The Power of a Spectacular Team

They sure make us better

By: Jim Walton

CEO

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

                    

The other day, I was sitting at a bar in the Atlanta airport, waiting for my flight to begin boarding. Along with a couple fellow road warriors, we chatted about the life of a business traveler and thanked our lucky stars for our support teams. Although I had internet connection and my tablet, I was acutely aware of the vast amount of work taking place in my absence.

Our Team Makes Us Better:

For anyone not aware of what it takes to manage a constant flow of economic development branding and marketing projects, our team includes brand strategists, writers, designers, public relations experts, videographers, web programmers, and a top flight project management team. When some of us are traveling to client meetings, conferences, speaking engagements, and an occasional vacation, the work still has to get done. It’s a beautifully-orchestrated thing, pushing projects through the pipeline, on time and on budget. With a workload that includes the development of community logos, slogans, websites, videos, brochures, e-mail campaigns, social media marketing, and countless other tactics, we couldn’t make it all happen without this group of professional marketers.

Our Advisors:

We also understand that we don’t have all the answers. Our clients throw us new challenges almost every day, and when something comes up that’s a bit puzzling, we have an Advisory Board made up of industry leaders who almost always have an answer. This august group is made up of specialists in regionalism, workforce, business retention and expansion, site selection, and young professionals (YPs). Having such a great group of friends and advisors on our team helps us to better serve our clients and the economic development industry. Sometimes, we even bring these people directly into a client project, adding them to the paid professional team.

Our Allies:

I learned a long time ago that there is no way that Brand Acceleration can, or should, try to be all things to all people. Because my philosophy is to do one thing, economic development marketing, and be the best in that category, we still seek avenues to serve client needs through allied relationships. Being the perfectionists that we are, we won’t send clients to just anyone. The last thing we want is to hear that we referred a client to a company that provided inferior service. Getting on our referral list is no easy task. We know these people very well before we ever refer them.

So, when our clients and friends have needs for such services as competitive analysis, workforce and skills assessment, strategic planning, site location advisement, lead generation, fund raising, incentives evaluation, GIS services, and several others, we can steer them to trustworthy leaders.

When my flight finally boarded, I left with confidence that over our eight years in business, we have put together a team that allows me to recline my seat, close my eyes, and know that all is well in my world.

My best wishes to you for similar solitude,

Jim Walton

CEO

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations

Indianapolis, Indiana

Office: 317.536.6255

Cell: 317.523.7380

jim@brandaccel.com

Brand Acceleration Web Site

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Brand Acceleration is a full-service marketing communications, brand management and website development firm with a focus on community and economic development.

VIEW FROM THE TOP: Site Selection Trends and Factors in the Food Processing Industry, By Jay Garner

© Garner Economics, LLC.  All rights reserved.

By Jay Garner, CEcD, CCE, FM, HLM

President, Garner Economics, LLC

If there is such a thing as a recession-proof industry, the Food and Beverage (F&B) Industry is it. During good times and bad times, people eat (and drink). Whether the economy is experiencing unprecedented growth or recession, folks continue to consume food and drink products.  Some eat to live while others live to eat. Some eat in, while others eat out. Today, the F&B Industry continues to expand and to evolve in order to meet the ever-changing demands of consumers.

In the United States 30,135 companies are defined as F&B process manufacturers (up by more than 1,500 companies since 2010). These businesses employ more than 1.4 million employees.  However, a 47,000 decrease in employees since 2010 demonstrates how innovative manufacturing processes and automation can mean fewer jobs. Where are the growth opportunities? Organics and naturals; ready-to-eat; health and wellness; ethnic; and comfort foods have seen the highest instances of development.

Economic development professionals that meet F&B company location requirements should actively recruit this viable industry sector. Water availability and capacity is the number one consideration in the location analysis process, followed by wastewater options and labor availability.

