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Learn How the State Can Become Your Customer

A Cleveland Success Story: American Sugar Refining Inc.

Help is Available from a New SBA Program

Is the State Your Customer?

The State of Ohio is encouraging businesses around the state to view them as a potential customer. Through the Encouraging Diversity Growth and Equity (EDGE) and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) programs, the State is improving access to the purchasing process for goods and services. The benefits of certification are:

• Contract assistance which includes the State purchasing vendor list
• Financial and bonding assistance
• Management and technical assistance
• Protégé opportunities with industry mentors

To apply for certification visit the State of Ohio website and for more information call 614.466.8380.

EDGE-eligible businesses must be socially and economically disadvantaged business owned and controlled by U.S. citizens who are Ohio residents. MBE eligible businesses must be for profit, in business for at least a year, owned by an Ohio resident and U.S. citizen, and at least 51% owned and ultimately controlled by one or more of the person(s) belonging to the following groups: African American, American Indian, Hispanic, and Orientals for one year prior to applying for certification.

A Cleveland Company Has Found the Sweet Spot

American Sugar Refining Inc. (ASR), located at 2075 East 65th Street in Cleveland, is a company preparing for expansion. Despite declining growth in other markets and steady reports of companies laying off workers or worse, ASR is looking to expand its Cleveland facility and hire new employees to staff it.

ASR is a leading producer of refined sugar in the United States and owns the Domino^® sugar brand, a nationally recognized brand since the early 1900s.

The ASR Cleveland Plant was established as a bulk sugar facility servicing the dairy and ice cream industries. To minimize the impact costs of shipping sugar from refineries on the coasts and leverage its flexibility, the plant began to focus on specialty and retail products in the late 80s. Numerous projects have been completed to support this approach including the connection of a rail spur to Norfolk Southern's main line, and later, the installation of a bulk railcar receiving station.

In 2007 the plant significantly changed its focus and became an integral part of the company's expansion in the food service market. To accomplish this, packet and stick machines were installed.

Employing the concept of vertical integration, two printing presses were also installed. This allows the plant to reduce packaging inventory and increase speed to market. More importantly, customer specific packaging can now be manufactured in-house in a make-to-order fashion for small and large customers. The company is also contemplating the addition of a canister packaging line on the Cleveland production floor. This would add sugar and non-dairy creamer canisters to the plant's portfolio of food service products. Additional space will soon be needed as the plant and the company at large continues to grow. In these trying times, one might say that the Cleveland plant and its employees are in a sweet position.

SBA's New Program Helps Small Businesses

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has created a new 100% guaranteed loan program, America's Recovery Capital (ARC), to help small businesses that are suffering hardship as a result of the slow economy. The loan provides temporary assistance for businesses to make principle and interest payments on qualifying debt. ARC is a no-interest loan, has no SBA fees associated with it, and can be used on small business debt including mortgages, term and revolving lines of credit, capital leases, credit card obligations, and notes payable to vendors, suppliers, and utilities. Repayment is deferred for 12 months and after this period the borrowers pay back the loan principal over a period of five years.

For more information on ARC loans, visit the SBA website.

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