Corporate Report: February 15

Tampa oil, gas company buys Quality Lease, Rental Service
Tampa-based upstream oil and gas services holding company, Rocaceia, has acquired Quality Lease and Rental Service Holdings LLC. The Quality companies offer a wide range of oil and gas field services including rig housing and related support.

“We are excited to become a part of Rocaceia,” Quality President and founder Mike Mobley says in a press release. “With the additional capital and management support they bring to our company, we will be better able to meet the needs of our growing customers.”
Kendrick Pierce & Co. and Skyway Capital Partners served as financial adviser and placement agent for Rocaceia.

Rocaceia has operations in Florida, Texas and Louisiana. Its principal investors are Atlantic Merchant Capital Investors, Main Street Capital and Gulf Standard Energy.

PGT sells N.C. facility, consolidates operations in Venice
Venice-based impact-resistant window and door manufacturing company PGT Inc. has sold its Salisbury, N.C., manufacturing facility to an affiliate of Gildan Activewear Inc. for $8 million in cash. The sale is expected to net $7.5 million for the firm after sales costs.

The company is relocating its North Carolina operations to its Venice facilities from the 390,000-square-foot building.

“As previously announced, we listed this facility for sale in connection with the consolidation of our manufacturing operations into our Florida facilities,” Rod Hershberger, president and CEO of PGT, says in a press release. “This sale further improves our financial strength and aligns with our strategy of focusing on our core impact-resistant markets within the state of Florida and nearby coastal regions.”

Founded in 1980, PGT employs 1,000 at its manufacturing, glass laminating and tempering plants in Florida.

C2 Communications owner chairing local PR society
Cyndee Woolley, owner of Naples-based C2 Communications, was elected to chair the Sunshine District of the Public Relations Society of America. The district represents seven chapters and more than 1,500 members of the nationwide public relations association. She will also serve as secretary of the PRSA National District Council.

Naples' U.S. Antique Shows buys National Antiques Show & Sale
U.S. Antique Shows, a Naples-based division of GLM, has acquired the Miami National Antiques Show & Sale from Dolphin Promotions.

The Miami National Antiques Show features 150 exhibitors annually. Now in its 36th year, it is one of the longest-running antique shows in South Florida, an international antiques marketplace during the winter season. The next show will be held Jan. 24-26, 2014, at the Miami Airport Convention Center.

The acquisition creates a strategic tie between the Miami National show and U.S. Antique Shows' Original Miami Beach Antique Show.

Dais Analytic Corp. awarded grant by federal government
Tampa-based Dais Analytic Corp. has secured a second grant from the federal government for $800,000 to help it market a high-efficiency dehumidification system for HVAC and refrigeration uses.

The Defense for Operational Energy Plans & Programs and the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Program provided the funding.

The combined Navy and Department of Energy team is focused on funding heating and cooling technologies to achieve 20% to 50% less fuel usage than current systems. The program is focused on bringing the energy gains to government departments, but they might be brought to market for consumers as well.

“Our approach is radically different from today's dehumidification,” Brian Johnson, director of development at Dais, says in a press release. “Instead of using environmentally sensitive refrigerants, our unique nanotechnology plastic allows us to manipulate the water molecules directly to change the humidity and/or temperature of the air. This simple approach lowers energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions while providing what we believe is a far superior level of comfort.”

Targeted in this grant is Dais's ongoing development of an energy-efficient, compact dehumidification system that uses a nano-composite membrane developed by Dais to allow moisture — but not air — to pass through it. This process is engineered to efficiently remove water vapor from the humid air, and is projected to enable high-volume, low-cost mass production of the dehumidification system.

Dehumidified air can be cooled using far less fuel with systems, such as Dais's innovative NanoAir membrane-based chiller component.

Dade City commission funds new Pasco business incubator
Dade City Commissioners approved $50,000 to launch Pasco County's first business incubator. The incubator will be located in the Dade City Business Center and will be managed by a team led by the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.

Saint Leo University has offered to partner with Pasco EDC and the new business incubator to provide technical assistance to startups.

“The incubator completes a long-term objective for the school of business to deepen our support to the local business community and provide opportunities for our students and faculty to engage in creating new businesses,” Michael Nastanski, dean of the Donald R. Tapia School of Business at Saint Leo University, says in a press release.

C1 Bank becomes Heat corporate partner
St. Petersburg-based C1 Bank has entered into a partnership with the NBA's Miami Heat. As part of the partnership, C1 Bank will be the Presenting Sponsor of the Miami Heat Home Strong program, the team's on-going initiative to honor members of the military during every Heat home game. C1 will also be an Official Supporting Sponsor of the Heat Academy; a community program that provides economically disadvantaged students with after-school tutoring and academic programs.