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ITARTransforming Florida's Semiconductor Sector
Florida's Growing Tech Ecosystem
Introduction
The great wealth migration to Florida is producing more than rich retirees sipping margaritas in tiki bars on sun-splashed beaches. It’s fueling a high-tech investment surge that’s transforming America’s largest peninsula into Silicon South.
Growth of Global ETS
Dan Tang knows this trend well because he’s part of it. A former longtime Connecticut resident, Tang decided in 2012 that
it was time to venture out on his own and launch an upstart electronic component testing business in the small town of Odessa in Pasco County,
about 45 minutes north of Tampa.
A dozen years later, Global ETS is cutting the ribbon on its new headquarters in Pasco,
hiring more workers and celebrating a successful run that has seen the firm expand its facility footprint both domestically and globally.
Community Support
Tang says it would not have been possible without the business-friendly environment, technically skilled workforce and generous community support
he has found in Florida. In a recent interview with Site Selection, Tang detailed the reasons for his company’s success in west-central Florida and explained why
he thinks the Sunshine State is poised to attract many more high-tech business leaders like him.
“When I first came to Florida, the opportunity was there for me to run a small facility,” Tang says. “That was a big change for me. One meeting with an investor changed everything. We decided to start our own venture with a $250,000 investment. We did that in 2012. We rented a small space in Pasco County. We then grew the business each year.”
Tang bought a piece of land in Pasco in 2016 and built a 12,000-sq.-ft. facility. Global ETS has been growing ever since, particularly as a supplier to aviation and aerospace companies. “We now have around 90,000 square feet total worldwide,” he says. “We have 32,000 square feet in three buildings in Pasco.”
On March 12, the Pasco Economic Development Council awarded Global ETS (GETS) a $160,000 job creation bonus. “GETS CEO Dan Tang has always had an eye for when to scale and what approaches to take as it relates to building his business,” said Bill Cronin, president and CEO of the Pasco EDC. “In addition to the rapid growth the company is experiencing in Pasco County, GETS has opened locations in Ontario, California, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and Taiwan since 2022. This is a company that isn’t going to slow down any time soon, and we’re excited to show our support any way we can.”
GETS acquired three new facilities in Pasco over the past 18 months to grow the company’s global microchip testing operation. GETS has invested over $5 million in these new plants and hired more than 100 new employees at an average annual wage of more than $95,000. Since 2020, GETS has acquired more than 450 new customers worldwide while increasing its aerospace and defense market from 10% to 60%.
“Pasco EDC has been instrumental to the success of Global ETS, offering invaluable guidance and customized incentives that have reinforced our decision to establish our headquarters in Pasco County,” said Tang. “As a business owner, feeling supported by the community is crucial, and thanks to Pasco EDC, we’re not just a business here; we’re part of a thriving community committed to mutual growth.”
Florida's Growing Tech Ecosystem
Pasco has been growing along with the company. Pasco County’s population grew by 9% from 2020 to 2023. Today, it has 656,851 people. It is also part of a rapidly growing metro area. The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater MSA has added 740,000 new residents since 2010; and by 2026, the metro area is expected to have 5.3 million people. The Tampa Bay Area is growing at a rate twice that of the country.
Tang says he would not choose to build his business or raise his family anyplace else. “I was a child when my family fled Vietnam in the late 1970s,” he says. “My father was taken to a re-education camp in Vietnam because he did not leave in 1975 when Saigon fell. Back then, you either died from starvation or malaria in the jungle, but he survived there for two years. It was a tough time. I was young, but I still remember it.”
The long and winding path to the United States of America was not an easy one for the Tang family, but they eventually made it safely to Connecticut. Tang went to school, learned English and eventually graduated with a quality education from a good college. His upbringing, he says, taught him to work hard, be willing to take risks and always believe that a better outcome was ahead.
Now, at age 51, he is living that dream in Florida. “Today, we have close to 200 employees in Pasco and over 300 employees worldwide,” says Tang. “We’re starting a second company, Blue OptiView LLC. It is an AI software firm and will also be here in Pasco. We are a private company, but we are looking to expand. We cover every market — Asia, Europe, the U.S., etc. We have a bright future in front of us.”
Tang says he welcomes Florida’s growth because he knows that growth brings with it loads of fresh, young talent. “Older engineers can be set in their ways,” he says. “They do not think outside the box. With all this new talent, they come with a different mindset and a different way of thinking. I always try to embrace that.”
Conclusion
He also likes the fact that Pasco, much like the surrounding Tampa Bay Area, is embracing the influx of new technology companies. “Being in Pasco, there is no regret,” he says. “I am very happy that I built our base here. This is a high-tech area. There are a lot of aerospace companies in Florida. A lot of these manufacturers use electronic components, and they need the services that we supply.”
Tang adds that “it is easier to do business in Florida. There are less restrictions here. FDI is encouraged. The other key asset is the University of South Florida in Tampa. It is a major university. It has one of the best electrical engineering programs in the country. They produce a good talent pool that we can pull from. Finding good talent is easy here, and the cost of living is manageable.”
Would he do it again if he had to start all over? No question, he says.
“The best thing that ever happened to me,” he says, “was taking a big risk and moving to Florida.”
FAQ
- Q: What is Global ETS, and what does it specialize in?
- A: Global ETS is an electronic component testing business based in Pasco County, Florida. It specializes in providing testing services for electronic components used in aerospace and defense industries.
- Q: What factors contributed to the success of Global ETS in Florida?
- A: The business-friendly environment, skilled workforce, and community support in Florida were crucial factors in Global ETS's success. Additionally, partnerships with organizations like the Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC) provided guidance and incentives for growth.