Recent Press Releases

 

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States and Mexico to visit Ashland, Ohio in January.

Ashland , Ohio , December 16, 2003 – His Excellency Devinda R. Subasinghe will visit Ashland University on January 20, 2004 to speak at a seminar for local business to present “Business Opportunities in Sri Lanka ”.  The discussion topics include “Political and Economic Climate”; “Trade and Investment Opportunities”; “Repatriating Profits”; and “Long-term Outlook”. 

 

This seminar will be the first in a series hosted by AIBI (Ashland International Business Initiative).  The seminars are intended to stimulate and update the business community on developing new markets abroad.  AIBI is a collaborative effort between Ashland Economic Development and Ashland University .  The AIBI is designed to create a program in the Ashland Regional Area to give local companies support to develop and/or enhance their export sales initiatives.

 

The Sri Lanka seminar is sponsored by Huntington National Banks and REDeC (Richland Economic Development Corporation).  The fee for the seminar is $20.00.  However, the fee will be waived for Ashland and Richland County Area Business, Government Officials, Ashland University Students and local Economic Development organizations.  Registration is open through January 16, 2004 .  To register, contact Ashland Economic Development at 419-289-3200 or visit www.AshlandED.com/aibi.htm.

 

 

 

Partnership formed to develop new Economic Development Web Site

 

ASHLAND, OHIO (December 5, 2003) – The Institute for Human Investment and Economic Growth and Ashland Economic Development announced today that Red Red Design, a visual-communications studio based in Ashland was selected from among several bidders to develop new website design and functionality for the Ashland Economic Development Department’s website www.AshlandED.com.  The Institute for Human Investment and Economic Growth has pledged $7,500.00 to support a partnership designed to develop the web site project from a $248,375 Congressional grant provided by the United States Department of Education to support collaborative approaches to regional economic and workforce development.  Ashland Economic Development will make an application to the First Frontier Fund of Ohio for any remaining charges for the design of the web site.  The Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce will also be a partner in this project by providing support through the research done for the Ashland Super Site.

 

Red Red Design was chosen to develop the site by a team consisting of representatives of the Ashland Economic Development Department and ED Solutions, a firm specializing in the creation of successful economic development programs.  

 

According to J. Martin Irvine , Director of Ashland Economic Development, Red Red Design will be responsible for the development of a high-quality website to inform and help influence individuals responsible for making site-location decisions and to provide existing businesses with a resource to investigate potential suppliers; customers; and federal, state, and local resources.

 

Irvine said “Ashland Economic Development is committed to the creation of a website design and functions that demonstrate the local advantages of the county to prospective employers, as well as to serve the needs of existing employers already located in the region.”

 

Robin Roberts, President of Red Red Design expressed the studio’s pleasure at being selected to develop the Ashland Economic Development website: “It’s exciting to be able to use our expertise in such an important way.  As members of the Ashland Community, this project gives us the privilege of being at the center of efforts to share the compelling aspects of our county with those who are looking for a great place to do business.” 

 

Red Red Design and the Ashland Economic Development Department look for the new design and functionality to be in place no later than April 30, 2004 . 

 

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About Red Red Design

Red Red Design, located at the Pump House Building, 400 Orange Street, creates and produces visual-communications media used in corporate, commercial, educational and religious environments.  Red Red specializes in design for print, interactive, and Internet-based applications. 

 

Contact: Doug Cooper  419-281-8483

 

Ashland University and the City of Ashland form a partnership to assist local business

Ashland , Ohio , November 10, 2003 – Dr. G. William Benz, President, Ashland University and William Strine, Mayor of the City of Ashland will sign an agreement today at 9:00 to form “AIBI” (Ashland International Business Initiative).  This collaboration will strive toward the common goal of serving the greater Ashland community by increasing export resources and international awareness to create jobs and greater business opportunities. 

 

The AIBI program includes a series of seminars on international business opportunities to stimulate and update the business community on developing new markets abroad; training seminars to provide additional training for local business on exporting documentation, shipping, collections, marketing, etc; studies of new markets completed by Ashland University, Internship program for Ashland University students to provide local companies with international business assistance and the students with business experience; organization of trade missions abroad to assist local businesses in developing new markets and networking with foreign organizations.

