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February 2005 - NC Marine TradeWinds Newsletter
SBTDC NC Marine Trades Services
Topics (click on item or scroll down)
Facilitator Role Pays Off for Tred Barta, Rampage and Gregory Poole
COMITT Conference in Ft. Lauderdale Draws Strong NC Participation
Clean Marina Meetings Great: Provided Challenges and Optimism
Corps Proposes Changes Difficult for Urban Waterfront Investment
Lack of Funding for Waterways Dredging Gaining New Crusaders
Facilitator Role Pays Off for Tred Barta, Rampage and Gregory Poole
Most of the North Carolina business-to-business networking we do is in the form of helping NC boat builders locate products and materials provided by in-state companies. A series of calls from Tred Barta in search of the right North Carolina sport fishing boat partner ended in a match up with Rampage Sports Yachts of Navassa. An added NC bonus came with the engine partnership of Raleigh-based Gregory Poole (Caterpillar). The partnership resulted in Barta owning Rampage's 33 Express, a sport fishing yacht to be powered by twin CAT engines from CAT distributor Gregory Poole. Rampage and Barta signed a letter of agreement at the Miami Boat Show.
Barta and Rampage will also team up for tournaments, Rampage and CAT dealer appearances and other special events, some of which will support Barta's favorite cause, the Barta Boys and Girls Club Billfish Tournament, held July 21-23, in Beaufort, N.C. www.rampageyachts.com/ and www.gregorypoole.com.
COMITT Conference in Ft. Lauderdale Draws Strong NC Participation
Fifteen NC participants spent two days working with marine trades businesses, educators, and trades groups to build consensus on marine trades training and certification. Sponsored by NMMA, Professional BoatBuilder, and ABYC, the event was a good beginning, and offered an insight on how curriculums get developed around industry expectations and product requirements. North Carolina training was represented by Carteret Community College, College of Albemarle, Pamlico Community College, Cape Fear Community College, and the SBTDC Marine Trades Services and the following businesses: Glen Raven (Sunbrella Fabric), Hatteras Yachts, Tiara Yachts, Grady White Boats, and Regulator. We will provide follow up from this meeting next month.
“We Are All Dependant on a Boat Owner Writing a Check”
This quote, from Mike Burlingham of MarineMax to the attendees of the recent COMITT conference, was one of the most important take-home messages at the event. It brought attention to the bottom line of building and servicing boats, and how the cost of training and education must be incorporated into budgets and margins. Discussion also focused on the important role that states play in job retention and recruitment. States like Massachusetts, Florida, Maine and others are emphasizing marine trades training – recognizing the importance of this industry to job creation in the state. Surveys have been conducted to demonstrate the job market needs and economic impact. See www.ncwaterways.com/BusinessAssistance/Training/training.asp.
Workforce Training Critical to NC Recruiting Efforts
What’s good for new businesses is better for established ones. Questions about workforce training and retraining efforts designed for our existing marine businesses are often the first asked by companies considering relocation to the state. We are working with over a dozen companies currently researching manufacturing sites in North Carolina. The availability of focused marine trades training and the ability of a community to deliver a workforce ready to go to work are always in the top requirements. Community college programs are a key to solving these “deliverables”. Existing NC businesses should get involved and contact their local colleges to be included in these evolving programs. Put your company’s needs in front of the training efforts in your area. Keeping existing jobs and businesses should have a higher priority than finding new ones.
January Business North Carolina Article on NC Boatbuilding
The economic outlook section of the 2005 January Business North Carolina magazine focused on the NC boat building industry. A few corrections have been realized since, including my under-estimation of the annual value of NC boat production at $200 million. The figure is much closer to $400 - $500 million. See the article at our site by clicking on the scroll bar at the bottom of www.NCwaterways.com.
Fiberglass Production Training – February 24 at MARTEC
Designed for people already working in fiberglass and composite production, this production workshop will be held Thursday, February 24 from 1:00 to 4:30 PM at the Carteret Community College MARTEC center. Cameron Giffen of Magnum Venus Products will lead the class. For reservation, contact David Flagler, 252-222-6149.