The following are the five key sectors that comprise the food processing industry:

·        - Meat, Seafood and Poultry

·        - Fruits and Vegetables

·       -  Beverages

·        - Bakery

·       -  Dairy

California leads the way, followed by New York and Texas In the top 10 ranking of states with food processing facilities (see chart below).

Click Chart to Enlarge

As a firm that specializes in siting food-processing facilities, Garner Economics sees eight areas of growth opportunities and location trends in the F&B sector.  They include:

11.  Organics and Naturals.  Once viewed as fads, organics and naturals  are here to stay, despite the costs associated with growing and processing. United States Department of Agriculture guidelines limiting toxic or persistent fertilizers and pesticides have precluded large-scale corporate organics farming. Consequently, smaller farming operations produce organics, and the projects associated with them, too, are small in scope and size.

22. Specialized beverages.  Infused drinks or nutraceuticals, such as vitamin water, green tea and fruit drinks, are showing considerable growth. Conversely, conventional soft drinks (sugar drinks) are indicating a history of flat or declining sales.

33. Ready-to-Eat. At the present time there is a high consumer demand for prepared foods. In the last decade, grocer freezer sections have expanded to accommodate a plethora of oven-ready meals. Companies that manufacture ready-to-eat meals typically employ sizeable kitchen staffs which process, prepare and cook the product prior to packaging. Having a culinary program in your community is a great tool in selling this opportunity to F&B companies that need those skill sets.

44. Private Label Brands. Economic developers should focus on grocers that have a private label brand processor. Cost conscience consumerism today has driven increasingly more grocers to manufacture their own label products, resulting in private brands occupying significant shelf space. (Publix, a grocery chain based in Lakeland, FL, has eleven product manufacturing facilities.)

55. Grow Local/Build Locally (a key location trend). Energy costs, particularly high fuel prices, are propelling manufacturing and distribution facilities, including food-processing companies, to carefully consider location decisions. Proximity to suppliers and consumers is central, evidenced by the trend in processing facilities being built near farms. Instead of from farm to table, it is from farm to plant. Companies with exorbitant annual expenditures in energy costs would naturally opt for locations close to major transportation arteries. This may change if oil prices continue to fall below $60 a barrel.

66. Health and Wellness (including animals). These products provide ingredients that target certain conditions, such as high cholesterol. They will remain popular with consumers as they age and become more concerned with daily health choices. More growth is expected in this subsector since the profit margins are greater for companies with these value-added items.

77. Age Awareness and Portion Control Products. Age awareness products address the nutritional needs of children, seniors and pets. Portion control products, such as 100-calorie snack pack foods, make it easy for consumers to monitor calories while eating on the go. Many processors are either retooling their product lines to accommodate consumer demand for this or building new facilities.

88. Ethnic Foods. Ethnic foods, especially Hispanic, account for the largest consumer growth in specialty foods. An expansive Hispanic market is responsible for the sizable growth in California facilities.  Based on changes in U.S. demographics, this trend should continue.

The foremost issues facing F&B companies are food safety; energy and utility cost and availability; incentives; and supplier risk management.

Primary food safety concerns for food companies are contamination, product tampering and terrorist threats. A salmonella outbreak at an egg or peanut processor, for example, can create far-reaching problems for company, product and community. Garner Economics worked with a South Georgia community that experienced a salmonella outbreak in a peanut processing plant.  Because the company was a dominant employer in town, the community was affected when the company ceased operations and ultimately went out of business.

F&B facilities carefully consider energy and utility costs, plus utility availability, when analyzing and executing location decisions. Higher energy costs have resulted in facilities strategically being placed close to interstate highways and major arteries. Water is a major utility component for food processing companies, utilized as an ingredient, a sanitizer agent, a cleaning tool, and as a mover of materials. Communities without excess water capacity will not be on company or consultant’s radar.

