Responding to opportunities in the burgeoning solar energy market, Lake Mary-based BlueChip Energy, LLC (BCE) has created over 180 jobs since 2009. The company is on track to reach over 500 new jobs within two to three years and increase the size of their existing Seminole County facility. The expansion is attributed to growth of the company's manufacturing subsidiary, Advanced Solar Photonics (ASP), as well as its development of utility scale solar farm projects in Central Florida.

In 2011, ASP increased its PV solar panel manufacturing capacity to 100MW, making it one of the largest producers in North America. Here in Central Florida, ASP is providing solar modules for the Rinehart Solar Farm in Lake Mary. Its rooftop solar plant of 1.2 MW makes the Rinehart project the largest rooftop solar plant in the State of Florida. BCE is also developing the 40 MW Sorrento Solar Farm in Lake County.

The EDC has worked closely with this company for a number of years. Most recently, EDC project manager Tracy Turk assisted the ASP manufacturing division with various incentive applications, including sales tax exemptions on utilities and manufacturing equipment, financing alternatives and a Quick Response Training (QRT) grant in the amount of $645,398.

BlueChip Energy is a fully integrated solar PV power generator, occupying all segments of the solar power value chain - from the manufacturing of solar panels and components, to the sale of turnkey solar power plants, to the sale of solar electricity to utility, commercial and residential customers. It's manufacturing division, ASP, is globally-recognized for manufacturing, research and development of crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for utility, commercial and residential applications.

At last week's meeting of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, county leaders approved an incentive package designed to help a growing high-tech company remain and expand in the Central Florida Research Park. The county incentive, which is expected to be matched 80:20 by the State of Florida, will allow DSCI, a defense simulation and optics/photonics company, to consolidate out-of-state offices and grow their presence in our region. Within the next three years, the company plans to add 40 new employees to their current workforce of 31; jobs that pay an average wage of more than $80,000, which is double the county's prevailing wage.

This isn't the only EDC client to announce expansion plans in recent weeks. Tecport Optics, an Orlando-based optics company that designs, manufactures, sells and services state-of-the-art thin film vacuum deposition systems, recently expanded into a larger facility and announced plans to double its workforce over the next three years. The EDC has worked with Tecport for several years, providing general assistance and introductions to incentive and grant opportunities, such as the UCF-based GrowFL economic gardening program. As a result, Tecport received an Economic Gardening Business Loan - to be used for working capital purchases, employee training, or salaries for newly created jobs - which will enable the company to bring more of its manufacturing operations to Central Florida.

And in Seminole County, Industrial Lighting Products - a manufacturer of high efficiency lighting and energy-efficient fixtures - recently expanded into a new 40,000-square-foot location in Sanford. The company expects to create 59 new manufacturing jobs over the next two years. The EDC assisted ILP with a refund for sales tax paid on utilities and introduced them to the GrowFL program, as well as other local resources. This growing company is one of 1,723 manufacturers, who together employ 37,000 here in Central Florida.

Manufacturing in the U.S. grew at its fastest pace in seven years, according to a new report from the Institute of Supply Management. This is a positive sign for growth in the manufacturing industry and indicates that companies in this important sector are hiring.

Adding 200 manufacturing jobs during 2010, Orlando is among the top 35 markets for gains in manufacturing jobs, according to an analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics provided by Buffalo Business First, a sister publication of the Orlando Business Journal.

Orlando's manufacturing, warehousing and distribution sector represents a wide range of industries and sizes, including: Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas, Inc.; HD Supply; Lockheed Martin; .decimal; and others. Read more about Orlando's manufacturing sector.

Saab Training USA - an Orange County-based company that specializes in the development and manufacturing of advanced simulation training systems for the U.S. Military, Foreign Military, and Homeland Security - has expanded their operation in Orange County's Central Florida Research Park. The company, which currently employs 36, has also announced plans to add 33 new jobs within the next three years. Their capital investment in the 28,000-square-foot facility expansion is estimated at approximately $230,000.

In addition to companies such as Saab Training, the Central Florida Research Park is home to simulation and training commands and procurement agencies for the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. This distinction has helped our region become the largest modeling and simulation cluster in the nation.

The EDC assisted Saab throughout their local expansion, facilitating the company's QTI incentive application process. The EDC also manages the Metro Orlando Military Affairs Advisory Council, which brings together our region's simulation industry, military and community leaders to support and build this important industry cluster.

Several local companies working with the EDC have announced expansion plans that are expected to generate new Central Florida jobs.

Sanford-based Roses Southeast Papers will add 65,000-square-feet to their existing facility in Seminole County. This will allow the manufacturer, which specializes in tissue paper and napkin production, to add converting operations, enabling them to complete the finishing process locally rather than shipping rolls to their New Mexico headquarters for processing. The expansion will cost nearly $7.2 million and company executives indicate that they plan to add 50 jobs over the next two years. The EDC worked closely with the company to facilitate their Jobs Growth Incentive (JGI) application process and approvals with the city and county.

The DiSTI Corporation, a defense simulation and training company located just outside Orange County's Central Florida Research Park near the University of Central Florida, has announced that they will remain in Central Florida and that they plan to add 30 new jobs within the next 36 months. Though courted by communities in other states, the EDC recently helped the tech company secure a Qualified Targeted Industry (QTI) incentive that will assist with their expansion here in our market. According to Joe Swinski, DISTI President: "Central Florida is a great location for our business. We're able to leverage our close vicinity to US Army PEO STRI and NAVAIR Orlando to gain a competitive advantage, and to draw from resources and talent at Kennedy Space Center."

When Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced a list of companies selected to receive awards from the U.S. Department of Energy for ambitious research projects that could fundamentally change the way the country uses and produces energy last week, it was good news for Central Florida. Among those receiving grants is Orlando-headquartered Planar Energy Devices, Inc., which will use the award for further development of their solid state lithium battery. They are the only award recipient in Florida.

Through a partnership between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the University of Central Florida, the University of Florida, the University of South Florida, the University of Colorado, and the University of California San Diego, Planar is seeking to develop an ultra high energy, long cycle life, all solid-state lithium battery that can be manufactured using low cost techniques. The Florida High Tech Corridor Council also played an integral role in assisting Planar establish a 3-way partnership between the participating Florida universities.

The potential of this local company's innovations is far-reaching. For example, Planar's battery technology could one day soon revolutionize the auto industry by providing a lighter weight, longer lasting battery designed to reduce automobile reliance on fossil fuels. The Department of Defense is also interested in applications as a power source on the battlefield and numerous other industries are interested in the ramifications of the technology.

Funded through DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), the grants are awarded to projects that could produce advanced biofuels more efficiently from renewable electricity instead of sunlight; design completely new types of batteries to make electric vehicles more affordable; and remove the carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants in a more cost-effective way.

Pelliconi Group - an international leader in the production of plastic and metal caps, crowns and closures for the bottling industry - has established their North American operations in Orlando, Fla.

Pelliconi will create a total of 24 positions; ten will be hired immediately and fourteen will be created over the next three years. Pelliconi has chosen an 86,000 square foot facility in Orange County's Central Park, just south of downtown Orlando.

Pelliconi explored markets throughout Florida and Georgia to establish the company's North American operations. According to Marco Checchi, Pelliconi Group CEO, "In Orlando we feel that we found people and a place that were truly interested in the future of our company. We felt like we were at home here, something we didn't feel other places."

Here, Marco Checchi explains why they chose Orlando.

The Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC) and NAI Realvest worked to recruit Pelliconi to Orlando, providing a variety of economic development and site selection services. A number of local companies were involved in helping to attract the company here, especially Akerman Senterfitt and Duke Realty, among others. Additionally, Orange County and the State of Florida provided support throughout the economic development process.

Pelliconi is based in Bologna, Italy and has three production plants: Bologna; Chieti, Italy; and Cairo, Egypt. The company also has three foreign subsidiaries, in France, UK and Germany; and a worldwide network of sales and distribution that has allowed them to become the world's largest producer and exporter of crown corks.

What has four wheels, state-of-the-art equipment and the ability to train the employees you need in two weeks right at your doorstep? The Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership's Mobile Outreach Skills Training (M.O.S.T.) traveling unit, which is not only able to take its services directly to manufacturers' facilities anywhere in the state, but can also tailor its training program to meet the specific needs of the company.

The M.O.S.T. traveling training program - designed to provide a mix of practical skills, theory and hands-on curriculum - utilizes both computer-based 3-D simulations and self-paced training modules. After a two-week, intensive training session, participating employers have the option to interview and hire trainees. Those hired continue to receive on-the-job training from Florida MEP. This approach to hiring has translated into an amazing 85 percent of participants remaining in those manufacturing jobs after six months.

For more information about Florida MEP, visit www.floridamep.org.

Things at Orlando Sanford International Airport are taking off, in more ways than one.

The Father's Table, a dessert manufacturer based in Sanford, announced that it will expand into an 118,000-square-foot facility near the airport. The growing company will make apple dumplings and swiss cake rolls at this location, while maintaining their cheesecake business in their original location. The expansion will create 30 new full-time and 20 seasonal jobs and is expected to generate over $2.5 million in capital investment. Success for this company is particularly sweet, as they donate a percentage of profits to The Father's Table Foundation, which helps to fund women's & children's charities worldwide.

Miami-based Avocet and sister company Aircraft Parts Sales, Inc. also recently announced that they will relocate their headquarters to OSIA. The company - which provides aviation repair and maintenance, tear down services and sales of aircraft parts - will occupy temporary space on airport property while a new 44,000-square-foot hanger is being built. Avocet's anticipated capital investment is more than $5 million. The EDC and Seminole Community College are currently working to help the company secure a Quick Response Training Grant, which will help them hire and train 150 new employees, primarily mechanics who will earn an average of over $45,000 annually.

Seminole's Board of County Commissioners has focused on the airport as a top economic development priority. That focus appears to be paying dividends. According to Maria Arellano, Avocet general manager: "We were being recruited by other locations in and outside of Florida. Orlando Sanford Airport was extremely accommodating in meeting the needs of our company and this played a big part in why we choose Metro Orlando for our new home."

Traditionally, pallets were traded back and forth between shippers until they were discarded -- a process that was both inefficient and expensive. CHEP USA sought to solve this problem by creating higher-quality, rentable pallets for manufacturers to use without the storage and repair issues.

While the rental concept has been around for more than fifty years, CHEP has made the supply chain more effective by investing $20 million in logistical technology and tracking systems that use real-time, historical data to reduce the distance pallets travel and anticipate times of high usage. This system reduces energy consumption and green house gas emissions.

For more on CHEP, click here.