TAMPA, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott attended the groundbreaking of NewSouth Window Solutions’ new manufacturing and distribution facility in Tampa. The new 238,000 square-foot facility will allow the company to add 65 new jobs in Florida and is the first of four projects in Marcobay Construction’s Crossroads Commerce Center.

Governor Scott said, “I’m proud to join NewSouth Window Solutions for this exciting groundbreaking today. It’s great to see that our commitment to economic development, cutting taxes and reducing burdensome regulations are helping small businesses create job opportunities for families. We have worked hard to make Florida the most business-friendly state in the nation and will continue to fight every day to grow our economy.”

NewSouth Window Solutions is a leading provider of factory-direct home windows in Central Florida. In 2010, CEO Dan Ochstein and President Earl Rahn opened the company’s first location in Tampa. NewSouth Window currently employs 165 Floridians throughout locations in Tampa, Orlando, Sarasota, and West Palm Beach, and plans to expand to Ft. Lauderdale later this year.

Dan Ochstein, CEO of NewSouth Window Solutions, said, “NewSouth Window is proud to call Florida home. I’d like to thank Governor Scott for his work to help businesses like mine grow and succeed in the state. In just six years, we’ve gone from zero to 40 million and we look forward to expanding and creating even more job opportunities for Floridians.”

This facility is part of Design-Builder Marcobay Construction’s new 73-acre Crossroads Commerce Center in Tampa. Founded in 1974, Marcobay Construction Inc. has grown from a small general contractor in Lakeland, FL to a leader in warehouse/distribution construction in the Southeast.  Within the past two years, the company has constructed more than 5,000,000 square feet of distribution and industrial space in Florida.

Howard Bayless, President of Marcobay Construction, said, "It’s great to be part of this groundbreaking today and celebrate our growth in Florida. We would like to thank Governor Scott for his focus on growing Florida’s economy and Hillsborough County for their help and business-friendly approach to expedite the process. Without their cooperation, this project would not have been such a success."

Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “Over the past six years, we’ve made strategic investments to bring new companies to our state and grow existing Florida businesses like NewSouth Window Solutions. Our investments are working to grow Florida’s economy by expanding small businesses like NewSouth, which plans to bring 65 new jobs to the Tampa area.”

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said, “It’s great to have a company like NewSouth Window Solutions based here in Tampa. I’m excited to see the continued success of NewSouth Window Solutions and Marcobay Construction as they grow in the community. I look forward to continuing to work with Governor Scott so we can bring even more jobs to the area.”

Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandra Murman said, “We are proud to be celebrating the expansion of New South Windows, which is a testament to our strong manufacturing sector and workforce in Hillsborough County. Their commitment to our community is highly valued and will continue to be supported by our pro-business environment.”

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