Brainerd Lakes 2008 Relocation Guide - (Page 26) BUSINESS RELOCATION & EXPANSION Thermoformed manufacturing positioned Plastic Plus for a merger with LINDAR Corporation in late 2007. “They were extremely helpful to a project on a tight budget that didn’t have a lot of money available for administrative costs.” —ANDREW COMMERS “We found ourselves overwhelmed with the growth,” explains president Doug Hennum. “Revenue always lags behind growth, so we needed to find something to bridge that gap. We talked to Sheila Haverkamp and she was fantastic. She helped us define our needs and locate possible funding options.” According to CFO Rob Neumann, BLADC connected the company with the resources at the Small Business Development Center on the Central Lakes College campus. Eventually, ChamberMaster found individual private investors who not only provided capital but also brought extensive business expertise to the company. ChamberMaster added four staff members immediately and now has 28 employees and contractors, far beyond the 10 to 12 jobs they were predicting. Neumann says BLADC’s focus is on businesses that can stimulate local economic growth and bring jobs into the Lakes Area. “That’s why the investors were interested,” adds Hennum. “They wanted to build good jobs in this area.” Brian Evenson, president of Plastics Plus, Inc., agrees. His company employed 40 people in Brainerd and ran 24 hours per day, five days per week doing contract manufacturing of thermoformed parts for the recreation, consumer, and industrial markets. Evenson has been in Brainerd for two years, although the company, formerly Capri Plastics, has been in business much longer. “When I moved here, the owner put me in touch with Lisa Paxton (with the Chamber) and Sheila Haverkamp (with BLADC),” says Evenson. “They were very receptive to me coming into the community, very welcoming. They introduced me to other business leaders and to a man, who was also new to the area, who eventually became a customer.” Within a few short months, Plastics Plus needed to fund a capital expenditure to continue growing. BLADC was able to help, utilizing Region Five and Brainerd city revolving funds. The company posted 24 percent growth in 2006 and was growing at a 19 percent rate in 2007. Evenson recently contacted BLADC about either expanding at his current location or looking for another site. “They make sure that, as a business grows or has different needs, whether it’s personnel or facilities or funding, they do everything they can to keep the business and the jobs in the Lakes Area. If they can’t help directly, they’ll put you in touch with someone who can.” BLADC works with strong Lakes Area partners, including Central Lakes College, Region Five Development Commission, Pequot Lakes Area Development Organization, Cuyuna Regional Economic Development, the Brainerd Lakes Chamber, the Initiative Foundation, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, and the U.S. Small Business Administration. As Hennum concludes, “I was amazed that we had this type of resource here. Sheila and her staff were able to put the whole project together for us and help us all the way through the process. I don’t think we’d have been able to do it on our own. They knew just exactly how to pull it all together—and they were great to work with, too.” The BLADC mission is to promote, preserve, and actively assist in expanding the economic base of the Brainerd Lakes Area. For more information contact them at (218) 828-0096 or bladc.org. explorebrainerdlakes.com b Visit explorebrainer dlakes.com for information about BLADC, these businesses, or other Chamber members in the Lakes Area. 26 Brainerd Lakes Area Business & Relocation Guide http://bladc.org http://explorebrainerdlakes.com/
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