|  |  |
Success Stories
New Companies
Belmarmi Inc.
Fast Facts:
- Manufacturer, importer, and distributor of marble, granite, onyx, limestone, and tile
- Relocating from Neptune Beach, FL
- Building a 114,000 sq.ft. facility
- 50 employees
- Wage 200% of St. Johns County’s average
- Received local incentives
Rulon Company
Fast Facts:
- Relocating from Brunswick, GA
- Building a 75,000 sq.ft. facility on approx. 9 acres at World Commerce Center
- 100 employees in 3 years
- Manufacturer of acoustical wood and PVC ceiling and wall systems
- Wages 200% of St. Johns County’s average
- Received state and local economic development incentives
- Broke ground on March 17, 2005
Testimonial:
Rulon Company has found a home in St. Augustine and St. Johns County, Florida. Rulon started manufacturing of commercial wood and uPVC ceiling and wall systems in 1985. Throughout our history of growth, it became clear that we would ultimately need a permanent facility as the business outgrew its first location in Souderton, Pennsylvania.
An interim move to Brunswick, Georgia was made in an effort to consolidate operations by having the administrative offices next to our wood manufacturing facility. In spite of a lackluster economy our business continued to grow at an impressive rate. It soon became apparent that an expansion of operations in Brunswick was not going to ultimately meet our business needs.
We mounted an extensive research campaign into a suitable location for a new facility. Being a family conscious company, education for the children of employees and quality of life for families was important. We found the educational system of St. Johns County appealing because of its high rating on a national scale. We also wanted our employees to feel comfortable moving families to a community that offered an attractive “live-work-play” environment. After extensive research and comprehensive evaluation, the company selected St. Johns County.
Construction will begin in the summer of 2004 on a 75,000 square-foot headquarters, showroom and manufacturing facility at the World Commerce Center off Interstate 95 and International Golf Parkway in St. Johns County. We expect to occupy the building with 60 employees in the fall of 2005 and grow to 100 employees by 2007. We will be located on a 10 acre site which allows room for future expansion to 150,000 square feet.
The St. Johns County economy will benefit by Rulon bringing to Florida many of our current employees, and through hiring of locally available skilled workers. We also expect to hire additional highly skilled workers capable at operating computerized woodworking machinery from the furniture industry, where jobs have been lost to Asian imports.
Since announcing the move, many of our employees have expressed excitement at the prospect of moving to this desirable location. The Rulon team believes the move to St. Augustine in St. Johns County will be a milestone in the company’s history.
Medical Development International (MDI)
Fast Facts:
- Relocation of Corporate Headquarters from Virginia to Ponte Vedra Beach
- Up to 50 employees in 3 years
- Average wages = $60,000
- Received state incentives
Testimonial:
Established in 1992, Medical Development International (MDI) is a medical services organization that provides healthcare for more than 65,000 individuals through contracts with self-insured companies and federal, state and local governments.
MDI maintains four regional offices in northern Virginia, Los Angeles, CA, Ft. Worth, TX, and Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Not long after opening a regional office here in December 2002, MDI president and CEO Richard Willich decided to relocate his corporate headquarters from Lansdowne, Virginia to Ponte Vedra Beach. “St. Johns County, with its skilled medical workers and thriving business environment, was a perfect match for our company,” says Willich. “We’ve found the camaraderie among the local business community to be very helpful and appreciate the warm weather, lack of congestion and vigorous lifestyle this area offers our employees.”
The $60M company has hired 20 employees since moving to St. Johns County and plans to grow the corporate staff to 50 employees in 2005. To accommodate this growth and to make room for its new division, MDI is in the process of adding another 3,500 square feet to its current 7,500 square foot corporate office. The new division, the MDI Group, provides a complete billing, records and revenue management solution for hospitals across the country.
Willich adds, “We all are raising families here and are concerned about the education available to our children and the quality of life. This area ranks high for both and is a great place to live and work.”