 

The series of seminars will begin on January 20, 2004 with a presentation made by Sri Lanka ’s Ambassador to the United States and Mexico , H. E. Devinda R. Subasinghe.  The Ambassador will discuss the Political & Economic Climate and Major Changes in Sri Lanka , Trade and Investment Opportunities, Repatriating Profits and the Long Term Outlook for Sri Lanka .  The Sri Lanka seminar will be one in a series to be presented on a quarterly basis for the next two years with tentative plans to cover trade opportunities with Mexico , Canada , Singapore , Costa Rica , Peru , Hungary and Georgia . 

 

The AIBI will also support and provide information on additional exporting resources such as Ohio State of Mansfield ’s CIBER training program, First Energy’s Export Now Program, Initiatives by the Ohio Department of Development’s International Trade Division and the Small Business Development Center as well as initiatives by the U. S. Government (see www.export.gov for current initiatives).

 

Ashland County and the surrounding region must compete globally to maintain and develop jobs locally.  In Ohio , more than one in five manufacturing jobs is tied to exports.  Ohio ranks second among U.S. states in the amount of export manufacturing.

 

Numerous Ohio industries have struggled and suffered due to increased international competition.  A regional economic development plan is intended to enable businesses to capitalize on international opportunities and benefit from trade.  The AIBI program will provide resources to businesses to increase awareness of available international opportunities and the associated benefits. 

 

With the collaboration of Ohio State of Mansfield ’s CIBER program and Ashland University Interns, AIBI will provide firms with assistance to develop internal training programs and policies to prepare for export sales.  This program will also provide companies with assistance to develop international business plans and to initiate the plans to produce export sales.  The goal of the program is to assist businesses to increase international sales.  This will benefit the community with increased employment, higher paying jobs and improved employment stability.

 

For More Information Contact:

Martin Irvine, Economic Development Director

Ashland County

206 Claremont Ave

Ashland , OH   44805

Tel:  419-289-3200

 

 

4-24-03 Press Release:  

Ashland Economic Development, Exploring Plans to Develop Local Export Assistance Program  

Ashland , Ohio , April 24, 2003 -- Ashland Economic Development is exploring plans to develop an export assistance program to help local businesses capitalize on international opportunities. The export program would be part of the long-term economic development plan to attract and create jobs in Ashland County .  

Exports Support Jobs

Export-related jobs tend to be stable, well-paying jobs.  The U.S. Department of Commerce reports that workers involved in the manufacturing of goods for export typically earn 13 to 18 percent higher salaries than the national average.  In 1997, the latest available data, Ohio manufactured exports accounted for 451,500 jobs, nearly one out of every ten jobs.   Manufactured exports directly supported more than one out of every five manufacturing jobs for a total of 223,700 jobs.  The manufacturing sectors with the most export-related jobs were transportation equipment, fabricated metal products, machinery manufacturers, primary metal manufacturers and plastic and rubber products.

Benefits from Exports

In 2001, Ohio export sales of merchandise totaled $29.23 billion, up 16.5 percent from 1997.  Ohio ships products globally to 203 foreign countries.  Canada and Mexico are the state’s leading markets, accounting for 43 and 20 percent, respectively, of 2000 exports.  Other top markets include Japan , the United Kingdom , Germany and South Korea .  Ohio ’s highest growth market, in dollar terms, is Mexico .  From 1997 to 2000, export sales to Mexico increased 263 percent, from $1.6 billion to $5.6 billion.   

Exports Help Small Business

Both large and small businesses have benefited from exports.  In 1998, the U.S. Department of Commerce reported a total of 11,064 companies exported from Ohio .   Eighty-five percent of these companies, accounting for 20 percent of the state’s total exports, were small and medium-sized firms with less than 500 employees.  On a national basis, the number of American businesses exporting goods and services overseas has tripled since 1990.  Two-thirds of the increase comes from companies with fewer than 20 employees.   

Ashland County is exploring options to provide assistance to local companies.  The export assistance initiative would partner with local, state and federal resources to assist companies to increase export sales.  In the end, the community and companies would benefit from additional job growth and more stable employment opportunities.    

For More Information Contact:

J. Martin Irvine, Director
206 Claremont Avenue
Ashland, Ohio 44805
419-289-3200 or 419-289-8622
e-mail

 

April 9, 2003

 Press Release

  OHIO FOURTH IN GOVERNOR’S CUP

ASHLAND RECOGNIZED – IN TOP 100 SMALL TOWNS NATIONWIDE.

