Pa. Central Region Reports Benefits From PENNTAP e-Business Assistance
February 20, 2003
University Park, Pa. – Clients of the new e-Business Technical Assistance Program (e-TAP), offered by Penn State’s Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PENNTAP), reported $6 million in economic benefits, 23 jobs created and 17 jobs saved in the Central Pennsylvania region during the program’s first year of operation.
Carlos Colon is the technical specialist serving the Central Region, which includes Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Juniata, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties.
Colon says, “The $6 million in economic benefits included cost savings, sales, and capital investments achieved through e-TAP assistance.”
He provides free technical assistance to small and medium-sized firms in the Central Pennsylvania region to help them improve their competitiveness and grow through accelerated use of internet-based technologies and enhanced e-business opportunities.
Among the companies Colon has assisted are John Savoy and Son in Lycoming County; US Ultrasound, Inc., Mifflin County; Alliance Placement and Staffing, Inc. Union County; Vicksburg Auto Sales, Union County; and Buttonwood Campground, Juniata County.
Colon helped John Savoy and Son resolve a software issue affecting their core business operations. Company controller Michael E. Wall, says, “As a result of PENNTAP’s e-TAP services, we avoided what could have been a potential disaster that would have interrupted production and shipments to customers which could have cost the company a million plus dollars.”
Colon helped US Ultrasound, Alliance Placement and Staffing, Vicksburg Auto Sales and Buttonwood Campground develop or improve their websites. Dave McNitt, vice president for manufacturing engineering at US Ultrasound, says, “We are now getting multiple inquiries a week. We are receiving inquiries from China, Japan, Turkey, Italy and many others inquire as a direct result of the effective website.”
Dennis McFarland, co-owner of Buttonwood Campground, says, “Improvement to the website have increased our business by about 50 percent and the website hits improved by 70 percent.”
E-TAP, a partnership with Team PA, receives support from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority to help small businesses with their internet, website, and information technology needs.
Colon’s office is located at 201 Furnace Road, Lewisburg, PA 17837. He can be reached via e-mail at ccolon@psu.edu and by phone at 570-847-3457.
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