Expanded Agenda, Committee on Commerce and Tourism, Florida Senate (February 4, 2025)
Summary
Expanded agenda for the Florida Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism, 2025 Regular Session, Senator Leek, Chair, Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 8:30-10:30 a.m. The agenda lists a brief overview of the committee's jurisdiction and a panel discussion on Florida manufacturing. A presentation by Florida Secretary of Commerce, J. Alex Kelly states manufacturing output (GDP) grew from $43.5 billion in 2014 to $73 billion in 2022. Another presentation by Kevin Carr is titled Expanding Capacity at Florida's Distribution Hub. A time-stamped meeting record follows, showing the meeting adjourned after Senator Arrington moved to adjourn.
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“Expanded Agenda, Committee on Commerce and Tourism, Florida Senate (February 4, 2025).”
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2025 Regular Session The Florida Senate
COMMITTEE MEETING EXPANDED AGENDA
COMMERCE AND TOURISM
Senator Leek, Chair
Senator Arrington, Vice Chair
MEETING DATE: Tuesday, February 4, 2025
TIME: 8:30—10:30 a.m.
PLACE: Toni Jennings Committee Room, 110 Senate Building
MEMBERS: Senator Leek, Chair; Senator Arrington, Vice Chair; Senators Davis, DiCeglie, Gruters, McClain,
Smith, Wright, and Yarborough
BILL DESCRIPTION and
TAB BILL NO. and INTRODUCER SENATE COMMITTEE ACTIONS COMMITTEE ACTION
1 Brief Overview of Committee's Jurisdiction
2 Panel Discussion on Florida Manufacturing
Other Related Meeting Documents
S-036 (10/2008)
01272025.1418 Page 1 of 1
Florida Manufacturing Presentation
for the Senate Committee on
Commerce and Tourism 2/4/25
Florida Secretary of Commerce, J. Alex Kelly
Florida is a Manufacturing State
❑Florida’s manufacturing output (GDP) has grown from $43.5 billion in 2014 to $73
billion in 2022, a 67.8% growth rate over 9 years. This rate of growth has
significantly outpaced all other leading manufacturing states.
❑Florida became the 10th largest state in the country for manufacturing
employment, reaching 422,800 in September 2023, passing both Georgia and
New York.
❑Florida is a leading state in manufacturing for aerospace and aviation, military
and defense, computer and electronics products, life sciences, marine industries,
and agricultural sciences.
Why Does Manufacturing Matter?
Highest Indirect Jobs Impact
❑According to the Economic Policy Institute:
❑For every 100 direct manufacturing jobs in the manufacture of durable goods,
another 744.1 indirect jobs are sustained; and
❑For nondurable goods manufacturing, 100 direct jobs sustain 514.3 indirect
jobs.
❑In other words, Florida’s 420,000+ manufacturing job produce more than 2.8
million indirect jobs.
Why Does Manufacturing Matter?
Higher Average Wages
❑Manufacturing jobs generally
pay higher wages than those in
other industries.
❑From 2022 through 2023, the
average annual wage of the
manufacturing industry cluster
increased more than the average
annual wage of all industries and
grew at a faster rate.
Why is Manufacturing in Florida
Accelerating and Attractive?
❑Florida has achieved a unique mix of workforce, infrastructure, financial
readiness, and leveraging its geography to make Florida one of the safest places
for business to have confidence in capital formation:
❑#1 in the nation ranking for Talent Development; #1 in the nation ranking for
Higher Education; #1 ranking for business formations; #1 ranking for
entrepreneurship; #16 in the world $1.6 Trillion economy; AAA credit rating;
business friendly tax climate and minimal regulations; 14 deepwater seaports;
21 commercial service airports and a total of 125 public use airports; 3
spaceports; 20 major military installations; record setting investments in
transportation infrastructure and environmental resiliency; and connective
role between markets in the U.S. (especially the southeast), Europe, and
Central and South America.
Manufacturing Growth in Florida
❑From 2014-2022, Florida
had the highest growth in
manufacturing
employment among large
states.
❑Florida is up 6,495
manufacturing
establishments since 2019,
growing by approximately
30%.
Manufacturing Employment in Florida
❑Manufacturing employment in Florida Manufacturing Workers by Age - 2023
Florida has grown by 23.3% since
2014, significantly higher than
other leading states.
❑The average manufacturing jobs
per establishment has declined
from 18.5 in 2019 to 15.7 in
2024, with advancements like
automation, robotics and AI.
