2012 Retail Trends

This is a short and sweet report on retail trends here and in Europe. You'll find some of the wording awkward, as I believe it was translated from Dutch to English; but the information is good, especially the projections that appear to be right on target with what retailers are experiencing now. Don't think "back to normal" -- think ahead to where the retail world is heading -- and don't blame China or the government .... blame it on the big changes of this decade including Internet shopping by the young, retirement of the Baby Boomers, and a variety of things that have more to do with who we are now, than who did or is doing what. In the midst of all else that has gone on in business and banking, some clear signs have been missed .... but it's not too late to change and get your store on the right track to appeal to the new shopping public.

http://blog.retail-is-detail.org/2011/11/2012-retail-consumer-trends.html

Hundreds of Companies Vying for Contracts on Continental Project

More than 300 businesses were represented last week at Central Carolina Technical College Health Sciences Center for the "A Place at the Table for S.C. Small Business" - Government Contracting Workshop. They were all there to learn how to become contractors on the Continental Tire of the Americas construction project getting ready to begin in Sumter, SC at an estimated cost of $500 million.


Walbridge Southeast is the contractor for the Continental project which is expected to open in January 2014, and eventually employ 1600 people. Steve Helms, Walbridge's General Manager, said his company will begin to award the first subcontracts within the next few days, and hopefully will have the majority of the rest of the project awarded in a few months. Potential subcontractors are advised to pre-qualify their companies on Walbridge's website at: http://www.walbridge.com/#!subcontractors/pre-qualification to aid them in the bidding process.

It is expected that a minimum of 20 - 50% of all contracts will be awarded to South Carolina companies, and that competition for the contracts will be stiff. Scott King, civil engineer for Continental, stated that things would be happening very quickly in the weeks ahead. Interested sub-contracting companies should waste no time in making their interest in this project known.