Monday – June 30, 2008

MANUFACTURING SPACE NEEDED – A manufacturer of chlorine-based solutions for medical use is considering County for a future operations site. The company needs 20,000 square feet of light manufacturing space. If you have or know of a location that is not currently entered into the real estate database at floridabusiness.org and should be considered for this proposal, please contact John Kizer, Volusia County Department of Economic Development business specialist, at (386) 248-8048. Your information will be presented to the company.

EXPORT UNIVERSITY – Export University is a training program developed by the Florida District Export Council and the Florida Trade Alliance Partners to help companies begin an export initiative and to improve their international sales. As a member of the Florida District Export Council, the Volusia County Department of Economic Development supports and helps develop these programs. Export 101 is designed for new-to-export firms that would like advice on evaluating export readiness of their products or services, or are in the process of developing an export marketing plan. Additional subjects include understanding the basics about U.S. export regulations, logistics and the methods of getting paid. For more information on this program, please contact Paul Mitchell, international trade specialist at (386) 248-8048. For the full agenda and registration for Export 101, go online to http://floridaexporter.com/jacksonville101.

NEED HELP WITH ISO CERTIFICATION OR LEAN MANUFACTURING? – The Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is part of a nationwide network of specialists who provide solutions and training for companies in the medical, health, aerospace, automotive, manufacturing and service industries. Companies looking to lower costs, increase throughput, improve lead times, and elevate customer satisfaction by implementing or upgrading a quality management system such as ISO 9100, can receive certification training from an MEP specialist. For more information about the MEP and its programs, contact Paula Heiret, project manager and lean six sigma blackbelt, at (407) 473-3429.

TRADE MISSION TO PERU – Enterprise Florida is hosting an export sales mission to Lima, Peru in October. Peru is among the state’s top 20 markets. Limited to 25 participants, the program includes two full days of personalized appointments with Peruvian companies (pre-screened according to your own company objectives), and one more day for follow-up appointments. To learn more, call Luis Cuervo at EFI, at (305) 808-3660 or email lcuervo@eflorida.com. For information how you can take advantage of a grant to participate in this trade mission as part of the Volusia County Department of Economic Development's Gold Key program, contact Paul Mitchell, international trade specialist, at (386) 248-8048 or by email at pmitchell@co.volusia.fl.us.

MEDICAL COST FORECAST – Companies' health care costs are expected to increase nearly 10 percent this year and by 9.6 percent in 2009, according to a survey of employers by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Hospital construction boom and cost-shifting factors drive medical cost increases well above the inflation rate, as private insurers make up for underfunding of public health programs and the rising number of uninsured. About one-third of employers expect to increase the employees' share of health care costs through higher co-pays or deductibles. Also popular are plans that help workers earn discounts for behavior that keep them healthy such as smoking cessation and exercise programs.

INTERNET KEEPS GROWING – Internet growth continued on a steady pace during the first three months of 2008, according to a domain-name report by VeriSign Inc. Fourteen million new domain names were added in the first quarter of the year. The number of top-level domain names reached 162 million, a 26-percent increase from the same quarter a year ago and a 6-percent increase from fourth-quarter 2007. The report also highlights the importance of India with regard to internet growth statistics. With more than 41 million internet users, India ranks as the eighth-largest internet population in the world. Yet that number represents only about 4 percent of the country's population.

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.