❑Manufacturing workers are older
than most industries, meaning
retirements disproportionately
impact manufacturing.
Manufacturing Drives Export Trade
❑In 2022, U.S.
manufactured goods
exports totaled nearly 77%
of all U.S. merchandise
exports.
❑For Florida, manufactured
goods exports totaled
more than $62.3 billion,
just over 92% of Florida’s
total merchandise exports.
Manufacturing Industries are Increasingly
STEM Industries
❑Florida’s investments in STEM education,
workforce education, and R&D in K-12, the
48 technical colleges, 28 state colleges,
many of the 12 state universities, and even
private institutions have positioned the
state’s reputation as a leader in tech
industries.
❑Continuing to identify, leverage, surge,
and stack funding in partnership
opportunities will provide resources to
sustain technology growth, adoption, and
use, strengthening manufacturing.
Florida’s Policy Framework Creates a
Resilient Foundation for Manufacturing
❑Governor Ron DeSantis
and the Florida Legislature
have set clear goals to
ensure that Florida
students at all levels are
workforce ready.
❑Florida’s focus on high-
demand/high-wage skills,
computer science
education, apprenticeship
and on-the-job training,
and entrepreneurship are
working.
Aviation and Aerospace Manufacturing
Florida is a global leader in aviation and aerospace manufacturing, with over 17,000 aerospace-related
companies, employing over 120,000 workers, and generating over $19 billion in annual revenue.
17K >120K >$19B
AEROSPACE RELATED COMPANIES WORKERS EMPLOYED ANNUAL REVENUE
Defense Manufacturing
Defense Manufacturing: Florida is home to over 30,000 federal contractors, and over 25,000
manufacturers, many of which support defense.
>30K 3RD 914,000
FEDERAL CONTRACTORS NATIONWIDE EMPLOYMENT JOBS IN FLORIDA
Computer and Electronics Product Manufacturing
Semiconductor and related microelectronics product manufacturing as well as broader electronics and
communications equipment manufacturing.
5th >$3.7B
NATIONWIDE EMPLOYMENT GDP GENERATED IN 2021
Medical Devices, Equipment, and Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing
Florida ranks second in the nation for medical device manufacturing, with strong production in medical
device subcategories, such as $2 billion ( 27% of the national total) for contact lens manufacturing.
2nd 27%
IN THE NATION NATIONAL CONTACT LENS MANUFACTURING
Boat and Ship Building Manufacturing
Florida is the top state for boat building and shipbuilding manufacturing, with over 19% of the
establishments in the U.S. boat building sector located in Florida.
>19%
OF ALL ESTABLISHMENTS IN FLORIDA
Manufacturing
Resources
❑Look for the “Stakeholder Toolkit:
Economic and Workforce Development
Resources” links on the home pages at:
❑floridajobs.org
❑selectflorida.org
❑Visit floridajobs.org home page and
click on the 2023 Florida
Manufacturing Report button.
Thank you!
alex.kelly@commerce.fl.gov
floridajobs.org
selectflorida.org
zxcv
KEY FACTORS TO
IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES
Greater use and development of advanced technologies.
WORKFORCE EDUCATION
Increase the skills of the incumbent workforce. and the talent
pipeline.
GROWING & ATTRACTING BUSINESS
Increase number and share of high value, high trade
industries.
SUPPLY CHAINS
Increase the value contribution of our supply system to high
value, high trade sectors, both domestically and
internationally.
