Treasure Coast Manufacturers Association

Kings Logistics Center tops off

Kings Logistics Center tops off

Celebrating the installation of the roof and the near-completion of the Kings Logistics Center warehouse in Fort Pierce, the project’s general contractor Catamount Constructors hosted a “topping off” event on March 28.

“Roofing a 664,176-square-foot building is a substantial undertaking and well worth celebrating,” said construction superintendent Thomas Naumann. “A topping off party is an opportunity to thank our workers, contractors and community partners.”

Naumann estimates that the Class A cross-dock facility will be completed in early May, with construction of the interior to take place once an end user’s requirements are known. Space is offered for lease from 300,000 square feet up to the full facility.

“The Kings Logistics Center is an anchor for the new Kings Highway jobs corridor,” said Pete Tesch, president of the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County. “Based on industry averages, we  anticipate that approximately 433 people will be employed here once a tenant or tenants are in place.”

The facility is located just off Exit 131 (Orange Avenue) on Interstate 95, with easy access to Florida’s Turnpike as well. St. Lucie County is located midway between Miami and Orlando, with a population of 20 million within a four-hour drive.

The center’s cross-dock design offers 40-foot clear height, 130 loading doors, and four drive-in doors with 284 trailer spots and 676 car parks on the 65-acre site.

Seefried Industrial Properties is the project’s developer.  Upon completion of the shell, Affinius Capital (formerly USAA® Real Estate) will take ownership of the facility. For leasing information, contact Lee Morris, [email protected], or Michael Falk, [email protected], of Colliers at  407.782.8212 and  561.662.2624, respectively.

About Catamount Constructors

Catamount is a 100% employee-owned company with over 25 years of experience providing construction management and general contracting services nationwide. Ranked in Engineering News Record’s ‘Top 400 National Contractors’ for 16 consecutive years, Catamount provides contracting services to owners and developers including general contracting, construction management, sustainable construction, design-build, cost estimating, conceptual budgeting, scheduling, and value engineering. Markets include industrial, multifamily, senior living, healthcare, office/office interiors, retail, automotive, energy, and government. Serving clients throughout the U.S., Catamount maintains offices in Atlanta, Denver, San Antonio, Savannah, and Tampa. For more information, visit www.catamountinc.com.

About Colliers

Colliers (NASDAQ, TSX: CIGI) is a leading diversified professional services and investment management company. With operations in 63 countries, our 18,000 enterprising professionals work collaboratively to provide expert real estate and investment advice to clients. For more than 27 years, Colliers’ experienced leadership with significant inside ownership has delivered compound annual investment returns of approximately 20% for shareholders. With annual revenues of $4.6 billion and $92 billion of assets under management, Colliers maximizes the potential of property and real assets to accelerate the success of its clients, investors and people.

About Affinius Capital 

Affinius Capital (previously known as USAA Real Estate and Square Mile Capital Management) is an integrated institutional real estate investment firm focused on value-creation and income generation.  With a 40-year track record and $35 billion in net assets under management, Affinius has a diversified portfolio across North American and Europe delivering both equity and credit to its trusted partners and on behalf of its institutional clients globally.  For more information, visit www.affiniuscapital.com.

About the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County

The EDC is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting economic vitality in St. Lucie County through the attraction, retention and expansion of businesses in the community. The EDC works in partnership with local governments and the private sector to advance its goals of creating more and better-paying jobs for residents, broadening the tax base and improving St. Lucie County’s economic quality of life. Contact the EDC a 772.336.6250 or www.youredc.com.

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

Mar. 30, 2023|

United Way hosts final Powered by Purpose event

United Way hosts final Powered by Purpose event 

Deana Shatley, Jeff Pickering, Trevor Loomis, and Dori Stone discuss ALICE in panel.

 

United Way of Indian River County’s final Powered by Purpose of the season featured local community leaders’ perspectives on the ALICE population. ALICE stands for asset-limited, income-constrained, employed. These are hardworking individuals working just to make ends meet. ALICE is essential but struggling to survive.