In the Economic Development arena, new and expanding industrial and commercial facilities have been tracked globally by Conway Data since 1989.  In 2002, when virtually all states saw a decrease in the number of projects, Ohio finished fourth, which is a testament to the Midwest ’s economic strength.  The state of Illinois lead the nation, followed by Michigan , New York , then Ohio .  The Ohio Department of Development was credited with 641 qualifying projects.  A project has to meet one of the following three criteria:  

  1. Investment minimum of $1,000,000, or

  2. Square footage of 20,000 or more, or

  3. Job creation of 50 or more.

The private investment within Ohio totaled more than $4.3 billion and the job creation will total 19,163 when the projects are fully operational.  Of the total, 326 projects involved manufacturing operations; and 45 of these projects had some form of international investment.  In 2001 and 2000, the Ohio Department of Development identified 809 and 1,090 qualifying projects respectively.  

The City of Ashland gained recognition among its smaller community peers.  Thirteen Ohio towns made the top U.S. small towns with Ashland ranking 59th.  Several Ohio communities included:  Findlay, Sidney, Wooster, Sandusky and Tiffin .  

New economic development director Martin Irvine is pleased with the recognition the City received but noted that it’s the local companies that make up the community that should be recognized.  Mr. Irvine mentioned Conery Manufacturing, Lippert Industries, Reineke Corporation, McGraw Hill, Ashland Precision Tooling.  

In addition, Irvine received word that locally owned Bookmasters, Inc. has just installed its fifth press, a 40”, 5 color Heidleberg Speedmaster perfector, expanding their commitment in the Ashland Community.  

Coming off of a 24% sales growth year in 2002 and a 15% increase in the first quarter of 2003, BookMasters is investing in a bright future of this Ashland based company.  “We have never really stopped growing since day one.” Said Ray Sevin, president.  Diversity, flexibility and an eye to the future has been a trademark of operation.  

The addition of the 5 color press will add to the company’s capacity for full color text printing at its route 42 facility.  Although specializing in mostly black and white book printing, BookMasters has developed yet another niche market in full color.  

The addition of this press comes right on the heels of their new digital print center which was just created last month.  Located at the company’s 50,000 square foot distribution and order fulfillment facility at Amberwood Parkway in Ashland , the digital print center provides an “on demand” and short run solution for a segment of the publishing market.  

“All in all, it’s been an interesting ride”.  Comments Sevin, who has been with the company for 21 years and was the first full time employee.  He adds that the company has always looked for additional services and creative ways to supply the publishing community.  

Mayor Bill Strine presented Golden Oak Awards to three local firms, First Merit Bank, Ashland Precision Tooling and Reineke Company Tuesday.  Mayor Strine commented that “ Ashland is a community on the rise”.

February 25, 2003  

Press Release  

Mayor Bill Strine has recently appointed an Economic Development Advisory Board to provide counsel to the newly created Economic Development Department.  Members include:  Lowell Bender, City Council President; Mike Welch, County Commissioner; Jayne Cooper , Chamber of Commerce President; Rob Ward, Coldwell Banker-Ward Real Estate chairman; Kip Matteson, commercial banking officer with First Merit; Ann Wurster, co-founder of Bookmasters and Howard Honaker, formerly of Abbott Laboratories.  

The Advisory Board has met several times already to help familiarize J. Martin Irvine , new Economic Development Director with the Ashland region.  One priority set for the Economic Development Department is to begin meeting with the local industry and business leaders.  Mr. Irvine has been very active in communicating with them already.  Another priority is to review strategic plans that community leaders developed in the mid-nineties.  These plans will be evaluated to determine if they have been adequately addressed and/or need to be modified.

Irvine has been overseeing several department housekeeping items.  The layout and design of the new office complex has been approved and work is moving forward on that.  Martin has been meeting with State Development officials and the Governor’s Regional Office to re-familiarize himself with the state programs.  He has also been appointed to and is working with several local boards such as the Erie Basin RC&D (Resource Conservation and Development) Area and the Community Improvement Corporation offices.  

The Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce has created a committee to oversee the market research efforts to support the Economic Development Department and not duplicate any efforts.  Ashland University is also intimately involved in all the planning, so it truly is a team effort.  

It is apparent to everyone involved so far that the community leaders are sending a strong message that the Ashland area is serious about Economic Development and that it needs to be a total County-wide community effort.  The Economic Advisory Board and Department welcome input from everyone.  If you know one of the Advisory Board members or want to talk to Martin or the Mayor, please contact them.  The Economic Development team has an open door policy.  You may schedule an appointment to visit them, or they can schedule a time to visit your facility.