Manufacturing Job Fair at TCC
Tallahassee.com
TCC and the Economic Development Council of Leon County, among others, are partnering to host a Manufacturing Job Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday. The event will take place in Room 105 of the Economic and Workforce Development Building on TCC's main campus. Several manufacturing companies will be on hand and are looking to fill positions immediately that feature good pay and benefits. Some paid on-the-job training may be available as well. For more information, call 201-8760.
Full Article: Here

Concrete Maker to Invest $11 Million in Plant
PR Newswire
Duratek Precast Structures LLC in Brooksville has finalized plans to build a new manufacturing facility in the Hernando county Airport RailPark. Duratek is a manufacturer of pre-cast concrete wall panels used in residential, commercial and road building projects. The company plans to construct a 75,000-square-foot facility on a 14-acre industrial site. The company will invest more than $11 million in capital improvements. It has 125 employees in Florida and will add 90 additional employees at the new facility. The new facility will incorporate state-of-the-art European technology in a highly automated production process that will enable Duratek the flexibility to manufacture a variety of precast concrete products.
Full Article:  http://sev.prnewswire.com/aerospace-defense/20070109/NYFNSJ0609012007-1.html

Hanson opens Baker county plant
The Business Journal
The opening of Hanson Roof Tile's $24 million manufacturing plant in Sanderson marks Hanson's fifth facility in Florida, a plant that will employ 80 workers at full capacity. Construction on the 120,000-square-foot facility on an 18-acre site in Sanderson, about halfway between Jacksonville and Lake City, began in February 2006 and machinery was complete in June. The plant is able to produce 27.5 million tiles annually.
Full Article: http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/070109/1400197.html?.v=1

Company moving ambulance plant to Orlando
Foxnews 10
A manufacturing plant is moving to Orlando.  Specialty vehicle maker Collins Industries says it will close its ambulance manufacturing plant in Hutchinson, Kansas by the end of April. The company says it's moving all ambulance production to Orlando, Florida.
Full Article: http://www.fox10tv.com/global/story.asp?s=5911194

Jabil acquires Taiwanese manufacturer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Jabil Circuit Inc.'s acquisition of outstanding shares and plants of an electro-mechanical manufacturing company is a done deal. One of the companies' subsidiaries bought Taiwan Green Point Enterprises Co. Ltd. for $109 a share. The previously announced acquisition includes nine Asian plants, including seven located in China and one in both Taiwan and Malaysia.
Full article: Here.

After a successful Advanced Manufacturing Fair on January 11 at the Tallahassee Community College Economic & Workforce Development Center, the Job Fair season got off to a strong start with over 230 attendees. In the upcoming days, there are fairs still to be conducted by FSU, FAMU, TCC, the Tallahassee Democrat and Workforce Plus.
Still on the schedule:
Tallahassee Democrat job fair, Tuesday, January 16, 9am-4pm, Holiday Inn Capital East
Workforce Plus will hold a multi-sector job fair on Wednesday, January 17, 9am to 2pm at the Leon County Civic Center. To register call Workforce Plus at (850) 414-6085.
FAMU Spring Career Expo, Wednesday, January 24, 2007, Leon County Civic Center
Florida State University “Seminoles Futures”, Friday, January 26, 2007, Leon County Civic Center

Tallahassee Community College, Wednesday, February 28, 2007, Lifetime Sports Complex

The Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce’s Access Tallahassee program is working with our local higher education institutions to keep young talent in our community. These three institutions attract 52,000 new students to our area a year – but many do not know that beyond campus there are jobs waiting and a community ready to welcome them. Do not let these talented people be recruited OUT of our community!

To recruit full-time employees, part-time employees or interns, join Access Tallahassee and exhibit your local business on our “Tallahassee Row” at one or all of these career fairs. For more information, contact Allie Merzer, director of programs and events at 850-521-3109 or amerzer@talchamber.com

The Regional Training Council in coordination with Leon County Schools, the EDC and WorldClass Schools is holding a seminar from 8:00am to 3:30pm on February 7 at Adult & Community Education (283 Trojan Trail) to enhance the partnership between business and education in the growth sectors of advanced manufacturing, healthcare and information technology.

Presentations and panel discussions will be conducted on area workforce needs, best practices in career and technical education, workforce education and how industry and education may work together to provide a viable workforce.

Tours will be provided by advanced manufacturing, healthcare and information technology companies to allow participants to view the need of a qualified workforce and opportunities available to future graduates.
Please plan to be involved as we discuss how students will make the transition from school to career by implementing career and technical education programs and promoting experiential learning opportunities.
Hear the success story of an innovative, award-winning program that allows students to earn high school credit, college credit and professional industry certification all at the same time at no cost to the student from the keynote speaker Dr. Frank Fuller, Assistant Superintendent of the Okaloosa County School District.
Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in a cutting-edge seminar to bring industry and education together to collaborate and address challenges. Manufacturers need to be fully represented as we stand to gain a great deal from this event.