Incentives also can play a role in F&B facility location decisions. Because equipment costs often are more than buildings, companies value incentives. Finally, during this past recession, some food processor suppliers who were highly leveraged did not survive. As a result, some food processing companies had to scramble to find suppliers for needed product or commodities. There are more processors today that also will own or control the commodity and are better prepared to weather economic cycles.

In summary, Garner Economics sees continued growth annually in the following F&B Industry sectors: Organics and naturals; specialized beverages; ready-to-eat; private label brands; health and wellness; age awareness/portion control products and ethnic foods. States, regions and communities must strive to create innovative ways to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive F&B location field. Does your community have (at least) one food processor of moderate size? If the answer is, “yes,” the likelihood is there is that there is infrastructure to accommodate more. 

About Jay Garner: Jay A. Garner, CEcD, CCE is the president and founder of Garner Economics, LLC, an economic development and site location consulting firm headquartered in Atlanta, GA, with representative offices in Berlin, Germany and Seoul, Korea.  Jay often lectures and provides counsel on creating and implementing proactive global business development strategies and tactics. His firm is also a leader in providing assistance to corporate clients in their site selection process, such as Anchor Glass, Academy Sports, Hatfield Quality Meats, Stork Food Systems, Future Pipe Industries and others. Garner Economics and Primus builders have partnered to create one of the most extensive certification initiatives in the economic development and food/beverage industry. Their goal is to help communities prepare for the location of F&B projects, which also helps companies in that industry sector (many of whom are our current clients) understand that a community has met Primus / Garner's rigorous review requirements. To learn more about the Primus/Garner Food Site Certification designation, click here.

Good Economic News - Nearly 11,000 Jobs Announced!

Here are just a few of the recent jobs announcements that have come our way in recent weeks.

In Jay County, Indiana, injection molder Carrera Manufacturing, Inc. will expand and add 102 workers. Congrats to economic developer Bill Bradley.

Agricultural products maker Monsanto Company will expand in Muscatine, Iowa, creating 51 jobs.

Professional and technology services provider Serco, Inc. will expand in Lawton, Oklahoma, creating 475 jobs. Congrats to economic developer Barry Albrecht on a job well done.

In Cabarrus County, North Carolina, Gordon Food Service will open a distribution center and hire 275 workers.

Auto parts maker LTC Roll & Engineering Co., Inc. will open an operation in St. Clair County, Michigan, creating 90 jobs.

Burkert Fluid Control Systems will expand in Huntersville, North Carolina, creating 61 jobs. Congrats to economic developer Ryan McDaniels.

In Ascension and St. Charles Parishes, Louisiana, Momentum Specialty Chemicals, Inc. will expand and create 140 jobs.

Oak Valley Hardwoods, Inc. will expand in Graham County, North Carolina, creating 114 jobs.

In Sanford, Florida, adhesive sealant maker Hernon Manufacturing will expand and add 20 workers.

Tire maker Bridgestone Americas, Inc. will open a new headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, creating 607 jobs.

In Fayette County, Pennsylvania, The Boeing Company will expand and create 168 jobs.

In Johnson County, Indiana, CNC machining provider CL Tech, Inc. will expand and add 30 workers. Congrats to economic developer Cheryl Morphew.

At the Port of Catoosa, Oklahoma, Linde Process Plants will expand and add 20 workers.

In Lake Mary, Florida, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas will open its headquarters and create 100 jobs.

In Atlanta, Georgia, Greenway Health, LLC, a health information provider, will open and create 150 jobs.

In Clarendon County, South Carolina, lift maker Peak Cord will open and create 59 jobs.

Steel maker Valbruna Slater Stainless, Inc. will expand in Adams County, Indiana, creating 45 jobs.

In Randolph County, North Carolina, plastic injection molder Technimark will expand and add 160 workers.

Dairy producer owned Swiss Valley Farms Cooperative will expand in Luana, Iowa, creating 10 jobs.

Mobile home builder Live Oak Homes will expand and create 200 jobs in Coffee County, Georgia.

