Welcome to Manufacturers Association of Florida

What's New?

• Bombardier Canada business opportunity for Tier 1 aviation/aerospace manufacturers interested in being vendors for this firm. September 24 deadline for overview submittal. See details.
• Presidential Task Force on Space Industry Workforce and Economic Development Report to President, August 15, 2010
• The Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association (SRMA) has received a $383,000 grant to be distributed to eight Southwest Florida manufacturers and SRMA members. See Press Release for more details.
• Forms to apply for manufacturing machinery and equipment sales tax refunds and unemployed tax credit program now available -- see below.
• Registration now open for the 7th Annual Manufacturers Summit and Global Marketplace.  See Events/Summit Info/Registration.
• Exhibitors and sponsors now being accepted for the November 3-4, 2010 Manufacturers Summit and Global Marketplace in Orlando, FL.  Download the exhibitor commitment forms and sponsor forms.
• Beginning July 1, 2010, $3.3 million in Quick Response Training grants for businesses and $4 million in Incumbent Worker Training grants. Contact Jayne Burgess at jburgess@workforceflorida.com for details.
• Manufacturing Strategy for Jobs and a Competitive America, June 2010, National Association of Manufacturers

Prepare to Export!

Manufacturers in Florida are encouraged to register in the Florida Export Directory that is being marketed to other countries by Enterprise Florida. Go to www.FloridaExportDirectory.com to see if your company is already listed. If not, click the "Register" button to view and select the best membership plan for your company. Signing up is easy and only takes a few minutes. And don't stop there...plan to go on a trade mission in 2010. Check our Resources page for Enterprise FL contacts on exporting.

Low Interest Loans for Equipment Available

Manufacturers who need financing to purchase new or used equipment can turn to the SBA "504" loan program and take advantage of historically low rates on its 10-year equipment loan. The interest rate is 4.15% for financing up to $4 million. These loans are paired with private sector commercial loans to support manufacturing projects of up to $20 million. For more info, check www.ffcfc.com.

Technical Assistance Available for Teenage Businesses

GrowFL will deploy its team of analysts at no charge to qualified companies to provide technical assistance and access to a suite of information and decision-making tools, including: database research, search engine optimization, geographic information systems, network mapping, social media strategies, strategy analysis, management team temperament, capital referrals, and labor referrals. For more info, check www.GrowFL.com.