The informative session began with United Way CEO Meredith Egan sharing the statistics defining ALICE. The survival budget for a family of four in our community is $61K, while the median income is $49K. An individual working a minimum wage job must work 87 hours to make ends meet. A full ALICE report from United Way will be published on April 26.

"At United Way, our number one priority is helping this community’s ALICE population by harnessing resources and creating solutions,” stated Egan.

To put a face to ALICE, Shawna shared her story. She is a single parent who works in dispatch at the Fire Department. She recently had to move out of her two-bedroom duplex because the landlord raised the rent over $300. Fortunately, Shauna is a homebuyer with Habitat for Humanity and will move into her forever home soon. However, childcare is still a challenge, along with the rising costs of groceries.

Panelists included Trevor Loomis, CEO of Indian River Habitat for Humanity, Jeff Pickering, president and CEO of the Indian River Community Foundation, and Dori Stone, president of the Indian River Chamber of Commerce. They shared the problems employers face with the housing crisis and the solutions they can offer to assist this population. They emphasized the importance of the public sector coupled with the role philanthropy plays in providing vital services.

During the conversation following, attendees discussed strategies and benefits employers can implement to support the ALICE population. The group agreed that system change needs to happen on a larger scale to ensure ALICE succeeds. Many panelists discussed policy changes the community can advocate for at the local, State, and Federal levels.  Those present felt it would be beneficial to provide a list of community resources for employers to share with employees. Key public sector initiatives that address the needs of the ALICE, including the Children’s Services Advisory Council and Senate Bill 102, were discussed. Fellsmere’s innovative collaboration with the community to create solutions was also highlighted. As Florida’s population has grown, ALICE has increased with it, and all agreed that everyone must work together to achieve success.

The Powered by Purpose series hosted by United Way of Indian River County features community leaders and experts speaking about different topics of interest to help attendees learn more about an issue, community challenges, collaboration, resources and other ways to get involved.

United Way of Indian River County (UWIRC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every community member. United Way works with local programs to provide resources to individuals and families in crisis today while working year-round to improve community conditions and create lasting solutions. We are effectively building a strong foundation and improving lives by mobilizing the caring power of our community. For more information about your local United Way, please call (772) 567-8900 or visit our website, UnitedWayIRC.org.

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

Mar. 23, 2023|

Total Truck Parts breaks ground in PSL

Total Truck Parts breaks ground in PSL

Total Truck Parts executives Marc Karon, Tom Gibson, Leo Cordeiro and Dennis Imbody break ground for the company’s new 47,000-square-foot facility on Glades Cutoff Road in Port St. Lucie.

 

Officials from Total Truck Parts and local dignitaries broke ground in Port St. Lucie, Florida, for the company’s largest facility.

After an almost two-year-long search, the employee-owned company with six locations in central and South Florida selected a 6-acre site in Midway Business Park to build its third company-owned facility.  The 47,000-square-foot building will include a 5,000-square-foot showroom, 16 heavy truck and trailer repair bays, a large area for hydraulic and drive line repair, and extensive warehouse space for parts.

“This new building is necessary to address the significant growth on Florida’s Treasure Coast,” said Total Truck Parts Chairman and President Marc Karon. “It is also key to our multifaceted growth strategy of expanding our shop repair capability with repair bays and shop services, as well as maintaining a deep inventory of parts to better serve our diverse customer base.”

“Our team is most excited about the continued company investment in growth and all the new opportunities that will be available to us with a facility of this size and functionality,” said CEO Leo Cordeiro.  Completion of the new facility is anticipated in late 2023.

Founded in 2002, Total Truck Parks has grown to be the largest independently owned commercial truck parts and repair business in the southeastern United States. The company employs a total of 106, of which 14 currently work in the neighboring city of Fort Pierce. The new Port St. Lucie location will have the potential to more than double local employment to 30, with wages at 25% above St. Lucie County’s average wage. Capital investment for the facility is estimated at $6 million plus additional investment for equipment and interior buildout.

