You’re in Good Company In Ocala

With Business Retention as a key element in the Ocala/Marion County EDC’s Strategic Plan, we are proud to showcase some of the companies that have chosen Ocala as a community that is great for business…great for life.

For your convenience, our industry brochure is available in a downloadable pdf format. Click here to view our Industry Brochure.

For your convenience, the companies in Ocala data is available in a downloadable pdf format. Click here to view Companies In Ocala.

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Look Who's New in Our Community!

American Spaceframe Fabricators International (ASFI) manufactures tensioned fabric structures that allow natural light in and are used in multi-purpose commercial and government applications. Compared to traditional construction, these structures expedite the building process at a fraction of the cost. ASFI's manufacturing facility, formerly located in Crystal River, needed room to expand because of the addition of much larger projects. They were invited to explore the possibilities of moving to Ocala and have received a warm welcome.

"We have been very impressed with the services and advocacy shown by Pete and Ron at the EDC and are appreciative to have received a grant through the City’s EIF fund.  Ron was a big help and walked us through that process,” said ASFI's CFO, Tom Leahy.

Leahy also commented on the partnership aspect that makes locating to Ocala/Marion County so unique. “This is a growing community with beautiful horse farms, but there is also a strong focus on business development. In addition to the EDC, the folks at the One Stop (CLM Workforce Connection) have been great, and the college (Central Florida Community College) is an excellent resource. We will be doing some training with them soon. The welcome mat has really been put out for us in Ocala and Marion County.”American Spaceframe Fabricators, Int’l.

Project Overview
Targeted Jobs:            85
Total Payroll:               $2,787,000
Square Footage:        120,000
Capital Investment:    $950,000

Sunair Electronics is a 51-year-old company that designs, manufactures and distributes state-of-the-art high-frequency communications systems and peripherals utilized for long-range voice and data communications. The company’s management needed to find a new location to reduce business costs and provide a lower cost of living and improved lifestyle for its workforce. Sunair executives narrowed their search to three Florida communities. Marion County rose to the top because of the exhaustive list of technical manufacturers already in the area. “We knew if they could maintain a workforce, there was a strong possibility we could as well,” said company CEO Mark Allen.

Allen was impressed with the partnership approach he found in Marion County. Through partnerships with the EDC, the City of Ocala negotiated a favorable lease for Sunair to move their operations to the Ocala International Airport property. CLM Workforce Connection has assisted with meeting the human resources need, and CFCC will be assisting with workforce training.

“One of the surprising factors in the move was that the EDC stayed with us after we were here,” said Allen. “I really thought they would be off to their next project, but Pete, Ron and the entire staff really stayed with us and helped us work through the details that always arise in a move like this. The other surprise is that everything we were told in the preliminary phase has been true. I assumed part of what I was promised would be a ‘bill of goods,’ and if part of it worked out, it would still be worth it. But everything we were told has happened…you simply don’t find that much anymore. The EDC gets an A+ from us here at Sunair!”

Project Overview
Projected Jobs:            48-55
Total Payroll:                $2,365,000
Square Footage:          25,000

Look Who's Growing in Our Community!

NetSource Technologies is a jewel in our community for a small company that provides high-tech, higher-wage jobs. The company began in 1995 as a father/son partnership of Wray and Greg Petry. The family business began with parts distribution. Greg utilized the new boom of the Internet to generate sales and reach customers. Word of their success online spread to other companies that began to request the services, and a new company was born.

Last year, NetSource was given notice that the building they had leased would be demolished to make way for the 17th Street overpass. A new location was secured, and Petry began an expansion process that led to ownership of a beautiful new facility on South Pine Avenue that is as cutting-edge as the services they provide. NetSource President Greg Petry shares the role the EDC played in his company’s expansion: “We have a relationship with the EDC as an investor in their mission and one of our major clients. It was natural to see what they may be able to do to help with our expansion. They pointed us in the right direction to secure a Small Business Administration loan that made our expansion possible.”   Assisting existing industry with business expansion needs is a key component in the mission of the EDC. This year, we celebrate the milestones of two local companies that experienced growth and expansion, NetSource Technologies, Inc. and Sun Kool Air Conditioning, Inc.

Project Overview
Targeted Jobs:            11
Total Payroll:               $300,000
Square Footage:        10,000
Capital Investment:    $1,475,000

Company growth, coupled with a need to consolidate and modernize their facilities, led Sun Kool into an expansion program. The company is renovating the former Libby’s warehouse located just off 14th Street. The project is in two phases, the first being the move of the warehouse and customer service department, and the second will move the showroom into a beautiful, newly renovated area at the same location. Company President Frankie Nicholson shares the role the EDC played in their project: “The EDC was able to connect us with CLM Workforce for training grants that enable our workers to get brand-new tools to start their jobs. It helped in recruiting and retention of our employees and also boosted the morale of our team. It was a valuable resource.

Project Overview
Projected Jobs:            25
Total Payroll:                $3,000,000
Square Footage:         33,741  
Capital Investment:     $1,263,378

Company Testimonials

“The Florida economy is booming, and we are having a hard time keeping up with customer demand. The strategic location of Marion County was chosen to easily expand in the southeastern states. Little did we know, the in-state customers would keep us so busy we can’t even think about the regional states yet.”
Carla DeFrank, Human Resources Leader
Merillat Corporation

"We are excited to expand our distribution network into the fast growing southeast
region, linking our northern and southern distribution areas. This will provide greater consistency of service for many of our key multi-unit customers with operations in this area.”
Dan Gordon, President
Gordon Food Service

“When we purchased the company in 2002, we planned to move the entire operation to Clearwater. After working with the EDC, we learned more about doing business in Marion County and felt we should stay. We have doubled the number of employees since, and with this expansion plan to double that number again. On top of that, we are glad we stayed. Now Ocala is home.”
Jon Houchens, Owner
ESD Waste 2 Water, Inc.

 

  Source: Ocala/Marion County EDC

 Source: Ocala/Marion County EDC

The Ocala/Marion County EDC is pleased to announce the following business expansion and relocation activity in our community. It is an honor for our team to assist these companies with job creation and economic growth that makes Ocala/Marion County great for business…great for life.

Projects underway or completed from the onset of the Lead the Way Campaign from 2004 to date are generating $114 million in capital investments, an additional $59.5 million in new payroll, and creating 1,402 new jobs that meet the targeted 115%-120% of the 2004 average earnings per worker.

Source: Ocala/Marion County EDC

2006-2007 Fiscal Year

First Quarter

Second Quarter

Third Quarter

Fourth Quarter

Year To Date

Source: Ocala/Marion County EDC