- April 18, 2024
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Gioia Sails Southern Division is relocating its Florida operation to Flagler County, bringing 30 employees to the area and hiring eight to 10 more within the next year, officials announced Wednesday.
The relocation was announced at a meeting of the Economic Opportunity Advisory Council. Gioia Sails, which is headquartered in Lakewood, N.J., purchased a facility at 5 Hargrove Grade in Palm Coast. Gioia Sails manufactures canvas sailing products and works closely with another Flagler County employer, Sea Ray Boats.
Gioia Sails will be renovating its new facility, a process that is already in the works, said Helga van Eckert, director of Flagler County’s Economic Opportunity Department. The company will get its permits from the city of Palm Coast today and expects its doors to be open in four weeks, van Eckert said.
“This is one of the initiatives that our office has been working diligently to develop," said Barbara Revels, Flagler County commissioner, in a statement. "(This uses) the clustering technique, whereby new businesses relocate to the area to support existing businesses and vice versa. Additionally, the expansion of Sea Ray is good news for our newest manufacturer.”
Gioia Sails South LLC provides boat and yacht canvas, interior, furniture and enclosures for manufacturers as well as owners of any type of marine vessels. Gioia Sails has decades of experience manufacturing marine components for yacht makers like SeaRay, Regal, and The Luhrs Marine Group. The plan for the Flagler County facility includes expanding its operation to produce awnings and provide re-upholstering services.
“We are happy to be locating in Flagler County,” Don Gioia said. “We had a very productive interaction with the County Department of Economic Opportunity, the Bunnell Economic Development and the City of Palm Coast Building Department."
Van Eckert said the company is a perfect match for Flagler County. Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts also expressed enthusiasm for the change.
The announcement marks the fourth manufacturing firm to come to Flagler County since it created its Economic Opportunity Department last year. Designs for Health, the first of those, is a health supplement company that now has 17 employees.
WP Rawl, a vegetable growing, shipping and processing company, is currently constructing a 34,000 suqare foot facility in west Flagler County. Coastal Cloud LLC., an internet technology company opened its doors in February.
“We are proud of the progress we have been able to make in economic development in Flagler County in the past year,” County Administrator Craig Coffey said. “Flagler County is being recognized as open for business and that will help hold down the tax rate for our residents.”