“Total Truck Parts chose a fantastic location for their new facility, within a drive of just two miles to Interstate 95, so their customers can be back on the road and back in business quickly,” said Port St. Lucie Council Member David Pickett. “We are also very happy to be able to keep the company’s existing 14 local employees at work within the county and look forward to all the new jobs that will be created at this new facility.”

“It’s always exciting to see a local company grow, and we are very glad to be able to accommodate that growth within St. Lucie County,” said Pete Tesch, president of the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County. “Total Truck Parts has been a thriving local employer for decades and the company’s investment in a new state-of-the-art facility here, the largest one in their portfolio, is the most rewarding kind of economic development of all. Richard K. Davis Construction Corp. of Fort Pierce is the general contractor for the project.

About Total Truck Parts

Total Truck Parts is the leading supplier of parts and service for commercial vehicles in Florida and the largest independently owned commercial truck parts and repair business in southeast Florida. Founded in 2002, the award-winning company’s value proposition is based on offering quality parts equivalent to, or superior than, the original equipment parts, along with a broad range of repair services and a deep inventory of parts that give its customers the opportunity to achieve their goals with one supplier. Total Truck Parts has six locations in Florida. Its more than 100 employee-owners have been providing world-class customer service in the Florida market for many years, accruing extensive product knowledge to diagnose problems and provide solutions for today’s complicated vehicles. For more information, visit www.totaltruckparts.net.

About the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County

The EDC is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting economic vitality in St. Lucie County through the attraction, retention and expansion of businesses in the community. The EDC works in partnership with local governments and the private sector to advance its goals of creating more and better-paying jobs for residents, broadening the tax base and improving St. Lucie County’s economic quality of life. Contact the EDC at 772.336.6250 or www.youredc.com.

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

Mar. 23, 2023|

GFNF4Kids Children’s Advocacy Center to host groundbreaking event

GFNF4Kids Children’s Advocacy Center to host groundbreaking event

Guardians for New Futures | Children’s Advocacy Center (GFNF4Kids | CAC), a leading nonprofit fighting child abuse in the 19th Circuit, is excited to announce it is hosting a Champions for Children Healing Garden Groundbreaking. The BBQ event will kick-off the construction of the state of the art, Children’s Healing Garden at the Children’s Advocacy Center. All are welcome to join GFNF4Kids staff, board members, and volunteers on Saturday, April 15, from 4pm to 6pm at the Children’s Advocacy Center at 8561 S. Commerce Drive, Port St. Lucie, FL 34986. Please RSVP by visiting www.gfnf4kids.org/events.

The Children’s Healing Garden will offer therapeutic horticulture programming and is dedicated to helping change the trajectory of the lives of children and families in crisis. It is intended as a space to reduce stress, temporarily alleviate depression, encourage exercise, promote a sense of well-being and the use of a positive imagination and therapeutic benefits.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and you are invited to take a Walk in Their Shoes tour of the Children’s Advocacy Center. Learn first-

hand how our multi-disciplinary team of medical professionals, law enforcement, mental health, prosecution, child protective services, and victim advocacy work together to help heal victims of child abuse. Available Walk in Their Shoes tour dates are: April 7, April 14, April 21, and April 28. All tours are from 9am – 10am. Space is limited, please RSVP to Melissa Winstead at [email protected] with your choice of tour date.

Since the Children’s Advocacy Center opened in June 2022, over 450 children have been served. Through education and awareness, volunteering and donating, everyone can help put an end to child abuse. For more information about how you can get involved, call 772-807-3868.

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

Mar. 23, 2023|

FAU Harbor Branch receives $2.8 million gift

FAU Harbor Branch receives $2.8 million gift

Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute has received $2.8 million from Builders Initiative to establish a queen conch hatchery in Grand Bahama. This support expands FAU Harbor Branch’s extensive aquaculture and food security program focused on replenishing queen conch populations throughout the Caribbean. It also enables development of a conceptual master plan for a 25-acre innovation hub on Grand Bahama for researchers working to solve issues of island sustainability.

