Local News

ROWAN COUNTY PAVES THE WAY

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS APPROVE INVESTMENT GRANT FOR TOYOTA

NASCAR expands in Rowan

Toyota Racing Development (TRD) has optioned the purchase of the Cline Site to develop a support facility for its entrance into NASCAR Nextel Cup racing. The 89-acre Certified Industrial Site is located near the intersection of Peach Orchard Rd and Old Concord Rd east of Interstate 85.

Conceptual Site Development Plan

Conceptual Chassis Engineering Building

Initial conceptual plans for development include site grading and preparation, construction of an internal road and a 32,736 square foot building. The building will accommodate TRD’s $26 Million Chassis Engineering and Competition Support facility employing approximately 40 people at an average annual salary of $70,000. Future development plans include a 75,000 square foot building adjacent to the Engineering building and 5 additional buildings on the remainder of the site.

According to TRD, the Cline Site was selected after an exhaustive multi-state search from 21 initial sites. The differentiating characteristics of the site include the state site certification, close proximity to Interstate 85, a commitment for site utilities infrastructure and the support provided by the Salisbury- Rowan Economic Development Commission. Toyota has a history of environmental and civic stewardship and this development will increase local job opportunities and solidly seats Rowan County as a new nucleus for future Racing business and development opportunities.

The sale is expected to close this month (January 2007) with work commencing in the spring.

Annual Retreat

The Salisbury- Rowan Economic Development Commission met on January 10, 2007 at Catawba College for its Annual Retreat to review 2006 results, discuss priorities and set a preliminary plan of work for 2007.

During the productive retreat, attended by the Board of Directors and Commissioners Hall and Barber, the 2006 accomplishments and ongoing activities were preliminary orders of business. The positives changes in labor force, employment, tax base and web traffic were reviewed, as were some notable event pictures and headlines. A lively discussion followed on growth management & planning, product development, marketing strategies, Rowan Jobs Initiative, infrastructure, funding and biotech.

The meeting concluded with the EDC’s 2007 Plan of Work. The plan covered topics including calendar of activities, events and missions planned for 2007. The Plan of Work for the Salisbury- Rowan Economic Development Commission is as follows:

Monthly Activity: January- December 2007
•           Continue focused Existing Industry Program with weekly visitations & create awareness of available programs
•           Target industries for recruitment to Rowan County
•           Respond to and manage site selection leads, inquiries and projects
•           Attend RJI, Biz-Ed Connect and Chamber monthly meetings
•           Enhance and monitor web site
•           Attend monthly EDAC meeting of the Charlotte Regional Partnership
•           Set EDC Board Meeting agenda and host meeting
•           Prepare Financial Report
•           Prepare Activity Summary Report
•           Prepare Executive Director Monthly Activity Report
•           Meet with City and County Managers to discuss ongoing activities and initiatives

Quarterly Activity: January, April, July, October 2007
•           Publish newsletter
•           Attend the CRP Board of Directors meeting

Annual Activity: 2007
•           Revise & Update Manufacturers Directory
•           Revise & Update Business Assistance & Regulatory Guide
•           Audit Buildings and Sites listings and renew Letters of Intent
•           Prepare Budget
•           Staff Evaluation
•           Review Target Industry List
•           Meet with funding partners
•           Set Planning Retreat agenda and host meeting
•           Set EDC annual Summit and host
•           Attend County and City planning retreats

Events and Missions
•           Attend NCEDA Conferences

•           Professional seminars & training

•           Annual Dept of Commerce presentation & appreciation luncheon: November 26
•           Trade Shows

•           Business Development Missions

The Salisbury- Rowan Economic Development Commission continues its mission to promote a vital economy to improve the overall quality of life for residents of Rowan County.

Buildings Sold or Leased in 2006

• Andrews Building #1
• Andrews Building #2
• Anthony Building
• Coors Building
• Modular Home Sales Center Location
• Old Duke Power Building
• Parkdale Mills
• Rags Building
• Rowland Building #3
• Silver Eagle Building
• Standard Aero Building
• W.A. Brown Building
• Wellington Leisure Products

Marketing Update

Rowan Jobs Initiative(RJI) hosted a review of the successes of its 2006 marketing campaign and a discussion of future plans at the City of Salisbury Council Chambers on January 11, 2007. RJI grew out of the county's Committee of 100 and is a public-private partnership that serves as a marketing arm for the Salisbury-Rowan Economic Development Commission. The "Available for Work" campaign had coverage from Site Selection magazine, Business Facilities magazine, the Charlotte Observer, Salisbury Post and News 14 Carolina  leading to more than 2.8 million "impressions" or hits. More than 2,000 site selection consultants and brokers received six different direct mail postcards about Rowan County. The campaign's Web site, tied directly to the Salisbury- Rowan Economic Development Commission's site, saw a 90 percent increase in visits.

The “Available for Work” campaign uses a sales message that says Rowan County has a great location, a good quality of life, a good business climate and a competitive cost of doing business. The second year of the campaign will build on the success of the Salisbury- Rowan Economic Development Commission. The initiative will target vendors and suppliers of existing industry especially those supporting Toyota Racing Development and Freightliner, promote Rowan County's connection to the N.C. Research Campus in Kannapolis and tell the growth story of some existing county businesses.

New industry locates in Granite Quarry

Iowa Spring Manufacturing announced the establishment of a new Southern division to make garage door springs in the former Wellington Leisure Products building at 127 Rowan St in Granite Quarry. Salisbury-Rowan Economic Development Commission worked in close cooperation with officials of Granite Quarry and Iowa Spring Manufacturing in selecting and purchasing the site.