Senate Commerce Committee – Kevin Carr – February 4, 2025
Expanding Capacity
at Florida’s Distribution Hub
JANUARY 2025
Energy Fertilizer Building Materials Cruise Containers Refrigerated Automobiles
Florida’s largest and most diversified port
• 35 million tons of cargo a year, 5000 acres • Major cruise homeport
• Diverse mix of bulk, break-bulk & containers • Expanding container gateway for distribution centers &
manufacturers
• Huge and expanding local market
• Diverse lines of business = solid financial performance:
• Energy products gateway for Central Florida Fitch ‘A’ Rating & Positive Outlook
• Major fertilizer export port • $34.6 B of economic impact supporting 192,201 jobs
• Hub for shipbuilding & repair center
Terminal Operating Efficiencies: • Terminal expansion :
• High vessel productivity • 3 STS gantry cranes recently added for total of 5, plans to acquire 2 more
• New gate system 6-lanes inbound 3 outbound with
• Fast turnaround times optical character recognition & weigh in motion scale
• Truck drivers do 3-4 round trip deliveries/day • Expansion of paved storage to 100 acres
NO CONGESTION (40 hectares) to be completed 2024
NO WAITING • Berth extension to 4,500 feet (1400 meters) to be completed 2026
• On-dock rail-served trans-load warehouse facility planned for 2026
• Future deep draft project underway increasing from current 43 to 47- foot depth (13.1 to 14.3
PTB Container TEUs up 28% for first 6 months of FY 2024 meters)
• On-dock intermodal capability
– 17,000 feet (5200M) of adjacent rail track
FLORIDA IS THE FASTEST GROWING STATE IN THE US AND THE
I-4 CORRIDOR IS THE FASTEST GROWING REGION OF FLORIDA
• Florida population: 23 million
• Forecasted to reach 28M by 2030 and 32M by 2040
• Three Tampa Bay counties are among the fastest growing
in the country: Polk, Hillsborough and Pasco
• According to the US Census Florida ranks #1 in the
country for total net migration with 444,484 people moving
here from 2021 – 2022
• Surpassed NY as the 3rd largest state
• 15th largest economy in the world
• Over 1,200 people a day moving to Florida
• Tourism: 140 million annual visitors
Tampa Bay/Orlando I-4 Corridor
• Largest concentration of distribution
centers in Florida
• Over 550 million square feet of DC
space
Executive Shippers Council – Local Tampa Market
Tampa Juice Service, Inc.
New Distribution Centers in the region:
City Furniture – 1.2M SF Plant City
Dollar Tree – 1.5 M SF Ocala
Target – 1.4M SF Pasco County
Lowes – 1.2 M SF Plant City
Ace Hardware – 710K SF Lakeland
Sysco Foods – 500k SF Plant City
Home Depot – 400K SF building materials DC in Gibsonton
Plus: Recent additional expansion by Rooms to Go, iGas,
Dollar General, Publix, Haverty’s, Samsung, Fanatics,
Refresco, El Dorado, and others
RENDERING OF CONTAINER TERMINAL BUILDOUT
& ON-DOCK TRANS-LOAD WAREHOUSE
Supply Chain Strategy:
Cost Savings Using Northbound Backhaul Capacity
Savings: Proximity to I-4 Corridor – Florida’s
Distribution Hub – means multiple round-trip
deliveries/per day versus east coast port routings.
Savings of $1500/container by routing via Tampa
versus via east coast ports
579 miles Northbound trucking advantages: 80% of domestic
trucks leave Florida empty. Northbound trucking
rates 40-50% less than southbound = opportunity
for major cost savings efficiencies and
environmental impact
457 miles
Also, supports sustainability environmental
initiatives by reducing CO2 emissions, with the
reduction of millions of empty truck miles off the
highways.
Match-back opportunity: Deliver imports to South
Florida from Tampa and return with export loads.
500 miles
Port Tampa Bay Intermodal Rail
On-Dock
• On-dock unit train capacity
17,000 linear feet of track
• Less than 200 yards from Ports • CSX Greenway: Direct reefer rail TOFC service from Tampa to Northeast
America container terminal express 4-day transit
• Ready to activate • Daily departures from CSX Tampa Terminal to NY, NJ, PA, MD, CT (via North
Bergen, NJ)
Near Dock • Cargo trans-loaded on-dock from ocean containers to CSX dedicated fleet of
• CSX Tampa Terminal 53 foot refrigerated trailers
• 5 miles (13 minutes drive) from
Port Tampa Bay • JB Hunt also offering 53 foot dry and refrigerated TOFC service from Tampa
• Multiple daily departures & Winter Haven, FL to/from destinations across the U.S.