Tarantin Tank & Equipment
Fast Facts:
- Relocation and new market expansion from New Jersey
- Renovating 21,600 sq. ft. facility on 7 acres near Hastings
- 12 employees in 3 years
- High-wage jobs
- Distributor of LP-gas and natural gas equipment
- Received local economic development incentives
Testimonial:
“I have found St Johns County business friendly, professional and timely in communicating our eligibility for incentives,” said Tom Tarantin. “The expedited services of the Economic Development Council and the incentives were great contributors in moving the project to fruition,” he added.
The Tarantin Tank project had to go through a rezoning process, from a Commercial General designation to a Light Industrial designation, and through a Comprehensive Plan Amendment. “Without the change, we could neither develop the property to its full potential nor attract the vendor partnerships that would expand activity and increase employment. We would have found it necessary to look elsewhere,” said Tarantin. The company took advantage of the Economic Development Expedited Review that expedited Tarantin Tank’s rezoning and Comprehensive Plan Amendment. “Because of the economic development implication of this project and the St Johns County Board of County Commissioners’ goal to support economic development, this project moved along faster, and we saved a good month of review,” said Janis Fleet with Fleet and Associates, the planning consultant for Tarantin Tank.
“We found a winning combination of location and service in St Johns County,” said Roy Jaeger, member of Tarantin’s Board of Directors. “As the project evolved it became evident that the development of this new distribution center is a true public/private partnership,” he added.
Capri Industries, Inc.
Fast Facts:
- Relocation of Corporate Headquarters from South Florida
- Woman-owned business
- 5,000 sq. ft. facility in NorthOne Business Park
- 25 new jobs
- Up to 75 employees in 3 years
- Commercial electrical contracting company
Business Retention & Expansion
Ice Express
Fast Facts:
- Manufactures, packages, and distributes ice to customers from the Georgia line down to Daytona Beach
- Building 12,500 sq. ft. state-of-the-art ice manufacturing facility at Interstate Commerce Center & Industrial Park
- 30 employees in 5 years at 100% average wage
- Received local incentives
Burkhardt Sales & Service
Fast Facts:
- 35 years in the community
- Wine and beer distributor
- Expanding existing facility by 30,000 sq. ft.
- Received local incentives
Lab Connections
Fast Facts:
- Local importer and distributor of scientific education laboratory equipment – adding manufacturing
- Building a 9,750 sq.ft. facility in West Augustine
- Received local incentives
O.T. Flex Tooling
Fast Facts:
- Building 30,000 sq. ft. building in Hastings
- 40+ new jobs to Hastings area
- Approved for St. Johns County incentives
- Approved for Qualified Target Industry Refund Program (QTI)
- Metal stamping and assembly
Hastings "would be a strategic location with the larger manufacturers moving south, that would allow O.T. Flex Tooling to work with the community to develop people for manufacturing skills as well as stimulating the economy through stable employment." - Oakey Brewer, President, in his incentive application
Northrop Grumman
Fast Facts:
- Relocation of contract activity from Bethpage, NY to St. Augustine facility
- 95 new jobs to St. Johns County
- $61,000 average wage
- Approved for Qualified Defense Contractor Tax Refund (QDC)
- Approved for St. Johns County's contribution to the QDC
- Project underway in January 2005
American Culinary Federation
Fast Facts:
- 30 jobs retained
- $1 million payroll
- $1.5 million local economic impact annually
- 20,000 members nationwide
Speculative Space
Business Condos USA
Fast Facts:
- 43,164 sq. ft. of office and warehouse space
- Building on US1 North
- First to receive local incentives for speculative space
Flagler Whitehall
Fast Facts:
- 56,000 sq. ft. of professional office space
- Building on Old Moultrie Road
- Received local incentives
R & D Development
Fast Facts:
- 7,500 sq.ft. of commercial/industrial warehouse space
- Building in the Davis Industrial Park in West Augustine
- Received local incentives
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
©2004-2009 St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce
Photos Copyright 2009 by St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches VCB
|
|
|
|
|