The project is built on a network of collaborations to secure local support and participation. FAU Harbor Branch will partner with the Bahamian community of Grand Bahama on a pilot-scale queen conch aquaculture farm led by Megan Davis, Ph.D., a research professor, FAU Harbor Branch Aquaculture and Stock Enhancement, and the world’s leading expert on queen conch aquaculture with 40 years of research in the field. Prized for its iconic spiral shell and meat, the species is considered the cornerstone of the Bahamian culture and economy. Through partnerships, the project leads envision developing new economic and environmental opportunities for the community, along with helping to replenish queen conch populations.

“We’re extremely grateful to Builders Initiative for their generous support of our queen conch restoration efforts,” said FAU President Stacy Volnick. “FAU Harbor Branch’s work in aquaculture is helping to meet the growing global demand for food, thanks to partners like Builders Initiative who share our belief in sustainable solutions to environmental challenges.”

This summer, the project will begin with a mobile queen conch lab where scientists, with assistance from Bahamian staff and interns, will grow queen conch from their egg stage to juveniles. It will be located at Coral Vita, a commercial coral farm working to restore coral reefs, which will share resources with FAU Harbor Branch.

Blue Action Lab is a key strategic partner, assisting with permits, negotiations, and other collaborator relationships. Other partners include the Bahamas National Trust, the University of The Bahamas, the Perry Institute of Marine Science, and The Nature Conservancy, which will provide expertise on habitat mapping for conch breeding sites in seagrass beds.

“Having a hatchery operating in the community with full participation from the community will be a great way to not only increase knowledge and awareness of the life cycle of the conch, but it will also allow the opportunity to build relationships, technical skills and solutions together,” said Catherine Booker, program coordinator with the Bahamas National Trust.

The project also will provide research internships for students at the University of The Bahamas and ecotourism opportunities.

Similar opportunities would come about through the 25-acre innovation hub. Known as Conservation Cove, it will be located on 25 acres on Grand Bahama, and it is envisioned to include a tropical aquaculture park, an aquarium, research and education hub, co-working spaces, and a hospitality center. FAU’s MetroLAB Design Collaborative, comprising FAU’s School of Architecture and Harbor Branch, will work with Blue Action Lab on the master plan.

The Grand Bahama queen conch hatchery is the fifth such FAU partnership project to restore the queen conch throughout the Caribbean. FAU Harbor Branch has been working on restoration efforts since 2016 and has established other queen conch farms in Puerto Rico, Curacao, and Great Exuma, Bahamas.

“Our FAU Harbor Branch Queen Conch Lab team together with our partners are making strides to fulfill the vision of a conch farm in every Caribbean nation,” said Davis. “There has never been a more important time to help communities grow queen conch for the sake of the species, ecosystem, and the people who depend on the fishery.”

This support from Builders Initiative, the philanthropic team of Builders Vision, is the largest gift from a private funder to FAU Harbor Branch’s queen conch program. Builders Initiative invests and collaborates with people and organizations working toward sustainable solutions in the areas of food and agriculture, climate and energy, oceans, and community.

“Builders Initiative is thrilled to be an anchor funder of Florida Atlantic University’s innovative program to establish conch aquaculture hatchery facilities across the Caribbean,” said Peter Bryant, oceans program director at Builders Initiative. “We’re committed to accelerating restorative aquaculture solutions in The Bahamas, and this project is a cornerstone of our program, one that will restore conch populations in The Bahamas while also providing benefits to local communities.”

About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, FAU embodies an innovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. FAU is designated a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report and a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

About Builders Initiative
Builders Initiative is the philanthropic team for Builders Vision, an impact platform dedicated to supporting people and organizations building a more humane and healthy planet through philanthropy, investment, and advocacy. Builders Initiative, through the Builders Initiative Foundation, DAFs, and an impact LLC, invests in and collaborates with non-profits, businesses, and others working toward sustainable solutions to societal and environmental problems across four primary impact areas: Food and Agriculture, Climate and Energy, Oceans, and Community. Learn more at buildersinitiative.org.

