FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: October 30, 2024

Pasco County Company Soule Co. Expands into 127,820 Square Foot Space at North Tampa Bay 75 Business Center

The Penny for Pasco-backed speculative building is now fully leased with two major tenants.

PASCO COUNTY, FLORIDA (October 30, 2024): Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC) is thrilled to congratulate The Soule Co. (Soule) on its second major expansion in less than four years. The woman-owned manufacturing company will occupy 127,820 square feet at North Tampa Bay 75 Business Center (North Tampa Bay 75), where they will hire 10 new employees, and invest $400,000 in new racking systems and facility buildout. The company now has three locations and employs 75 people throughout Pasco County, Florida, where they manufacture and package medical supplies. This facility will allow the company to expand its existing medical device manufacturing operations.

“Soule has continued to grow and thrive in Pasco County; they are a prime example of why Pasco EDC focuses on providing resources and opportunities to our existing industry,” shared Bill Cronin, President/CEO, Pasco EDC. “They are creating new jobs for our residents, and I am happy they continue to see all that our county has to offer them and there is no need to look anywhere else.”

Soule is a manufacturer and distributor of disposable and reusable patient positioning products.  Its positioners are designed and manufactured to reduce pressure management injuries such as pressure sores ulcers, tissue ischemia, and necrosis. Soule has a foam positioning product line that is innovative, flexible, and constantly growing. The company manufactures, packages, and distributes from its Pasco County locations. This allows them the unique ability and willingness to customize products to meet customer needs.

This expansion will help increase production and productivity to support the needs that are being driven by new and extended contracts with medical group purchasing organizations throughout North America. Soule has recently experienced unprecedented growth due to its dedication to quality and service the company provides to the medical industry with its patient positioning products.

“Our outstanding reputation for manufacturing these quality products within the medical industry has propelled this growth and continues to open new doors of opportunity,” shared Lindsey Osborne, President, The Soule Co. “We have greatly appreciated the continued support that Pasco EDC has provided to our company and employees through hiring opportunities and training. Our goal is to continue to grow in Pasco County and provide a great place for people to work within our community.”

“The Pasco County/ROOKER partnership took a surplus county property, paying no ad valorem taxes, and created a major employment and tax-generating business park,” said Pasco Board of County Commissioners Chairman Ron Oakley.  “ROOKER has been a reliable partner delivering on its obligations to Pasco County.”

In 2019, the Pasco Board of County Commissioners approved a $3.7 million Penny for Pasco forgivable loan to ROOKER to build North Tampa Bay 75, a Class-A industrial park, to meet the demands of Pasco’s rapidly growing industrial sectors. ROOKER closed on the purchase of the 85-acre property in December 2021, with the intention of redeveloping a surplus county-owned property. Building one is a 187,000 square foot facility designed to accommodate multiple tenants. It was completed in 2023 and is located within half a mile of the I-75 interchange at Overpass Road in Wesley Chapel. ROOKER will invest an additional $2 million in tenant improvements to modify the facility for the two tenants.

“The Soule Co. expanding into this new speculative space is a great example of why we support preserving certain areas for industrial growth. By having inventory available at this size, a local company was able to expand operations for the second time in four years and remain in Pasco County,” shared Seth Weightman, Pasco Board of County Commissioners, District 2.

The remaining 59,180 square feet of building one has been leased to a Fortune 1,000 company in the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) industry.

“The leasing success we have achieved at North Tampa Bay 75 Business Center is a testament to the vision and commitment of Pasco County’s leadership,” said John Rooker, CEO of ROOKER. “The County has made substantial investments in recent years in infrastructure, road improvements, and even a new I-75 interchange in this area. Those investments are now attracting high quality employers to locate and grow in the area.”

North Tampa Bay 75 can accommodate up to 850,000 square feet of Class-A industrial space in four buildings. Future buildings within the park can accommodate tenants ranging in size from 40,000 square feet up to 300,000 square feet. ROOKER expects to construct the next building in the park in 2025.

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About Pasco Economic Development Council
The Pasco Economic Development Council is committed to developing Florida’s most competitive climate for business growth by providing businesses that seek to start, move, or grow in the North Tampa Bay area, a comprehensive suite of programs that can help them to reach their full economic potential.  Since 1987, Pasco EDC has fostered a strong partnership funded by corporate and public investors focused on the economic vitality of Pasco County.  Discover more at www.pascoedc.com.

ROOKER is a full-service real estate development, design, and construction management firm specializing in the industrial, office, and government segments. Since its founding in 1968, the company has developed and constructed more than 55,000,000 square feet of Class-A industrial and office space. ROOKER’s industrial holdings include 1900 acres of land for future development in high-growth markets across the Southeastern United States.