Ashley Furniture e-commerce, Cohesion open U.S. headquarters in Tampa
April 17, 2016
Tampa and Hillsborough County continues to shine as a top destination for the biggest names in business, and for fast-growing information technology companies as well.
Against a backdrop of blue skies and a tractor trailer emblazoned with the Ashley Furniture Industries logo and an American eagle, the nation’s largest furniture manufacturer and retailer held a grand opening ceremony in front of its new e-commerce headquarters in Ybor City last month. Nestled in the heart of the historic district in Centro Ybor, Ashley Furniture Industries’ new e-commerce headquarters created 100 new jobs and $16 million in capital investment. And they’re just getting started.
“We found everything we were looking for here: a rich supply of local e-commerce professionals, the perfect building to house our e-commerce headquarters as well as other retail operations, and the opportunity to contribute to the revitalization of Ybor City,” said Todd Wanek, President and CEO of Ashley Furniture Industries, told the Tampa Bay Business Journal last year.
Tech talent continues to flock to the Tampa metro area, and tech firms both in and out of the market have taken notice. Since January 1st, four other tech companies have announced expansions or relocations in Tampa and Hillsborough County that will create more than 200 new, high wage jobs and nearly $2 million in capital investment.
Cohesion, an IT consulting firm, relocated its headquarters from Ohio to Tampa. The company, which provides IT consulting services to Fortune 1000 companies, plans to add up to 100 new jobs. Cohesion cited the city’s airport, workforce, and low cost of living as major factors in its decision to locate here in an article from the Tampa Bay Times.
SunView Software, a leading provider of IT Service Management software, announced plans to expand its headquarters in Hillsborough County. The firm, founded in 2003, will add 45 new jobs, another 6,000 square feet of space, and invest $1 million in the project.
System Soft Technologies and NITRO Mobile Solutions also announced plans to add a combined 65 new jobs in Tampa and Hillsborough County, citing the community’s diversely skilled workforce-tech companies.
Another industry on the rise in Tampa Bay? Distribution and logistics.
Integrity Express Logistics, a veteran-owned company headquartered in Ohio, announced in January that it would expand its Tampa operations and create 50 new jobs. We suspect the firm will add far more than that number, though. “For every job we post, we get 10 more applications in Tampa than we do in Ohio,” said Pete Ventura, company founder.
Interested in learning more about Tampa’s workforce and other business advantages? Contact Steve Morey, VP of Business Development, at smorey@tampabayedc.com or 813.518.2630.
