Auburn, NY – – Talic, Inc., a manufacturer of storage and display systems for kayaks, canoes and rowing shells, celebrated the move of its operations to Auburn with a ribbon-cutting ceremony today, at their headquarters on 7 Bellnier Lane. Owners Tim and Jeanne Tucker were joined in the celebration by Auburn Mayor Michael Quill, Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce President Andrew Fish, Robert Sweet of the Grow America Fundand other well-wishers.
Talic, Inc. (http://www.talic.com/) was founded by Tim Tucker in Rochester, New York in 2000. A native of Seneca Falls, Tucker was working as a graphic artist in Rochester when he realized that a storage system he devised for his own kayaks would be of interest to other paddlers. He began to market the product directly, and in two years, he began selling through retailers, as well. Today, Talic products – Tucker holds four patents and offers several types of racks for canoes, kayaks and rowing shells – are handled by nearly 200 retailers, and sold worldwide.
The steel structure provides Talic’s operations with 21,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehousing space, and additional land on which to expand, a considerable increase from the 12,000 square feet in its previous location, allowing the company to vastly improve productivity and to accommodate growth for the foreseeable future.
The company moved to Auburn with two employees – husband and wife Tim and Jeanne Tucker – and added a part-time person last week. The company would like to hire two more people before year’s end, once production stabilizes and increased orders merit the hiring.
“The City of Auburn is pleased to welcome Talic to its new location on Bellnier Lane,” remarked City of Auburn Mayor Michael D. Quill. “All of us in the City, from the Planning Board, to the Empire Zone Board, to the Engineering and DPW Staff, have enjoyed working with this company since 2008. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Talic and are committed to their success and growth.”
Before moving to Auburn, Talic operated from rented quarters in Rochester, New York for nearly ten years, a cramped and inefficient space that made it impossible to undertake more than one operation at a time. After an extended search for a larger facility that he could own. Tucker decided to move his business to Auburn, following his own residential move eighteen months ago. He approached city officials for assistance, and officials informed him of the Grow Auburn Fund, which provides low-interest, long-term loans to qualifying small businesses in the city.
The Grow Auburn Fund is administered by the City of Auburn and the Grow America Fund (GAF), the small business lending arm of the National Development Council (NDC). The City of Auburn as a “client community” of NDC, receives development assistance from NDC staff assigned to work with the City’s staff on job creation, community investment, affordable housing, small business development, or neighborhood commercial revitalization.
The Talic relocation and expansion project is the latest in a number of successful joint funding ventures between the City of Auburn’s Grow Auburn Fund and the National Development Council’s’ Grow America Fund. To date, the Grow Auburn Fund has extended loans totaling $3,306,400 to nine businesses, for projects totaling $4,903,307. The investment has resulted in 143 jobs retained and 41 jobs created.
“Talic’s decision to move its manufacturing operation to Auburn was particularly satisfying because it was due in part to an aggressive outreach effort by the City of Auburn’s Department of Planning and Economic Development,” noted Robert Sweet, NDC field director and GAF loan officer.
“The City of Auburn considers the Grow Auburn Fund an extremely valuable and necessary tool that complements our other business resources,” said Jennifer Haines, City of Auburn Economic Development Director. “We appreciate the talent and expertise of the GAF staff, who provide technical assistance not only related to lending, but on other aspects that are key to the success of our companies.”
Talic sells to customers directly through its website (http://www.talic.com/) and through retail stores. “We have sold to customers in Australia, Canada, Egypt, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal and Sweden,” noted Talic president and founder Tim Tucker. “By selling across the US and abroad, Talic is bringing outside money intothis community. Our business doesn’t depend on local sales to make it all work, but we welcome it!”
Talic’s latest product line is called the “Finger Lakes Series,” and its racks carry product names such as theCayuga, the Owasco, and the Seneca.
“The Chamber is excited to welcome Talic to our community, noted Andrew Fish, President, Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce, adding: “This is a great example of the entrepreneurial spirit at work. Tim has taken his creativity and developed an idea into a fantastic product that meets a consumer need. What a tremendous fit for our community and the outstanding outdoor activities that we have in Cayuga County. Talic is an exciting business and we want to welcome Tim and Jeanne Tucker to our community and provide them with all the support we can to ensure their success.”
To learn more about the Grow Auburn Fund, contact Jenny Haines at JHaines@ci.auburn.ny.us , or call 315-255-4115.
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