Clean Marina Meetings Great: Provided Challenges and Optimism
About 80 individuals attended last month’s meetings in New Bern and Wilmington on behalf of the Clean Marina Program. A series of sessions and open discussion were held on Best Management Practices, stormwater permits, boat sewage management, Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans, and the “lively” topic of required recirculation systems for power washing. Marinas and boatyards across the state are being visited and inspected relative to their Stormwater Plans and are also being introduced to new power wash requirements. More workshops are planned.
Many business owners are researching recirculation systems and providing results of their efforts to us and to Mike Lopazanski of NC Division of Coastal Management. An upcoming demonstration on Wednesday, March 2, 2005 at 2PM, has been set up by David Flagler of MARTEC (Carteret County Community College). The President of American Cleanway will speak to compliance issues and explain the flocculation process that removes heavy metals from wastewater with simple chemistry and filtration. Call David at 252-222-6149 for specifics. On the same topic, one workshop attendee, Jim Frei of Stormwater Services Group, shared a letter sent on behalf clients to the NC Division of Water Quality addressing the concerns: www.stormwatergroup.com/powerwashletter.pdf.
Corps Proposes Changes Difficult for Urban Waterfront Investment
The Corps of Engineers has issued a public notice which may impact proposed or existing waterfront buildings or projects in coastal North Carolina, especially Urban Waterfront locations. In short, the proposed policy will restrict or prohibit enclosed structures like restaurants, museums, etc. over navigable waters in North Carolina (and only in North Carolina). Boaters are increasingly attracted to waterfront communities, especially urban waterfront communities that are building or rebuilding to attract boaters to waterfront businesses and land-based tourists to these boating locations. You can find the information under the Commander’s Policy Memorandum entitled “Construction and Modification of Enclosed Structures over Navigable Waters in North Carolina.” Information is located on the web at www.saw.usace.army.mil/WETLANDS/Notices/2005/Structures.pdf or by going to www.NCwaterways.com and by clicking on the scrolling ticker in the lower right corner.
Marine Service Managers Program, Annapolis, Maryland, March 6 - 11, 2005 and the Intermediate Marina Management School, Annapolis, Maryland, April 10 – 14, 2005. See www.imimarina.org.
Lack of Funding for Waterways Dredging Gaining New Crusaders
This issue has daily updates and new champions involved trying to demonstrate how real the problem is for NC waterways tourism, boating, boating services and boat building/manufacturing. One of new players is Dr James R Leutze, Chancellor Emeritus of UNCW, recently recruited by Congressman McIntyre, co-chairman of the Congressional Waterways Caucus. Another individual with daily involvement is Rudi Rudolph, Carteret County Shore Protection Manager. He sends out updates dredging and shore erosion issues by e-mail. Request at: rudi@carteretcountygov.org. See more at www.ncwaterways.com and click the Business and Regulatory tab.
Meeting with legislative representatives to address dredging funding issues:
A town meeting will be held on Thursday, March 3rd, 7:00 PM at the Rotary Civic Center on Hwy. 24, Swansboro, NC. Sponsored by the Onslow Bay Saltwater Fishing Club, the meeting is being held to advise elected officials of the lack of funding to dredge Bogue Inlet in 2005, to secure funding for 2006, and to discuss the economic impact closing of Bogue Inlet will have on the community. Scott Chadwick, Chairman of the Swansboro Chamber of Commerce Government Action Committee will present an Economic Impact Study at the Town Meeting.
New Search Function now available on www.NCwaterways.com at the Business and Regulatory tab.
The SBTDC is a business development service of The University of North Carolina operated in partnership with the US Small Business Administration. This website and newsletters are a product of the Marine Trades Services of the Small Business and Technology Development Center and are in part funded by the SBA. For additional information, contact Mike Bradley (252) 728-2144 or MBradley@SBTDC.org.
| This material is based on work supported by the US Small Business Administration (SBA). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. |