State's businesses to get free boost on state Web site

Nevada-based businesses are being offered free exposure on the Internet through the new "Made In Nevada" Web site.

Carson City manufacturer Model Die Casting, which produces the Roundhouse line of model railroad equipment, is one of the first companies to be featured on the site sponsored by the State of Nevada Commission on Economic Development.

Several more local firms will be on a searchable list of over 200 Nevada companies that will soon be featured on the site, said Made In Nevada coordinator Art Nadler.

And he is inviting any other company that is headquartered and licensed in Nevada and makes at least half of its products or services in the state to sign up for the free service.

Among the Carson City-area firms already accepted for the Made In Nevada program are:

- The Sausage Factory

- Bently Nevada

- Custom Stamping

- Duro Manufacturing

- Polyphaser

- Panchitas Inc. Killer Salsa

- Bohlender Graebner Corp.

- Cubix Corp.

The Web site is being produced and maintained by a Carson City developer, edurus.

"Because we're doing this electronically, there's no limit to how many companies can be featured," Nadler said. "We don't have a 'publishing deadline' and can add or update companies and products at any time."

The commission had a similar Made In Nevada program several years ago. The products and companies were featured in a glossy publication that was expensive and slow to print and distribute.

"By the time we got it printed, it was already out of date," Nadler said.

The new Web site gives each company a color photo and a text description of the company and its products. If the company has its own Web site or e-mail address, links to those will be placed on their Made In Nevada Web page, Nadler said.

An application form and requirements to qualify for participation can be found on the Made In Nevada Web site.

The Web site, http://www.madeinnv.com, can also be found by accessing the commission's Web site, http://www.expand2nevada.com, and clicking on the"companies" link.

Besides the Web page, Made In Nevada participants will be given a free display space at the fourth annual Economic Development Conference at the Reno Hilton Aug. 17-18.

Gathering information for the Made In Nevada program is part of the commission's overall plan for economic assistance for existing Nevada companies, according to Kay Scherer, marketing director for the commission.

"Our focus has to be not only on attracting companies to Nevada, but also on the expansion and success of our own businesses already in the state," Scherer said. "We have to grow our businesses and retain them. Of course, it all works in a circle because, when outside companies see us doing that for our in-state businesses, it makes them want to come here, too."

The Made In Nevada efforts will link with other commission projects such as a planned database of all merchandise suppliers in the state, she said.

"We'll have a searchable procurement database, so companies that have been ordering from suppliers in other states can find out whether they can get the same items from Nevada suppliers," she said.

Another planned resource is an electronic publication of all the business resources in the state, she said.

And having that information will enable the commission staffers to refer manufacturing companies to another program designed to help improve production, employee hiring and similar issues, Nadler said. That resource is the Manufacturer's Assistance Partnership, which is an outreach program of the University and Community College System of Nevada.

Contacts:

Made In Nevada coordinator Art Nadler (702) 486-2710

Made In Nevada Web site http://www.madeinnv.com

Commission on Economic Development marketing director Kay Scherer (775) 687-4325

Commission on Economic Development web site http://www.expand2nevada.com