"THE CUERO EDGEVANTAGE"
VOL. 4, NO. 5 • CUERO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MONTHLY NEWSLETTER • MARCH 2004

Director Meets Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc. President/CEO

Diana Blank, Director of Economic Development and Charles Papacek, President, Cuero Development Corporation recently attended the National Manufacturing Week Tradeshow in Chicago to meet with vendors and seek out prospects. The tradeshow hosted six different manufacturing shows under one roof where hundreds of vendors presented exhibits, including many Toyota suppliers.

Several sessions were also offered featuring elite industry keynote speakers during the week. Among them, was Mr. Atsushi (Art) Niimi, President and CEO, Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc. Blank took the opportunity to meet Mr. Niimi and welcome his company to Texas. Niimi joined Toyota in 1971 and has fulfilled various responsibilities as he worked his way through Toyota during his career. Mr. Niimi expressed great excitement for future opportunities in doing business in Texas.

National Manufacturing Week is presented by the National Association of Manufacturer and represents the annual industrial tradeshow attended by over 30,000 industry professionals. Of those attending, 86% are decision makers within their company, mid-high level executives, 93% want to keep up with the latest trends affecting their industry and make decisions for changes and 75% are looking for new suppliers/vendors to benefit their organization. For over 55 years, it has been considered the nation's most established plant and facilities show.

Most manufacturers expect strong growth in capitol spending, exports and profits in 2004, and more than half expect to increase payroll employment, according to a survey of the National Association of Manufacturers Board of Directors. Most of the investment in production facilities abroad is done by larger firms (83 percent versus 12 percent for smaller firms), and two-thirds of those investing overseas cite access to foreign markets as their major motivation. According to the survey, escalating structural costs are associated with runaway litigation, health insurance, regulations, pensions ans soaring energy costs, especially natural gas, are a much bigger factor in the loss of jobs, and reduced ability to hire new workers, than outsourcing.

DeWitt Technology Center and Business Incubator

The DeWitt Community Development Foundation dedicated the DeWitt Technology Center and Business Incubator building, located in the DeWitt Industrial Park on January 29. The DCDF recently completed construction of the 4,000 sp. ft. technology center and business incubator. The facility houses two computer training rooms and offices for technology-based business. In addition to these rooms, the building contains and equipment room, restrooms and a kitchen. It is a modern, high-tech facility designed for computer training with office space for rent. New and existing businesses can rent the facility for customized employee training. Qualifying businesses are offered

furnished office space with access to high-speed Internet, copy and fax machines at rental rates lower than market value. Firms are allowed to occupy space in the incubator for up to three years. Once established, the company is expected to graduate from the incubator into other business space. Construction of the DeWitt Technology Center and Small Business Incubator was made possible by grants from the Meadows Foundation and the M.G. and Lillie A. Johnson Foundation, Inc., as well as contributions from the Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative and the Lower Colorado River Authority. The Cuero Community Network provided computers and technology infrastructure.

Until next month ... stay tuned! By: Diana Blank, E.D. Dir.