In Clarksdale, Mississippi, bag maker Drumheller Packaging will expand and create 20 jobs.

Wire and cable maker Southwire Company will expand and hire 105 workers in Bremen, Indiana.

Audio products maker Harman International Industries is building a headquarters in Novi, Michigan, where it will employ up to 1,000 people.

Siligan Plastics will open a facility in Erie County, Pennsylvania, creating 30 jobs.

Auto components maker Linamar North Carolina, Inc. will expand in Buncombe County, North Carolina, adding 150 workers.

Mining company Romarco Minerals, Inc. will open in Lancaster County, South Carolina, adding 270 employees.

In Mentone, Indiana, crop service provider North Central Cooperative, Inc. will expand and create 15 jobs.

In Lewisburg, Tennessee, tank refurbisher Ditech Testing will open and hire 77 people.

In Bay County, Michigan, auto parts maker Mando America Corporation will expand and add 25 workers.

Original Footwear will open in Morristown, Tennessee, creating 182 jobs.

In Floyd County, Indiana, pool mmaker Chester Pool Systems, Inc. will expand and hire 21 workers.

In Keokuk, Iowa, biotech company VAMA will expand and add 45 workers.

In South Elgin, Illinois, food maker Fuji Food Products, Inc. will expand and create 110 jobs.

Oxford Pharmaceuticals, LLC will open in Birmingham, Alabama, creating 200 jobs.

In Indianapolis, Indiana, CTL Engineering of Indiana, Inc. will expand and hire 25 people.

IT services provider UNISYS will locate in Richmond County, Georgia, creating 52 jobs.

In Lenoir County, North Carolina, chemical maker DuPont will expand and hire 18 people.

In Saginaw County, Michigan, Fullerton Tool Company will expand and hire 58 people.

Glass maker Guardian Industries will expand in Galax, Virginia, creating 30 jobs.

Detroit Lakes, Minnesota drivetrain maker TEAM Industries will expand and hire 16 workers.

Healthcare services provider McKesson Medical-Surgical will expand and hire 225 people.

In Jefferson County, Indiana, vehicle lighting maker Grote Industries, LLC will expand and add 33 employees. Congrats to economic developer Nathan Hadley.

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Printfly Corporatin, a provider of printing services, will open and create 53 jobs.

Auto component maker Fisher Dynamics will open a facility in Evansville, Indiana, creating 169 jobs.

Online retailer Amazon.com Inc. will open a facility in Illinois, creating 1,000 jobs.

In Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Nestle Waters North America will open a bottling facility and hire 40 people.

STEC USA, an auto component maker, will open a facility in Madison Heights, Michigan, creating 176 jobs.

Wire maker Zapp Precision Wire will expand in Summerville, South Carolina, adding 20 workers.

In Hickman, Kentucky, Riverine Fisheries International, LLC will open a processing operation and hire 110 people.

Rubber coated materials maker Wilverine Advanced Materials will expand and hire 93 people in Montgomery County, Virginia.

In Minneapolis, Minnesota, data protection firm Code42 will open and hire 400 people.

In Laurens County, Georgia, die maker AWEBA Group will open and create 52 jobs.

In Vanderburgh County, Indiana, mining support provider Pillar Innovations, LLC will expand and create 15 jobs.

Rail tank maker Vertex Rail will open in Wilmington, North Carolina, creating 1,300 jobs.

In Indianapolis, Indiana, association management firm Raybourn Group will expand and add 35 employees.

Providence Foods, LLC will open a facility in East Carroll Parish, Louisiana, creating 65 jobs.

In Council Bluffs, Iowa, logistics provider XTL, Inc. will open and hire 50 people.

Furniture maker Kimball International will consolidate two operations in Dubois County, Indiana, adding 160 workers.

In Tuscola, Illinois, Cronus Fertilizers will open a facility and hire 175 people.

