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February 2010

New name, new reach

The business world has changed a lot in nearly 20 years. The same can be said for the Lake County Business Journal, which debuted in May 1991. Entering its 20th year in publication, the newspaper is spreading its wings.

The Tri-County Business Journal debuts with this issue. While the now-former Lake County Business Journal has included coverage and circulation to communities bordering the county, that reach is expanding to a portion of eastern Cuyahoga County and northern Geauga County.

“The Lake County Business Journal has served businesses in the county well for two decades,” said Publisher Todd Nighswonger, owner of locally owned parent company TNT Publications. “Now we want to take our focus on news and information important to small businesses and report on a wider geographic area.”

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Manufacturers come together
Alliance for working together addresses common challenges

by Peter Strozniak

Businesses have had to withstand two recessions over the last eight years. When hard economic times hit, manufacturing companies usually are the first to feel the pain.

In the early months of 2002 when the first recession followed 9/11, Rich Peterson got a call from Roger Sustar, president of Fredon Corp. in Mentor, a precision machining manufacturer.

“All of us were struggling,” remembers Peterson, vice president of business development for Astro Manufacturing and Design in Eastlake, a contract manufacturer. “The economy just went flat in the manufacturing industry. Roger talked about his idea to form a new group that could help local manufacturers.”

Low-key, high-benefit

AWT is a different business group. It has no lofty mission statement, no regularly scheduled meetings and no membership dues. “I think that’s one of the beauties of the AWT,” Peterson says.

That modest and friendly informality of the AWT has attracted the attention of manufacturers from across Northeast Ohio. Today, AWT boasts nearly 50 members who get together for lunch meetings from time to time at the Radisson Hotel in Eastlake. AWT members buy their own lunches and hope to leave with a little more know-how or ideas that may help their business.

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The feeding frenzy in today's economy
How local restaurants use creative means to put a fork in slow business and keep cookin'

by Kay Bryson

Business may not be booming for restaurants in this “new economy,” but local restaurateurs are creatively satisfying loyal and new customers with innovative menu choices and incentives to keep their doors open.

Area establishments have had to dig deep to entice business their way to combat several reasons for potentially fewer customers. Examples include employees staying in their offices more for lunch because of longer work hours, less-frequent business travelers needing to be entertained, reduced travel and entertainment budgets and higher gasoline prices. Of late, throw in Northeast Ohio’s frightful winter weather.

Measuring the pulse

Two similar local companies in the multi-county food delivery business contract with more than 100 restaurants to offer online ordering and delivery. As a result, the two delivery businesses see trends in the overall success of area restaurants that has helped their success, as well.

Dave Umina, co-founder of www.delivermefood.com, reports $2 million in sales last year, a 25 percent increase over 2008. Lunch sales constituted $1.2 million, with doctors’ offices as his best customers.

Restaurateurs tell Umina that using his services is like found money, sometimes enough to cover monthly mortgage payments. Umina has purchased four smart cars, which advertise the business while making deliveries. Facebook advertising and up to 4,000 hits per day on its Web site keep sales rolling in.

Similarly, George Seoud, owner of Food Fetchers (www.feedu.net), credits his “gorilla marketing” tactics, free delivery and Web site-offered coupons and rewards with his success.

Read More...

We hope you enjoy our monthly featured articles (above). Lake County Business Journal is a monthly newspaper filled with news, feature articles and announcements for the Lake County business community. Stay informed about the people, companies and new ideas that make Lake County the place to be. Subscribe to the print edition to read the complete issue.
 
Manufacturers need highly skilled workers like Cher Firestos to run high-tech equipment such as a programmable coordinate measuring machine in use at Astro Manufacturing & Design in Eastlake. Photo by Todd Nighswonger.
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Latest News

2010 Meeting & Event Guide Coming Soon

2009 Meeting & Event Guide CoverThe 2010 Meeting & Event Guide is coming soon - the deadline for listing your organization is February 2nd. The 2009 Meeting & Event Guide lists more than 100 meeting and event facilities in the Lake County, Ohio area, including information on square footage, capacity, catering, audio-visual equipment and more.

Tri-county area
companies make
Weatherhead 100

Fifteen companies in Lake, eastern Cuyahoga and northern Geauga counties have been named to the Weatherhead 100, which identifies the top-growth companies in Northeast Ohio based on sales from 2004 through 2008. Companies on the list had sales of more than $100,000 in 2004 and more than $1 million in 2008, as well as a minimum of 16 full-time employees in 2008.

11. E2B Teknologies , Chardon, 441% sales growth, 329% employee growth.

15. Enger Tire Centers, Mentor, 347% sales growth, 131% employee growth.

17. Fidelity Voice & Data, Beachwood, 341% sales growth, 120% employee growth.

36. TMW Systems, Beachwood, 191% sales growth, 120% employee growth.

40. US Endoscopy, Mentor, 166% sales growth, 114% employee growth.

45. Signature Health, Willoughby, 146% sales growth, 126% employee growth.

46. WRG Services, Willoughby, 142% sales growth, 18% employee growth.

54. AQUA DOC Lake & Pond Management, Chardon, 121% sales growth, 71% employee growth.

57. MUM Industries, Mentor, 112% sales growth, 100% employee growth.

65. Fredon, Mentor, 94% sales growth, 43% employee growth.

74. Neece & Malec, Chardon, 77% sales growth, 53% employee growth.

83. Skoda Minotti, Mayfield Village, 64% sales growth, 48% employee growth.

85. Sheet Metal Products, Mentor, 62% sales growth, 22% employee growth.

91. Frankie & Dylan’s Collision Center, Mentor, 50% sales growth, 21% employee growth.

96. Food for Thought, Mentor, 41% sales growth, 29% employee growth.

Upstarts (employee 15 or fewer employees and/or had less than $1 million in net sales in 2008):

2. Hannah Electric, Perry, 733% sales growth, 150% employee growth.

9. Joining Metals, Perry, 231% sales growth, 60% employee growth.

20. Angels in Waiting Home Care, Willoughby, 109% sales growth, 157% employee growth.

22. Shaker Consulting Group, Beachwood, 105% sales growth, 50% employee growth.

30. 42connect, Beachwood, 44% sales growth, 100% employee growth.

31. Buckeye Mountain Coffee & Water, Eastlake, 32% sales growth, 0% employee growth.

Centurions (companies with 100% or more sales growth and net sales of $100 million or more):

4. Fairmount Metals, Chardon, 149% sales growth, 73% employee growth.

7. Developers Diversified Realty, Beachwood, 122% sales growth, 47% employee growth.

 


 
 
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