The Union County Partnership for Progress’s Business Retention and Expansion Program (BR&E) has reached a new level of professionalism since the hiring of Michael Trotter to manage the program last year. The local business community has benefited in many ways.

Trotter worked for Duke Power for 22 years and was most recently a manager in their economic development group. He represented Duke Power on the Partnership Board of Directors, which gave him valuable knowledge about the workings of the Partnership and the BR&E program. He also served on the State of North Carolina’s Economic Development Board and many other boards and organizations.

“It’s hard to describe what I do because it varies so much,” Trotter said, “but certainly a key word is ‘facilitation.’” He gave these examples:

• “A local manufacturer was hearing different directives from different state and federal regulatory sources. After meeting with them several times to understand their situation, we set up a meeting where we got all the regulatory groups around a table to talk things through and get very clear what was required.”
• “Another company has an expansion opportunity – they could expand in Union County or elsewhere. We helped them get incentives from local and state sources, navigating through all the requirements, that led them to decide to expand here.”
• “We helped another company facilitate the closing of one of their facilities and consolidating here. We helped them navigate through local programs which motivated them to stay here instead of consolidating elsewhere. Helping local businesses isn’t all about incentives, but in some cases, the County’s program is a valuable tool in retaining existing industry and helping them grow. Many local companies think the County’s incentive program and the services the Partnership provides are only for big companies outside Union County. Nothing could be further from the truth. In the case of the County’s incentive program, the typical requirements are more favorable to existing businesses than they are to those coming into the County for the first time.” He quickly added, “That’s the way it should be.”

Trotter says about 95 percent of the companies he helps are manufacturers, and others are varied but also valuable to the Union County economy. “What they have in common are needs and opportunities to expand. Sometimes they have concerns or issues – we facilitate getting them connected to the right people. In the current economy the buzz is around helping companies survive, retain employment, and get ‘leaner and meaner’ where appropriate.”

Helping CEM With Government Relations

“I appreciated that Michael made a really sincere effort to understand our business,” said Richard Decker, CFO and director of operations of CEM Corporation in Stallings. “We were concerned about possible plans to build a railroad overpass bridge that would have taken out about four acres of our property and created an unpleasant situation. When it came time to engage with N.C. Department of Transportation officials and the Stallings Town Council, Michael was able to speak on our behalf knowledgeably. He told them, ‘This is the kind of company we want to keep in North Carolina and Union County.’ He got their attention and support, and did a good job of representing our concerns.

“Later on when N.C. Secretary of Commerce Keith Crisco wanted to visit Union County, the Partnership arranged for our company to be a primary point on his trip,” Decker noted. “We held a press conference here and spoke privately with Mr. Crisco and his team. The Partnership did an outstanding job of putting CEM, Stallings and Union County on the map as far as the Department of Commerce is concerned. We also very much appreciated the positive media coverage.

“The Union County Partnership is the only organization that has reached out to us to any extent to facilitate our business needs,” Decker said. “We are hoping to expand at our current site, creating more jobs and capital investment for Union County, thanks to their help.”

Keeping In Contact With 100 Key Companies

Trotter’s work enables the Partnership to have personal contact with about 100 companies a year, helping them strengthen the local economy in multiple ways. He also handles many inquiries from companies interested in locating in Union County or bringing in new facilities. Some result from his calling on local businesses that are part of larger corporations. Others come from the State, the Charlotte Regional Partnership, and direct contact.

“To have someone with Michael’s capabilities join our program and hit the ground running is extremely valuable,” said Partnership President Maurice Ewing. “He understands economic development and has a natural knack for problem-solving and helping people. Knowing that our Existing Business Program is in such capable hands has enabled me to deal with the complex challenges of Project Legacy. We are fortunate to have Michael with us.”

On March 31, the Charlotte Regional Partnership and Johnson C. Smith University are hosting “How FTZs Can Improve Profitability” on JCSU’s campus. Jean Davis, director of the N.C. Department of Commerce International Trade Division, will provide opening remarks and Tommy Berry, president, CEO and founder of PointTrade Services, will discuss how the Foreign Trade Zones program can increase cash flow, save taxes and add to overall profitability. Distribution Technology and IntegrationPoint are Gold Sponsors for the event. The meeting is open to local businesses.

The Charlotte Regional Partnership is FTZ #57’s grantee, and Monroe Corporate Center is a subzone in Union County. For details or to attend the March 31 event, contact Laura Foor at lfoor@charlotteusa.com or 704-347-6580 by Friday, March 26.

Foreign trade zones offer significant tax and duty advantages to existing industry and serve as an incentive to attract companies considering locating in our region. Since FTZs are legally outside U.S. Customs territory, merchandise from anywhere in the world may enter a foreign trade zone without a formal customs entry or the payment of customs duties or government excise taxes. Goods can be stored, exhibited, assembled, manufactured or processed. They aren’t taxed until they leave the FTZ and officially enter the U.S. Even then, the tax is on either the product itself or its imported components, whichever is lower. If the final product is exported, there are no duties at all.

The Moser Group, Inc. has been selected by Merrifield Patrick as its exclusive marketing representative for Old Hickory Business Park in Indian Trail. The 225-acre business park is currently the premier business park in Union County. Developed by Merrifield Partners (an affiliate of Crosland),which recently announced its merger with Bissell Patrick, Old Hickory offers building sites for sale and build-to-suit opportunities, as well as existing office/warehouse space for sale or lease. The Moser Group, Inc. is the largest brokerage and development firm in Union County. For information, please call 704-882-1700 and speak to Dennis W. Moser, Ed Hord or Van Southard.

“Having a local real estate company readily available to negotiate on behalf of Old Hickory should help increase client activity in the park,” said Maurice Ewing. “More activity should translate into more locations for Indian Trail. That’s a good thing”