Our Business Retention & Expansion Program starts with a 45-minute visit from our staff and is followed by a quick and customized response based on your unique business needs!
What is the Business Retention & Expansion Program?
The Business Retention & Expansion Program is a free service to area primary employers provided by the Fox Cities Regional Partnership. Its purpose is to identify needs, challenges and opportunities within your business and connect you with tangible solutions that remove barriers to growth and are critical to your long-term success. We can help in the areas of workforce, real estate, regulatory relief, marketing, financing, and other key issues and “growing pains.” It all begins with a brief in-person discussion about your company.
Who is involved?
We want to fully understand your company and the factors critical to your success. To better address a wide array of areas impacting your business, Partnership staff will invite one of our local government partners from the municipality where your business is located, as well as any other relevant private/public/non-profit organizations based upon your request. Feel free to invite any members of your leadership team who could bring value to the discussion. All information shared, unless otherwise specified, will remain confidential.
After the visit…
After gaining a full understanding of your company, we will connect you with available resources based upon your specific needs, and serve as an ongoing local contact for business support. We never charge for our services. Our organization is successful when you are!
Connecting the dots…
Information gained through this company-focused program is used to make the Fox Cities an even better place to do business. While many of the needs and challenges that you bring up will be unique to your company, our BR&E visitation program also serves as an opportunity for the Fox Cities Regional Partnership to identify common themes across our region.
Examples of Business Retention and Expansion challenges and solutions:
WORKFORCE ATTRACTION
Employers in the region have expressed concerns around attracting entry-level talent. Our Fox Cities Days on-campus recruitment program will bring the Fox Cities to college campuses in the Midwest.
BUSINESS RETENTION
Provided demographic and economic data to local company debating to move entire operation to neighboring state, where they currently have a production facility. Highlighted the competitive advantages of doing business in our region and helped secure local financial incentives. This company continues to call the Fox Cities home.
GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS
Growing company installed a new fire alarm system in their new building, which was considered an upgrade outside current State requirements (State policy requires meeting the minimum or the maximum standards and does not allow anything in between). Company was told they either had to remove all installed equipment or upgrade the entire facility to maximum standards at an estimated cost of $150,000-200,000. Contacted state officials on behalf of the company. Final outcome was that most of the installed equipment stayed in place and is being utilized.
WORKFORCE IMPROVEMENT
Employer was dissatisfied with skills of available workers, even those who had completed local technical training. Facilitated connections with FVTC staff to collaborate on program development/improvements to produce better qualified candidates for open positions.
INCENTIVE ASSISTANCE
Corporate consolidation will bring additional jobs and equipment to existing Fox Cities location. Coordinated with local government and WEDC to secure available incentives and financing to support expansion of facility and workforce.
EXPORT ASSISTANCE
Company interested in exporting to Western Europe but was uncertain about the market. Provided company with information on market-specific business development strategies, in-country expertise, international market access grants and other technical resources available through WEDC.
WORKFORCE RETENTION
Company losing some top-level executives from local facility. Designed program to help executives, as well as trailing spouses, get connected to the community as a way to encourage new area talent to remain with the company.
MUNICIPAL ISSUES
Facilitated personal connections between company leaders and municipal staff to address an issue of timing of traffic lights that was creating a problem for company truck drivers.
WORKFORCE DIVERSIFICATION
Company is a federal contractor and is required to have a certain percentage of women, racial/ethnic minorities and veterans among labor force. Struggling to attain the required diversity, connected company to several Fox Cities agencies serving these minority populations. Company is currently advertising job openings through the agencies.
GOVERNMENT CONNECTIONS
Located within a residential neighborhood, facilitated connections to City, County and State officials to discuss creating an alternate truck route to the plant, limiting heavy truck traffic through downtown and the residential surroundings.
ENGAGING FUTURE WORKFORCE
Employers are interested in engaging local high school students via on-site apprenticeship and internship opportunities. Our Future Fox Cities Career Expo & Conference provides an opportunity for students to be introduced to many employers in the Fox Cities, allowing them to learn about endless career pathways as they plan during their middle and high school years.
WASTE DISPOSAL ALTERNATIVES
Production results in scrap fabric that must be paid to landfill. Shared alternative disposal technique that reduces cost and supports local charity.
TRANSPORTATION
A few companies were dissatisfied with customer service from railroad service provider. Issues included unpredictability of transit times; insufficient manpower to operate trains; insufficient equipment availability at point of origin; failure by crews to spot cars in proper location; and switching delays. Arranged one-on-one meetings between company leadership and railroad representatives to help mitigate concerns.