Garden products maker FoxFarm Soil and Fertilizer Company will open in Anderson County, South Carolina, creating 27 jobs.

IT delivery provider Cognizant will open in Charlotte, North Carolina, creating 500 jobs. Congrats to economic developer Jeff Edge.

In Chester, Pennsylvania, engineering firm Day & Zimmerman will open and create 98 jobs.

Industrial coatings maker Baril Coatings USA, LLC will expand and create 16 jobs in Steuben County, Indiana.

In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, ClearEdge Wholesale Glass will open and hire 120 people.

In Morgan County, Georgia, flooring maker Mannington Mills will expand and hore 200 workers.

Auto parts maker OTICS USA, Inc. will open a facility in Sevierville, Tennessee and hire 117 people.

Health care services provider Aperture Credentialing will expand in Louisville, Kentucky, creating 30 jobs.

Lighting maker Amerlux has relocated to Oakland, New Jersey, creating 250 jobs.

In Kosciusko County, Indiana, orthopedics maker Alpha Manufacturing & Design, LLC will expand and hire 32 people.

Modular home maker Apex Homes of PA will expand in Middleburg, Pennsylvania, creating 60 jobs.

Total Jobs Announcements: 10,947

Jim Walton

CEO

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations

Indianapolis, Indiana:

Office: 317.536.6255

Fax: 317.222.1425

Cell: 317.523.7380

jim@brandaccel.com

Brand Acceleration Web Site

LinkedIn

Twitter

FaceBook

BrandCoach Blog

  

Brand Acceleration is a full-service website development, marketing communications, branding, and public relations firm with a focus on economic and community development.

The Single Most Powerful Word in Marketing

It’s not that four-letter word

By: Scott Flood

Writer

  

                  

Are you familiar with the most powerful word in marketing? It's not the four-letter word typically associated with that claim. For years, you've probably heard that the most powerful word is "free." Other people will suggest that it's "sex" or something similarly salacious. But the fact remains that no word is as effective at grabbing attention, creating connections, and motivating actions as a simple three-letter pronoun.

It's you. Not you personally, but the word "you." And the reason it works so well is that we all do take it personally. When someone uses "you" in conversation, you subconsciously perk up in the same way you do when you hear your name. 

I'm sure you've been at a crowded party or restaurant in which the room buzzed with a steady drone of conversation. When you hear your name -- even if the speaker is addressing someone across the room who happens to share your name -- it cuts through the clutter as though they shouted at you. That's why effective salespeople and customer service professionals frequently use the names of people with whom they're conversing. "Now, Bill, have you considered an extended warranty?" Our brains are wired to sharpen awareness of our surroundings whenever they detect the sound of our names.

"You" has a similar effect. It tells our brains that someone is sending a message that's intended specifically for us. So our subconscious prods us to pay closer attention to the rest of the message.

"You" is even more effective because so many companies and organizations use it sparingly, if at all. If you read their websites and marketing materials, you'll see that they spend a lot of time talking about "we" and "us" and "our." Professionals and executives have a similar tendency to overuse "I," "me," and "my."

However, if your goal is to connect with and influence someone else, talking about yourself isn't going to get you as far as talking about them. It doesn't mean that you can't share what's important; it's just that we humans tend to pay closer attention when that important information appears to be about us.

Consider the following language that could have been lifted from the average business-to-business brochure: "Our model AW-1126 veeblefetzer reduces radish processing time and minimizes waste with our unique cradle system. It allows for faster positioning of the radish and provides faster coring." Now rewrite it with a focus on the reader: "You'll save time and reduce waste with the AW-1126 veeblefetzer, thanks to the cradle that lets you position and core radishes more quickly." Instead of simply describing the product and its benefits, focusing on "you" puts it into the user's hands. The reader's brain fills in the images, allowing the reader to "try" the product.

Some people are hesitant to use this powerful word in written communication because they remember their seventh-grade English teacher prohibiting it. It's true that when you're writing a formal essay or term paper, you're not supposed to use the second person. So instead of stating "You need to know about the amazing rainforest," we're taught to write things like "One needs to know about the amazing rainforest."

But many of the rules that govern academic writing don't apply to the world outside school. It's not only acceptable to use "you" in business writing and your day-to-day correspondence; it's actually far more communicative. In these contexts, "one needs to know" comes across as snooty, pompous, and somewhat impolite.

Here's an easy way to predict how well your website or marketing materials will connect with readers. Count the number of times you use "you" and "your" in the copy. Then count the number of times you use "we, “us," and "our." If the first number is larger, you've done a great job of reaching out to the reader. But if the proportions are reversed, rewrite it so that there's a bigger share of "yous." The revised version will probably sound more natural and comfortable, but more important, it will allow you to connect with your reader in a more personal way.  

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations

Indianapolis, Indiana

317.536.6255

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Brand Acceleration is a full-service marketing communications, brand management and website development firm with a focus on community and economic development.

Your Marketing Is Not About You

Always take the outsider’s position

For many years of my career, I was in the media business. Having run a newspaper and then a radio network, I was always struck by the number of advertisers who would run ads in media that THEY liked, rather than where the audience was. With no understanding of how to select and measure media, they often selected media based on their own preferences.  Like NPR? That's fine, but if you want to reach a mass market of 18-25-year-old soft drink consumers, that’s not the place to do it.

Similarly, the way ads are developed is directly related to the audience. Writing, photo selection, and copy are carefully crafted to resonate with the audience. Ads selling to 12-year-olds are dramatically different than those selling to retirees.

When developing marketing messages for communities, we also have to carefully consider the needs of the audiences. As much as we'd each like to think that our marketing efforts are all about how wonderful our place is, that's really not the case. The truth is that everything we do and say should be based on the needs and expectations of target audiences.

Inside-Out Marketing

A very common approach to place marketing is to gather the team together and ask this question, “What do we want to say?” At that point, the discussion may include topics such as workforce, available buildings, education, and quality of life. These are all great points. For a web site, the group may also want to point out that their county is ranked number three in the state for soybean production, or that the area was once a staging site for a famous civil war infantry. It may even be the birthplace of a famous poet. A few of these items are interesting but the real question that must be asked is “Will any of these be important to a site selector considering bringing a jobs project to the area?” The people on the inside (inside the community) may find these things important, but they may not be important to an economic development project.

Outside-In Marketing

From the outside, meaning outside the area or even outside the country, other factors may be more important. To a site selector in New York or a C-Suite Executive in Shanghai, the focus will likely be elsewhere.

Sure, sites and buildings, workforce, and education data will be important, but they need and expect very deep information about topics that will help them move their project forward and keep your community on the list. In response to that need for detailed data, Brand Acceleration developed the Economic Dashboard, a web site add-on tool that provides broad-based economic and workforce data, making it easy for a web visitor to find up-to-date information.

Through numerous surveys, interviews, and face-to-face conversations with key audiences, we’ve learned a lot about what these people want and don’t want to see. I’m talking about detailed information about everything from the photos they like to see to the words used in copy. Our findings are so deep that we not only know which web pages are most important, but we can accurately predict their page-to-page path once they visit a web site. Knowing this helps us develop a web site that meets visitor expectations.

What about Quality of Life?

I received a call one day from an EDO director who had just attended a meeting where a panelist suggested that he doesn’t care about an area’s quality of life. “Do we even need a Quality of Life page,” he asked? So, we launched an effort to dig into this topic. Out of a list of sixteen potential web site pages, Quality of Life was ranked number fifteen. However! This is big. When we dug deeper, we found that once a community makes it to short-list status, the QOL page becomes very important to the management team and trailing family considering relocating to your area. So, we dug even deeper to learn how the trailing spouse uses an EDO web site. Once a short-list is established, the trailing spouse will visit your web site and immediately begin forming opinions about your community. Photos of the shopping district without cars and shoppers, playgrounds and parks without playing children, or a high school football field showing no football game do more harm than good. If important information is missing, or if the photos are just plain ugly, he or she may kill the deal by saying, “I’m not going to live in that ugly place!” Boom, you’re off the list. Other community web sites, such as the Chamber of Commerce, Schools, and Visitor’s Bureau, can also make or break a deal.

What’s the point?

The point of all this is to say that everything you show, say, and do should be seen through the eyes of the audience. What do they want to see? What information do they need? Which wording helps? Which photos are best? During a site visit, who should attend? What role should each person play? What do visitors want to see and do?

As you move into the planning of your marketing and communications, always do so as if you were the audience, looking in. Say what they want you to say and show what they want to see.

Apple founder Steve Jobs once said "You‘ve got to start with the customer experience and work back toward the technology - not the other way around." I think he had it right.

Want to share a story? I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to share your thoughts and personal experiences below.

Have a great week and I’ll see you soon,

Jim Walton

CEO

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations

Indianapolis: 317.536.6255

Charlotte: 704:230:0394

Atlanta: 404.474.7980

Fax: 317.222.1425

Cell: 317.523.7380

jim@brandaccel.com

Brand Acceleration Web Site

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BrandCoach Blog

Brand Acceleration is a full-service marketing communications, brand management and public relations firm with a focus on economic development, architecture, engineering and construction.

 

Good Economic News

Good Economic News

Alternative fuel maker Fram Renewable Fuesls will expand in Jeff Davis County, Georgia, creating 80 new jobs.

Birtley, a maker of coal equipment, will open a new facility in Lexington, Kentucky, creating 30 new jobs.

Checkers Burgers will add 450 new employees

In Anderson County, South Carolina, Henry Molded Products, Inc. a maker of packaging products, will expand and hire 18 people.

In Greencastle, Indiana, Ascena Retail Group, an apparel retailer, will expand and add 242 employees.

Ayrshire Electronics, a maker of electronic products, will expand its operation in Corinth, Mississippi, creating 15 new jobs.

In Troy, Michigan, Alternative Automotive Technologies LLC, an automotive engineering company, will expand and create 176 new jobs.

Children’s Lighthouse daycares will add 400 employees.

Mayser Polymer USA, a foam molding company, will expand in Canton Township, Michigan, creating 50 new jobs.

In Richland County, South Carolina, McEntire Produce, Inc., a food processor, will expand and create 85 jobs.

Polaris Industries, Inc., a maker of motorsports products, will expand its facility in Spirit Lake, Iowa, creating 79 jobs.

In Cullman, Alabama, Topre America, a maker of auto components, will expand and hire 200 people.

Party City party supply stores will expand and add 2,000 employees

Polaris, a maker of motorsports products, will open a research and development facility in Wyoming, Minnesota, hiring 350 people.

In Warsaw, Indiana, hip replacement maker Iconacy Orthopedic Implants LLC will expand and create 50 jobs.

In Sandersville, Georgia, General Biofuels, a maker of wood pellet products, will open a new facility and hire 35 people.

Hantover, Inc., a distributor to the food industry, will expand its operation in Overland Park, Kansas, creating 120 new jobs.

ANANGO cleaning services will expand and add 187 new jobs.

In Shell Rock, Iowa, farm equipment maker Unverferth Manufacturing Company will expand and create 75 new jobs.

Autoform Tool & Manufacturing, Inc., a specialty tool maker, will expand its operation in Steuben County, Indiana, creating 95 new jobs.

Office furniture maker HNI Corporation will expand its business in Muscatine, Iowa, creating 30 new jobs.

First Home Corporation, a provider of caregiver services, will add 80 new jobs.

Meyer Distributing, Inc., a provider of automotive products, will expand its headquarters in Dubois County, Indiana, creating 109 new jobs.