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

 

 

 

Mar. 23, 2023|

An out of this world ‘Art Out of the Box’ exhibit

An out of this world 'Art Out of the Box' exhibit

Members of Martin Artisans Guild were delighted, energized and creatively stimulated by what they saw during a visit to Art Basel, during last December’s Miami Art Week. The sojourn generated the theme for the Guild’s next exhibit.

Opening day of the exhibit will be Wednesday, March 22 with a delightful reception from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at The Palm Room Art Gallery and Artisans Boutique, located at 3746 SE Ocean Boulevard in Stuart’s Harbour Bay Plaza. It will feature the live music, cash bar and the delectable appetizers for which the Guild has become known.

A second opportunity for celebration is a “Meet the Artists” event. Plan on being there Wednesday, April 12 from 4-6 p.m.

The talented artists included in Art Out of the Box include:

  • Barb Bucci
  • Billie Jo Thomson
  • Candy Walsh
  • Caryl Pomales
  • Charlie Cote’
  • Deborah Bottorff
  • Dinija Berkien
  • Doreen Lepore
  • Dot Galfond
  • Glen Allen
  • Jane Lawton Baldridge
  • Janis Clary “O”
  • Laura Kay Whiticar Darvill
  • Linda Reymore
  • Lynn Morgan
  • Mallo Bisset
  • Maria Miele
  • Mark Stall
  • Mary Mirabito
  • Patricia Pasbrig

While you’re enjoying the fabulous show, be sure to check out the very special and one-of-a-kind items in the Artisans Boutique. Take advantage of this opportunity to purchase something exciting and unique from one of the Guild’s talented artists and artisans.

The Palm Room Gallery is open Tuesdays-Saturdays from noon - 6 p.m.

For more information, visit www.martinartisansguild.org.

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

 

Mar. 15, 2023|

Stuart Air Show: Supporting community nonprofits

Stuart Air Show: Supporting community nonprofits

Clark Advanced Learning Center - Inez van Ravenzwaaij, SAS executive director, Cindy Groover, SAS treasurer, Delaney Dyer, Leslie Judd, Clark Advanced Learning Center principal and SAS volunteer leader, Sienna Perez, Isabella Buchanan and Dewey Vinaya, SAS president

The Stuart Air Show is more than a weekend of sleek planes, daring pilots, exciting exhibits and top-tier vendors, it’s also an organization dedicated to giving back.

Since the Show is also a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, once it is over and the airport returns to normal operations the board of directors meets to allocate a portion of the proceeds raised by the Air Show to area organizations and charities that are equally mission-minded. Since the pandemic, more than $90,000 to area non-profits has been awarded.

Inez van Ravenzwaaij, Executive Director of the Stuart Air Show, shares that thanks to the 2022 Air Show and Salute to Stuart held earlier in the year, more than $43,000 in funds and $17,000 in-kind were donated.

Some of the organizations that benefited from this these donations were:

  • Boy Scouts of America Troops 499 and 422
  • Buffalo Soldiers
  • Civil Air Patrol
  • Clark Advanced Learning Center
  • EAA Chapter 692
  • Humane Society of the Treasure Coast
  • Martin Country High School Air Force JROTC
  • Martin County robotics program SPAM
  • Road to Victory Military Museum
  • St. Lucie West Centennial Highschool Navy JROTC
  • Special Olympics of Martin County
  • Southeast Florida Honor Flight
  • Soroptimist of Stuart
  • Stuart Police Explorers
  • Treasure Coast Highschool Air Force JROTC
  • U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps
  • United Way of Martin County
  • YMCA

Honorees reflect the Air Show’s mission of honoring the past while inspiring the younger generation to look up into the blue skies and imagine all the possibilities.

The date for the 2023 edition of the Stuart Air Show has been set for November 10-12, 2023. To learn more, visit www.stuartairshow.com.

