospect that requires industrial site of 15-18 acres in the Deltona, Orange City or DeBary areas only. The site must be able to accommodate up to 150,000 square feet of production space and 250 parking spaces. If you or someone you know has a property that meets these basic requirements, please contact John Kizer, Business Specialist, at 386/248-8048. Your information will be provided to the company for review and consideration.

INTERESTED IN A TRADE MISSION TO MEXICO? – The Department of Economic Development will lead a trade mission to Mexico later this year as part of a local effort to expand opportunities for the sale of locally manufactured products. Participating companies will be provided with full matchmaking support services by the U.S. Foreign Service including local transportation, translation services and individual sales meetings. If your company would like to learn more about this opportunity, call Paul Mitchell, Business Specialist, at 386/274-3439.

EUROPEAN BUYERS INCREASING – While the euro remains strong against the American dollar, the purchase of U.S. homes is a bargain for Europeans. Europe is a largely unexplored market for local Realtors. The Brits' infatuation with Central Florida is well known. More than 8,000 people from the United Kingdom own homes here. A few development communities have opened sales offices in the U.K, but the rest of Europe is an untapped market of potential home buyers. Despite high home prices in Florida, Northern Europeans are used to paying even more for housing and living expenses, and the rising euro allows them to purchase U.S. property for what amounts to a discount. Similar to the U.S., waves of European baby boomers with disposable income are coming of age and are ready to retire.

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.