The new company named Southern Atlantic Spring hired and trained 25 employees to work one shift, five days a week, with production starting in December and first garage door springs shipped this month. Company officials with the parent company, Iowa Spring Manufacturing, headquartered in Adel, Iowa, said the Granite Quarry plant will produce a major portion of the company's springs that serve manufacturers and local service distributors in the overhead garage door industry. Company officials said they expect to expand to a 35- to 40-person operation working two shifts by the end of 2007.

Mayor Mary Ponds stated that "I hope we can accommodate them in any and all aspects," and hopes Southern Atlantic Spring's arrival will encourage other industries to take a look at Granite Quarry. She said having the new employer will bring "new life and prosperity" to its neighborhood and the whole town. "I'm glad to see them occupy that building," Ponds said.

Wellington Leisure Products closed its rope-making plant at this location in the fall of 2003 after purchasing the plant in 1997 from Wall Rope. The 96,000-square foot facility is a pre-engineered metal building dating back to 1975 with additions built in 1980.

Biggest exporter of used clothing on the East Coast continues to grow

Outgrowing their existing space in 2005, the Williams Companies, Inc. moved to Salisbury into the 90,000 square foot former American Efird facility on Richard St with the assistance of the Salisbury- Rowan Economic Development Commission. As profiled recently in the Salisbury Post, the move seems to have agreed with the company and its growth continues.
Almost forty years ago, Richard and Elaine Williams began with Williams Medical Textiles making patient gowns, adult bibs, operation room apparel and other supplies for hospitals and nursing homes in Advance. About 20 years later, unable to compete with cheap imports, Williams stopped making medical gowns and diversified their business. Since then they have prospered and developed becoming one of the biggest exporters of used clothing on the East Coast.

Even as Williams was buying the Richard St building, he was interested in the property across the street and recently completed buying the land and an empty warehouse, next to the main north-south railroad line. They plan to renovate the former warehouse into new company offices and Richard talks of building a five-story office building on that property. Richard Williams praises Salisbury- Rowan Economic Development Commission  officials for supporting his companies' move from Davie County to Salisbury. "The people here are business friendly," Williams said. "Best people I've ever met."

The continued success of the Williams Companies illustrates the strength of business and industry in the Salisbury- Rowan community.

Expansion brings a win-win-win solution

Office furniture and electrical components are not thought to have much in common. The Salisbury- Rowan Economic Development Commission helped to bring them together locally.

Having consolidated manufacturing operations to its Salisbury plant in 2005, Maxon Furniture Inc. was fully utilizing its facility on Grace Church Rd. Maxon is a leading office furniture manufacturer and innovative provider of planning tools and services to help with workspace solution at the right price. When a new product line was added in the fall, Maxon needed an active warehouse location for a short term to fully incorporate the inventory into their existing facility.

Control Resources Inc. had purchased a facility on Richard St in the summer of 2005 with the assistance of the Salisbury- Rowan Economic Development Commission. Control Resources is a re-seller of high-quality, competitively priced electrical and pneumatic components as well as linear motion products. Their Richard St facility was larger than their immediate needs and the surplus space was in need of renovation.

The Salisbury- Rowan Economic Development Commission worked with both businesses and helped to bring them together for a win-win-win solution this fall. Maxon obtained a sub-lease of Control Resources’ renovated surplus space. The lease provided Maxon quality space at an acceptable rate and term and Control Resources maximization of their facility utilization. Additionally, the deal benefits the community with increased profitability for Control Resources, Maxon expanding locally, employing more people and increasing the attachment of both businesses to the Salisbury- Rowan community.

How can we help your company expand locally?

Hollywood benefits Rowan

As much reported in the Salisbury Post, George Clooney’s production company is filming Leatherheads in the region this year. The Salisbury- Rowan Economic Development has been actively engaged with the film’s scouts and producers assisting in identifying and obtaining locations, office space and amenities. Beyond the allure of having the Salisbury- Rowan community appearing in a major Hollywood production, there are real potential economic benefits for the community. The film crew and actors have to eat, sleep and purchase sundry items while on location in the community and these actions contribute directly and indirectly to the local economy.

It is the goal of the Salisbury- Rowan Economic Development Commission to make the most of this opportunity, to have as much of Leatherheads filmed and to have as much of the support crew activity occur locally as possible.

Get to know the EDC

Bruce Jones has been a board member of the Salisbury – Rowan EDC since 2002. He is a Rowan County appointee and presently serves as Chairman of the board. He is President & CEO of Community Bank of Rowan and Southeast President of Capital Bancorp Limited. He is active in the community having served on numerous boards and committees. He presently serves as a board member for the Rowan Regional Medical Center, board member for the Rowan Job Initiative and Treasurer, Habitat for Humanity Board member and Church Council Board member for Grace Covenant Church. He also is a member of the Salisbury Rotary Club. He is a graduate of Appalachian State University having received a B.S. in Business Administration – Banking and Finance. Bruce and his wife Becky have three children and reside in China Grove.

Stuart P. Hair joined the staff of the Salisbury- Rowan Economic Development Commission on April 3, 2006 as the Project Manager. He is responsible for the Existing Industry Program including retention and expansion, small business relocations, this quarterly newsletter, general technical and web issues and assist the Executive Director in related projects as necessary. Stuart received his BA in History from Queens University of Charlotte. After an initial career in call-center business planning, Stuart graduated in August 2006 from UNC- Charlotte with a Masters of the Arts concentrating his studies on economic geography, planning and analysis. He is a recent graduate of the Basic Economic Development Course at the UNC- Chapel Hill. Stuart and his wife, Beth, have one son, Will.