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

Mar. 2, 2023|

High school grads seeking tuition-free associate degrees must pledge IRSC Promise by March 10

High school grads seeking tuition-free associate degrees must pledge IRSC Promise by March 10

Students graduating from Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie County public or public charter high schools and eligible in-district homeschools who wish to earn their Associate degrees tuition-free from Indian River State College (IRSC) must make their formal commitment to the IRSC Promise program no later than Friday, March 10.

High school seniors in the class of 2023 can learn more about the IRSC Promise and take the pledge at promise.irsc.edu.

Nearly 3,200, or nearly half, of anticipated area high school graduates have already pledged to begin their full-time studies at IRSC this fall through the IRSC Promise.

“The IRSC Promise program is changing the trajectory for our students, our families and our communities,” said IRSC Vice President for Student Success Beth Gaskin. “We encourage every student, whether they are looking to ultimately enter the workforce or continue to an advanced degree, to begin their educational foundation by studying tuition-free here at IRSC.”

The IRSC Promise program is not a grant or scholarship. It is a tuition-paid, last-dollar program sponsored by the IRSC Foundation and funded through generous donor philanthropy and unrestricted investment proceeds.

Promise candidates must graduate from an Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, or St. Lucie County public or charter high school in 2023 or be an in-district approved homeschool 2023 graduate; meet all Promise program deadlines; and be a U.S. citizen eligible for in-state tuition or a non-U.S. Citizen eligible for in-state tuition. Students do not need to demonstrate financial need, and there is no GPA requirement for acceptance to the program.

Fall 2023 marks the second year of the IRSC Promise. The first Promise cohort entered the College in the fall of 2022, achieving a dramatic increase in enrollment at IRSC, despite a continuing national enrollment decline. More stunning was the program’s impact on minority, first-generation and low-income populations.

“The IRSC Promise Program is a difference maker for so many in our community,” concludes Gaskin. “It truly activates IRSC’s mission to transform lives through high-quality, affordable and accessible education.”

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

 

Mar. 2, 2023|

Stuart Air Show offices return to Stuart 

Stuart Air Show offices return to Stuart 

Stuart Air Show board members Glenn Rivers, Doug Davis, Cindy Groover, Dewey Vinaya, Renee Allen, Rich Vaaler, Brett Rhodes (missing Lee Potter and Ben Hogarth)

On the heels of a very successful Stuart Air Show last November the administrative offices of the organization have moved back to Stuart.

“It is very exciting to be back in Stuart,” says executive director, Inez van Ravenzwaaij. “Being less than a less than a couple of miles from Historic Witham Field, where the annual airshow is hosted feels like a homecoming for everyone involved. And of course, this will also be very convenient as we get closer to the main event”.

The date for the 2023 edition of the Stuart Air Show has been set for November 10-12, 2023, and tickets are scheduled to go on sale in early May. To learn more, visit www.stuartairshow.com, or to inquire about sponsorships please reach out to the Executive Director at [email protected].

The new office address is:

2440 SE Federal Hwy, Suite 600, Stuart, FL, 34994

For more than 30 years, the Stuart Air Show a non-profit 501 (C)(3) organization has dedicated itself to honoring the history of American aviation and veterans, and inspiring future generations. Attracting tens of thousands every year, the organization partners with schools and youth service agencies to offer STEM programing to hundreds of schoolchildren.

The Show is also proud to partner with equally mission-minded nonprofits such as EAA Chapter 692, Southeast Florida Honor Flight, the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps, the United Way of Martin County and dozens of others to provide fundraising opportunities.

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

Feb. 23, 2023|

Piper Aircraft sees steady growth in 2022

Piper Aircraft sees steady growth in 2022

Piper Aircraft

Vero Beach-based Piper Aircraft Inc. has announced a 15% increase in aircraft deliveries in 2022 over 2021. In addition, Piper incorporated innovative updates to their flagship aircraft, the M600/SLS, and provided support to more than 25 philanthropic organizations that best embody the company’s values and mission. In 2023, Piper continues to see backlog for the M-Class lineup deep into 2024 and trainer aircraft reaching into 2025 and beyond.