Medtronic buys manufacturing assets
Jacksonville Business journal
Medtronic Xomed Inc. has reached an agreement to buy some of the manufacturing assets of a Massachusetts medical products company for up to $34 million. Medtronic will acquire the assets to manufacture the EndoSheath products, used by ear, nose and throat specialists, from Vision-Sciences Inc. and move production to its Jacksonville facility.
Full Article:  http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories
/2007/01/15/daily18.html?from_rss=1

Upcoming Manufacturing events

SAMA /  www.nam.org/72hours
Jan 31 & Feb 2  -  Sarasota Science Engineering & Technology Fair - Robarts Arena
 SAMA is a sponsor of this event.  Company sponsors are needed. Contact Bonita Echstenkamper 927 0965   Judges are needed- No experience neccessary.  Contact Susan Puchalla 927 9000
Feb 14 - 15  National Manufacturers Fly-In - Washington DC Sponsored by NAM meet with members of Congress and fellow manufacturers to discuss manufacturing issues and related policy. see  www.nam.org/72hours
Feb 3 - Technology Competition - Lakewood Ranch High School
 8 - 4  Judges needed for both Middle School and High School - Contact Carol Lewis 748-4842 ext 137

Leaders Offer $13.5M in incentives to keep firetruck manufacturer
Orlando Sentinel
OCALA -- Marion County business leaders today unveiled a $13.5 million incentive package aimed at keeping the E-One Inc. firetruck-manufacturing plant in the city, one day after word emerged that the company is considering relocating to Leesburg.
Full Article: Here.

Tools of success teacher’s hands-on approach honored by JAMA
Tarryl Jackson, The Jackson Citizen Patriot
Students learn everything from using power tools to rebuilding carburetors and engines when they step into Ted Densmore's class. Densmore, the manufacturing technology teacher at Western Middle School, wants students to work with their hands and see manufacturing as a worthwhile career.
Fill Article: Here.

Ford gives $150,000 in grants to SME’s education foundation
automation.com
Reinforcing its 25-year commitment to the education of its future workforce, the Ford Motor Company has awarded two grants, totaling $150,000, to the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Education Foundation. Since 1981, Ford has donated $1,608,000 to the SME Education Foundation for scholarships and other engineering education programs.
Full Article: http://www.automation.com/store/p1030details19968.php

Calling all employers: Grant Available
Workforce central newsletter
With unemployment at an exceptionally low rate, Central Florida employers are facing a tight labor market.  It’s to a company’s advantage to continuously train and enhance job skills as well as retain good employees in order to stay competitive.  Full Story: http://www.enewsbuilder.net/wcf/e_article000733581.cfm?x=b8QBWH2,b6j1W2QQ

Students can train early through school
Josh Kastrinsky
Education in advanced manufacturing starts at lower educational levels than in tech colleges and major universities. Though colleges may be the final destination for those seeking to enter the computer-aided production field, Morgan County industry heads said useful training for a career comes as early as middle school.
Full Article: http://www.reporter-times.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=38492&format=html

Dermazone gears up to cosmecuetical contract manufacturing
Simon Pitman
Florida-based Dermazone Solutions says that recent investment and expansion has resulted in state-of-the-art cosmeceutical contract manufacturing and development facilities that aim to tap into significant market growth.
Full Article: Here.

Workers in short supply

Dave Simanoff, The Tampa Tribune
Mike Stima is in a bind. As the production manager for the Tampa Armature Works' custom equipment factory in Riverview, he oversees a staff of about 90. They manufacture heavy-duty electrical equipment, including mobile power distribution centers the size of small houses, for customers such as utility companies and the military.
Full Article: http://www.tbo.com/news/money/MGBGBDQN9XE.html

Florida MEP helps draw out drafting designs

Florida MEP
David Carson and his design team at Drafting Designs have their hands in many industries. They develop and document a variety of products in an array of sectors, from the marine industry to the aircraft industry. When the company wanted to bring in even more business, they knew they needed to become ISO certified and obtain those international quality management requirements in order to expand their business-to-business dealings.
Full Article: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,48573.shtml

Giant sugar mill looks to sweet success
Miami Herald
Deep in Big Sugar land, a new mill is rising that wants to be the biggest of them all. U.S. Sugar is pouring more than $100 million into an expansion and modernization of its 1927 Clewiston Sugar Mill that will turn it into the largest in the nation and third-largest in the world, the company says.
Full article: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/16538840.htm

Matriachs of Manufacturing

When her chief executive husband died and her brother-in-law left the family business in 1989, Janice M. Christiansen suddenly found herself leading a major flag manufacturer. J.C. Schultz Enterprises Inc., parent company of Batavia-based FlagSource, was floundering in debt and Christiansen had to find a way to keep it afloat.
Full Article:  http://www.dailyherald.com/business/story.asp?id=274699

SAMA Meetings will be held at the holiday inn
SAMA
SAMA meetings will be held at the holiday Inn Lakewood Ranch on February 21, 2007.

Market Report in Play
MSN Money
Peerless Manufacturing awarded $3 mln contract for air pollution reduction equipment Co announces it was awarded a $3 mln contract from a Florida electric utility co for the design and supply of a Reagent Storage and Handling System that will integrate with a selective catalytic reduction system for the reduction of nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide scrubber system for removal of SO2 emissions. The storage and handling system will feed a reagent to control emissions of NOx and SOx from two 670 megawatt coal-fired power generating units. The equipment includes rail and truck unloading, vaporization, reagent flow control as well as storage tanks.
Full Article: Here.

NAM board member testifies on manufacturing’s key role

PR Newswire

Testifying on January 31 before the House Committee on Education and Labor, National Association of Manufacturers board member Kellie Johnson, president of ACE Clearwater Enterprises (based in Torrance, Calif.), emphasized the important role manufacturers are playing in strengthening the middle class by providing high-paying jobs and good benefits.

Full Article Here: