Jacksonville Lands
Two Auto Suppliers

In Northeast Florida, the recent announcement of two automotive supplier projects has many thinking that Jacksonville may become the leading contender to land an even bigger prize.
        Early this summer, the River City bagged two significant projects: C.F. Gomma, one of Europe's leading suppliers of rubber-based automotive components; and BMW's fourth U.S. regional parts distribution center.
        Gomma is relocating its U.S. headquarters from Columbia City, Ind., to a 160,390-sq.-ft. (14,435-sq.-m.) facility in Northwest Jacksonville. The company's brake hose assembly plant will occupy 145,000 sq. ft. (13,500 sq. m.) and employ 125 of Gomma's 250 total Jacksonville employees.
        The Passirano, Italy-based company investigated "nearly every" Southeast U.S. state, said C.F. Gomma USA Director of Administration Art Wilson. Jacksonville eventually won the project because of its transportation infrastructure, Wilson said.
        The region is a hub served by interstate highways (I-10 and I-95) and a deepwater port, "both of which will allow us to deliver parts more efficiently to our clients," said Wilson, who called Jacksonville's port facilities "the East Coast's best and biggest."
        The BMW deal, while smaller than Gomma, potentially could be more important. BMW's Jacksonville regional parts distribution center will serve 45 BMW and Mini Cooper dealerships in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. The $12-million, 136,000-sq.-ft. (12,240-sq.-m.) facility in the Westside Industrial Park will initially employ 50.
        BMW considered sites in half a dozen Southeast states before selecting the 16-acre (6.4-hectare) Jacksonville location, according to company officials. "The Southeast U.S. continues to be a strong market for BMW Group, and we are committed to providing our dealers and our customers with the best possible service," said Hans Duenzl, BMW of North America vice president of after-sales and engineering.
        The center is expected to expand to 200,000 sq. ft. (18,000 sq. m.) by 2006 or 2007 and add 30 more workers. The new plant will open in late 2002.
        The grand prize for Jacksonville, however, could come later, as DaimlerChrysler has narrowed to three the field of finalists for a 3,000-employee van manufacturing plant. Jacksonville is competing with Charleston, S.C., and Savannah, Ga., for that project.
        Whether or not DaimlerChrysler brings its OEM plant to Florida, several challenges remain for the Sunshine State. A recent benchmarking study on competitiveness by the Stanford Research Institute found that Florida still ranks behind 12 other states in its overall ability to compete for technology-driven jobs.
        The institute measured each state according to seven criteria: human investment, financial resources, innovation resources, infrastructure, business costs, globalization and vitality, and quality of life.
        Florida achieved a benchmarking score of 418 points (out of a possible 700), placing the state well above the U.S. average of 350 but still well behind the leading states of Colorado (487), Texas (469), Minnesota (461), Virginia (459) and California (448).
        In some areas, Florida scored exceptionally high on the SRI competitiveness scale. Florida ranked first in infrastructure, fifth in business costs, eighth in quality of life and 14th in globalization and vitality.
        In other areas, the state showed room for improvement: 22nd in innovation resources, 26th in financial resources and 44th in human investment. States that scored well on the human investment scale -- such as Massachusetts and Colorado -- have a high percentage of workers with technical degrees. States that scored low were relatively weak in attracting out-of-state workers and students.
        "All high-tech areas have a common theme," says Bill McDermott, head of work force development with the Florida High-Tech Corridor. "They are clearly driven by significant research activity, entrepreneurs and availability of angel capital. In the big picture for Florida, K-through-12 education is a huge issue, and that is something that this state must address."

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