The M-Class product line includes the turbocharged and pressurized piston M350, the entry-level M500 turboprop, and the M600/SLS, featuring the HALO Safety System with Garmin Autoland. In total, 69 M-Class aircraft were delivered over the course of the year. This includes 19 M350s, 9 M500s, and 41 M600/SLSs, 43 of which were delivered domestically and 26 internationally.

In the trainer lineup—including the diverse Archer family (Archer DX, DLX, LX, and TX), the value-priced Pilot 100i, and the multi-engine Seminole—Piper delivered 167 total aircraft, with 150 delivered domestically and 17 internationally. Piper saw existing flight school customers grow their fleet, such as ATP Flight School, Spartan College, and American Flyers, as well as welcomed new customers to the Piper Flight School Alliance, including Thrust Flight and Fly Gateway.

“Growth in our two primary aircraft markets is of paramount importance to Piper Aircraft,” said Piper President and Chief Executive Officer John Calcagno. “Despite the supply chain and labor challenges our industry faced this year, we were still able to deliver our aircraft as promised, create valuable enhancements across our product lineup, and pass these improvements to our Piper dealer partner network and retail customers.”

Product highlights included the M600/SLS receiving FAA approval on a Master Minimum Equipment List (MMEL), defining an easier pathway to enter the aircraft into Part 135 charter service. The M600/SLS also gained unpaved field approval in Q4 of 2022, expanding the value of an already capable aircraft. Together with these improvements, Piper Aircraft announced their collaboration with CAE to engineer an electric PA-28-181 Archer Supplemental Type Certificate.

Looking into 2023, Piper will be first to market with exciting new innovations in G3000 software on the M600/SLS, which were previewed at NBAA-BACE in Orlando, FL at the end of 2022. Piper also recently announced the integration of an Agile Manufacturing Robot to the PA-46 production line to elevate efficiency and safety throughout the Piper factory in Vero Beach, FL.

In addition to meeting the demands of the 2022 delivery schedule, Piper Aircraft saw success in other elements of the year, focused on our customers and the community. One of these efforts was the inclusion of two new flight schools to the highly successful Piper Brand Ambassador program, the L3 Harris Flight Academy, and long-standing Piper fleet customer, North Star Aviation of Minnesota State University at Mankato. Piper also presented six aviation-focused college scholarships to students in 2022, and will add three more scholarships for local high school students this year.

 

About the Piper M600/SLS

The Piper M600/SLS with HALO Safety System is the first general aviation aircraft certified with Garmin Autoland. The revolutionary system supports digital technology that safely lands the aircraft at the nearest suitable airport in the event that the pilot is incapacitated. Additionally, the Garmin G3000 avionics suite includes Autothrottle, Autoland, Emergency Descent Mode, Electronic Stability Protection, Surface Watch, and SafeTaxi, all of which are designed to enhance safe operation of the aircraft. Beyond the flight deck, the six-seat M600/SLS is powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42A 600 SHP engine. The aircraft has a maximum cruise speed of 274 ktas/507 km/h, a max range of 1,658 nm/2,748 km, and a standard useful load of 2,400 lbs/1,089 kg.

 

About Piper Aircraft, Inc.

Piper Aircraft Inc., headquartered in Vero Beach, FL, offers aviators throughout the world efficient and reliable single- and twin-engine aircraft and is the first general aviation aircraft manufacturer in the world to certify Garmin Autoland. The single-engine M-Class series–the M600/SLS, M500, and M350–offers businesses and individuals elegant performance, value and a superior ownership experience. The Personal Class Archer LX and Archer DLX balance proven performance, efficiency, and simplicity in a piston-powered aircraft. The Trainer Class Pilot 100i, Archer TX, Archer DX, and Seminole aircraft form the most complete technically-advanced line of pilot training aircraft in the world. Piper is a member of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. To learn more about Piper Aircraft, visit the company’s website at www.piper.com.

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

Feb. 23, 2023|