Industry Wants U.S. Headquarters In Brooksville

BROOKSVILLE - A German-based company that builds cabins for cruise ships is looking to put its U.S. headquarters in Hernando County.

R&M ShipTec is a "leading manufacturer" of factory-built interior floors, ceilings and doors for the passenger ship and ferry markets, according to its Web site.

The business would occupy the 16,000-square-foot existing building at 3285 NE Parkway at the Airport Industrial Park.

The move is contingent on the company receiving state and county approval through a financial incentive program.

"This is about economic development and bringing good-paying jobs to the county," said Hernando County Office of Business Development spokeswoman Valarie Pianta. "It's bringing tax revenue."

The Board of County Commissioners will decide whether to approve funding of $2,250 per year for four years. The company, in turn, must fulfill its bargain of bringing a minimum of 10 jobs with an average hourly wage of $15.29.

"If they don't meet it, they don't get the (funding)," said Pianta. "Nothing is paid up front."

R&M ShipTec has promised to bring 15 to 20 jobs to Hernando County.

The funding - which totals $9,000 - will come from the county's general fund, Pianta said. R&M ShipTec will invest nearly $1 million in manufacturing equipment, according to a media release.

The company also is looking to add locations in Philadelphia and Newport News, Va.

Pianta said she has been working to bring the company to Hernando County for nearly a year. Enterprise Florida, the state's economic development program, also took an active role in the recruitment process. The company mostly will use trucks to ship its supplies. The park's close proximity to the Port of Tampa also played a factor, Pianta said.

For more information, visit www.shiptec.info.