Growth Dimensions

Business Development

2008/2009 Jobs & Investment

Belvidere / Boone County Enterprise Zone:
Growth Dimensions administers the Belvidere-Boone County Enterprise Zone, which provides financial incentives for the development and expansion of commercial and industrial facilities. This past year, fifty-six commercial and eight industrial projects were started or are under construction that will result in the creation of 56 jobs and will generate over $4 million of capital investments in the Belvidere-Boone County Enterprise Zone.

Industrial Related Investments included:
BioVantage, General Mills, Youngberg Industries, Central Rubber, Central Commodities, Britton Services, Pactiv Corporation, Orbital Tool.

Commercial related investments included:
Subway, Walker Insurance & Murphy OPV, Cricket Denali Spectrum Operations, V Land Builders, Ruff Cuts Pet Grooming, Hair Nook, Stylehouse Furniture, Richard Spoden, Dr. Lucietto Sierdzki, State Street Commons, Barr’s Flowers, C&J Goad, Walgreen’s, Belvidere Physical Therapy, McDonald’s, Road Ranger, American Tower Corp., Ed Marx, Yolanda’s Bakery, Caisson Properties, BJ Auto Electric, Videos for Less, Bond Drug Co., Belvidere Park District, Big Thunder Saloon, DareCloud Development, A.R. Henninger Agency, Whitehead, Inc., The Shoe Dept., Aaron Sales & Lease, The Taft Insurance Agency, America’s Best Value Inn, Rosati’s Pizza, Murphy Orthodontics, Ward & Associates, Interserve, AT&T Wireless, Charles Sewell, Burger King, Louis Silver Scrap Iron, You & Me Beauty Salon, Revlon Properties, Sherwin Williams, Your Family Doctor, Bread of Life, Belvidere Plaza Hallmark, TNT Enterprises, The Journal, Los Compadres, Fridh Corp-Lifeline, Tom Lewis, University of Illinois Extension, Jones Chimney, Landmark Development, Winchester Builders LLC, Dr. Detail US Cellular.

2008 Business Development Work Program
Accomplishments

Development and Implementation of Business Retention & Expansion Programs

  • Coordinated the Boone County Manufacturers’ Appreciation Week and hosted a breakfast program featuring speakers discussing ways to implement the lean manufacturing process
  • Hosted a Belvidere-Boone County Enterprise Zone Training session with presenters from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and KPMG Consulting
  • Hosted a Developer’s Forum to present an analysis of the City of Belvidere’s Growth Management Study
  • Worked with manufacturing companies on retention issues where assistance ranged from addressing needs and solutions to city zoning amendments, enterprise zone certifications and other state incentives

Development of Implementation of Business Recruitment & Attraction Programs

Marketing, Information Management & Tradeshows

  • Hosted 2007 Boone County Developer’s Showcase
  • Working with developers to identify available development sites and infrastructure needs in the Poplar Grove and North Boone area
  • Participated in I-39 Logistics Corridor Association
  • Participated in trade shows and networking events including the National Association of Manufacturer’s Conference, International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Showcase, ICSC Dealmakers Networking Reception, Association of Industrial Real Estate Brokers Showcase and Chicago Industrial Properties Industrial Real Estate Summit
  • Participated in 2007 Entrepreneurial Days, an international trade event between Sweden and the U.S and assisted in coordinating an industry cluster group focused on Automotive & Production Technology
  • The new Growth Dimensions’ web site was launched in May of 2007
  • Completed marketing brochure and design and production of summary brochures of the Labor Availability and Commuter Analysis Reports

Development and Implementation of Workforce Development Programs

  • Partnered with the lead agencies involved in workforce development: Workforce Connection and Boone and Winnebago Counties Workforce Investment Board, the Rockford and Belvidere Chambers of Commerce, the Rockford Area Economic Development Council, Winnebago County, Abilities Center/TECHWORKS and Rock Valley College to hold a job fair in the efforts to help companies in this area recruit and train new employees
  • Worked with the lead agencies involved in workforce development: Boone/Winnebago Workforce Investment Board regional strategic workforce planning and economic development research study, as well as on the Advisory Board and Executive Committee for the Critical Skill Shortage Initiative being administered by the Rock River Training Corporation as well as local businesses, educational institutions and government agencies

Investment Announcements

Acument Global Technologies: Acument Global Technologies, parent company to Camcar Belvidere, expanded production and increased employment at their Belvidere facility in 2009. Acument's Belvidere location is absorbing operations from other company plants that have recently closed their doors. Prior to the current changes, the Belvidere plant employed about 100 people. With the added production, employment grew to about 130 people this summer. Currently the company is employing 140 hourly and 20 salaried workers, a small portion of those employees are temporary. Recently, demands have expanded by 140% and the Belvidere Operation is also now dealing with $15-$18 million worth of products from the Wytheville Virginia plant shutdown.

General Mills/Green Giant: The state of Illinois announced an almost $3.8 million business investment package for General Mills to help expand its current Belvidere facility and bring in a new frozen production line.  The project will create 50 new jobs over the next two years and keep 500 jobs in the plant.

Interserve: The local manufacturer that assembles displays for home improvement stores and building material suppliers consolidated their operation to Belvidere’s  LandMark Logistics Park.  Interserve is constructing a 42,000 square foot facility in the business park, which is expected to be complete and occupied by summer 2008.  The company employs 70 people during their peak season.

Corrugated Metals: Infrastructure Defense Technologies, Inc., a division of Corrugated Metals of Belvidere completed a 40,000 square foot addition to its existing facility on Morreim Drive.  The new addition will allow for increased production of IDT’s flagship product, THE METALITH, which is an anti-terrorism barrier that protects American military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan. The project was completed in October 2008

BioVantage Fuels, LLC:  BioVantage announced the opening of a five million gallon per year biodiesel facility.  BioVatantage is a start up company with the goal of developing cost-effective renewable fuels and seeks to leverage partnerships with the AgTech Initiative, City of Belvidere, local farming community and universities to create sustainable, environmentally friendly energy solutions.