In Greenville County, South Carolina, Drive Automotive Industries of America will expand and hire 60 people.

Bell Lumber & Pole Company will establish a new facility in Western Nebraska, creating 30 new jobs.

BJ’s Restaurants will add 3,200 employees.

McKesson Corporation, a healthcare services provider, will open a distribution center in Frederick County, Virginia, creating 205 new jobs.

In Guilford County, North Carolina, Piedmont Pharmaceuticals LLC will expand and create 14 new jobs.

RSB Transmissions, a maker of automotive and heavy equipment components, will expand its operation in the City of Homer, Michigan, adding 100 employees.

Electronics retailer HH Gregg will expand and add 1,000 employees.

In South Bend, Indiana, RACO, a maker of electrical boxes, will open a distribution center and hire 77 people.

In Bibb County, Alabama, ThyssenKrup Steel USA, a provider of production materials, will expand and create 45 new jobs.

Thunder Tool & Manufacturing Ltd, a metal stamping company, will open a manufacturing operation in Richmond, Kentucky, creating 45 jobs.

In Williams Charter Township, Michigan, Merson USA Midland, a maker of extreme environment materials, will relocate and expand, generating 32 jobs.

Foss Manufacturing, a maker of non-woven fabrics, will open a manufacturing and distribution operation in Floyd County, Georgia, creating 150 new jobs.

Right-At-Home, a provider of in-home care services, will add 500 employees.

MAPAL, Inc., a tooling company, will open a new facility in Greenville County, South Carolina, creating 30 new jobs.

In Lexington, Kentucky, Allylix, Inc., a maker of renewable chemicals, will expand and add 14 employees.

Bondex, Inc., a maker of non-woven materials, will expand its operation in Edgefield County, South Carolina, adding 13 jobs.

First Advantage, a provider of talent acquisition services, will expand its headquarters in Fishers, Indiana, creating 100 new jobs.

In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, ExxonMobil will expand its synthetic lubricants operation and add 45 jobs.

Global Textile Alliance, Inc., a maker of fabrics, will expand its operation in Rockingham County, North Carolina, creating 55 jobs.

In Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Olympic Steel will expand and add 90 new employees.

American Engineered Products, a maker of flag poles and slot machines, will open a new manufacturing plant in De Smet, South Dakota, hiring 20 people.

In Holland, Michigan, Magna Sealing and Glass Systems, a maker of automotive components, will expand and create 177 jobs.

Marco’s Pizza will expand and add 1,300 new jobs.

MSI Mold Builders, a maker of steel and aluminum molds, will expand its facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, creating 18 new jobs.

Pinnacle Foods Group plans to expand its operation in Imlay City, Michigan, creating 29 new jobs.

South Carolina Plastics LLC, a maker of automotive components, will open a new facility in Greenville County, South Carolina, creating 119 jobs.

Professional Transportation, Inc., a crew transportation service provider, will expand its operation in Evansville, Indiana, generating 100 jobs.

In Bowling Green, Kentucky, RC Components, a maker of exhaust systems and motorcycle wheels, will expand and hire 16 people.

In Russellville, Arkansas, ConAgra Foods will expand and hire 80 new employees.

Practiv, a maker of food service disposals and packaging, will expand its operation in Corsicana, Texas, creating 200 new jobs.

Paul Wurth, Inc., a maker of steel and iron, will expand its operation in Porter County, Indiana, creating 40 new jobs.

Total Jobs Announcements: 12,510

Jim Walton

CEO

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations

Indianapolis, Indiana: 317.536.6255

Fax: 317.222.1425

Charlotte, North Carolina: 704.230.0394

Atlanta, Georgia: 404.474.7980

Cell: 317.523.7380

jim@brandaccel.com

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Brand Acceleration is a full-service marketing communications, brand management and public relations firm with a focus on economic development, architecture, engineering and construction.