Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Tribune article on manufacturing jobs:
BUSINESS NEWS
New manufacturing, distribution center brings 50 jobs to Tampa
By Yvette C. Hammett | Tribune Staff
Published: June 16, 2015 | Updated: June 16, 2015 at 05:42 PM
TAMPA — Hercules Fluid Power Group will open a new manufacturing and distribution center in Hillsborough County creating 50 jobs, the governor’s office announced Tuesday.
HFPG, an international distributor of hydraulic and pneumatic seals, seal kits and cylinders for heavy equipment,will occupy 35,000 square feet of leased space at 8711 Florida Mining Road in Tampa and invest $1 million in building improvements and upgrades.
“This move allows us to take advantage of Tampa’s strong talent pool and cost-effective environment to continue to build the company into the industry leading provider of Fluid Power seals for mobile heavy equipment and industrial applications,” HFPG President Russ Brown said in a statement.
The company is receiving an incentive package worth $130,000, including $120,000 from the state’s Qualified Target Industry Program and $30,000 from Hillsborough County. The total package will provide support for the 50 new jobs with a minimum average salary of $48,813. The incentives will be distributed over four years and will only be paid as the jobs are created.
“This is a clear example of a company that had a choice of where to put this manufacturing operation,” said Rick Homans, president and CEO of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp., which helped broker the deal. “They know and love Tampa Bay and decided to stay here.”
Homans said about 80 percent of the jobs that get generated through the deals the EDC helps negotiate are expansions of businesses already in this area. “The highest percentage comes from company expansions versus relocations.”
Enterprise Florida and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity also assisted in putting the deal together.
Founded in 1962 and headquartered in Clearwater, HFPG has 385 employees in the United States and Canada. In addition to its Florida facilities, the company has distribution centers in six other states.
“HFPG already has distribution centers in at least two other states that competed for this project,” said Ronald Vaughn, chair of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp. and president of the University of Tampa. “But those states simply couldn’t beat what Hillsborough County offered in terms of quality and availability of the talent and an ideal location for expanding service to their customers in the southeastern U.S., Europe, and other international destinations. Hillsborough County’s reputation as a destination for distribution, logistics, and manufacturing operations is on the rise.”
County Commission Chairwoman Sandy Murman, too, welcomes the investment and new jobs. “We’re very pleased to welcome HFPG to Hillsborough County. We’ve worked hard to develop our distribution, manufacturing and logistics sectors by offering competitive workforce support and business assistance packages that put companies locating here on a fast track for growth.”
Anyone interested in job opportunities can refer to the company’s website at www.herculesus.com.