throughout CSX Network
Refrigerated
On-dock Cold Storage
135,000 SF state of the art facility:
• On site CBP Ag inspection and fumigation services
• 250 reefer plugs
• Food grade glycol refrigerant throughout
• Cross dock container yard connectivity w/ truck capacity
• Adjacent berth with dedicated mobile harbor crane
• Uninterrupted cold chain solution
• Non-union operation
• 2 Gottwald Mobile harbor cranes
• Dole weekly service from Honduras and Guatemala
• Seatrade from Costa Rica
• Linea Peninsular from Progreso, Mexico
Expanding Global Container Service
Connections
Foreign Trade Zone #79
• Offers cost savings on customs duties, taxes
and merchandise processing fees to firms Brian Giuliani
involved with qualified importing, exporting, Chief Operating Officer
manufacturing and distribution activities Port Tampa Bay
bgiuliani@tampaport.com
• Program managed by Port Tampa Bay 813-241-1805
• Participation across our multiple lines of
business
• Containers
• Breakbulk
• Bulk
• Shipbuilding & Repair
The Florida Senate
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The Florida Senate
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THE FLORIDA SENATE COMMITTEES:
Fiscal Policy, Chalr
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1 100 Finance and Fax, Vice Chair
Appropriations Committee on Health and
Human Services
Commerce and Tourism
Criminal Justice
Regulated lndustries
Rules
JOINT GOMMITTEES:
Joint Committee on Public Counsel Oversight
Joint Legislative Budget Commission
SENATOR JOE GRUTERS
22nd District
January 3I,2025
Chair Tom Leek
510 Knott Building
404 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1 1 00
Chair Leek,
I would like to request an excused absence from the Commerce and Tourism Committee meeting
scheduled on Tuesday, February 4th due to a prior engagement.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Regards,
t
Joe Gruters
REPLY TO:
O 381 lnterstate Boulevard, Sarasota, Flotida34240 (941) 378-6309
D4l3SenateBuilding,404SouthMonroeStreet,Tallahassee,Florida32399-1100 (850)487-5022
Senate's Website: www. flsen ate.gov
BEN ALBRITTON JASON BRODEUR
President of the Senate President Pro Tempore
CourtSmart Tag Report
Room: SB 110 Case No.: Type:
Caption: Senate Commerce Committee Judge:
Started: 2/4/2025 8:30:08 AM
Ends: 2/4/2025 10:15:02 AM Length: 01:44:55
8:30:07 AM Chair Leek calls the meeting to order
8:30:18 AM Roll call
8:30:26 AM Quorum announced
8:30:51 AM Chair Leek with opening comments
8:31:06 AM Introduction of Members
8:32:42 AM Introduction of Staff
8:33:03 AM Tab 1, Brief Overview of Committee's Jursdiction by Staff Director, Todd McKay
8:34:36 AM Chair Leek with comments
8:35:12 AM Tab 2, Panel Discussion on Florida Manufacturing
8:36:02 AM Presentation by Mr. J. Alex Kelly, Secretary of Commerce
8:54:19 AM Chair Leek with comments
8:55:17 AM Question
8:55:21 AM Senator Davis
8:55:31 AM Mr. Kelly
8:57:08 AM Comment
8:58:02 AM Senator Wright
8:59:08 AM Question
9:00:04 AM Senator Arrington
9:00:26 AM Mr. Kelly
9:02:57 AM Chair Leek
9:03:03 AM Mr. Kelly
9:04:37 AM Chair Leek
9:05:38 AM Mr. Kelly
9:06:41 AM Chair Leek
9:06:46 AM Mr. Kelly
9:07:04 AM Chair Leek
9:07:07 AM Mr. Kelly
9:09:41 AM Chair Leek with comments
9:09:51 AM Presentation by Mr. Kevin Carr
9:21:14 AM Chair Leek with comments
9:22:29 AM Comment
9:22:41 AM Senator Wright
9:25:27 AM Mr. Carr
9:27:03 AM Chair Leek with comments
9:27:22 AM Presentation by Mr. Bayne Beecher
9:36:45 AM Chair Leek with comments
9:37:48 AM Question
9:37:52 AM Senator Davis
9:38:00 AM Mr. Beecher
9:40:29 AM Chair Leek with comments
9:40:35 AM Presentation by Mr. Andrew Kossowsui
9:49:42 AM Chair Leek with comments
9:49:58 AM Comment
9:50:00 AM Senator DiCeglie
9:51:18 AM Mr. Kossowsui
9:51:48 AM Chair Leek with comments
9:52:55 AM Presentation by Mr. Brian Giuliani, Chief Operating Officer with Tampa Bay
10:05:57 AM Chair Leek with Comments
10:06:06 AM Question
10:06:10 AM Senator Wright
10:06:15 AM Mr. Giuliani
10:06:34 AM Chair Leek with comments
10:08:42 AM Comments
10:08:44 AM Senator Wright
10:10:21 AM Senator Yarborough
10:12:29 AM Senator Arrington
10:13:01 AM Senator Smith
10:14:35 AM Chair Leek with comments
10:14:41 AM Senator Arrington moves to adjourn
10:14:48 AM Meeting adjourned
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