The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 318

gfr Atlanta lomntt AM) CONSTITLnON SUNDAY, MARCH 16, 1986 If 'luck of the Irish' holds, Southeastern businesses will expand economic ties By Maria Saporta Staff Writer Belfast 3.5 million Am: 27,103 square nCuS Crct ttz Ijtfi $17.8 IREIAND DuLTn 1S4 i 1S38 U.S. Exports to Ireland S1.35 billion $134 billion U.S.' Imports from Ireland $370 million $340 million Umatick WattHwd fcsjar U.8 Cxport la Ireland: Office machines and components. food ttuHa, equipment and computer parts U.S.Lr:porti from tevsre-ss, Waterford glass, office machines, elsctftoul machinery and chemicals Cxchanja tztx $1 U.S. 0.75 Irish pound Soutok U.S. Dpt.

of Cowmwui on VS. manufacturing investment in Ireland was 28.7 percent, which is more than twice the average for American investment in the European Community as a whole." Noonan said Ireland offers the best incentive package in Europe for training and capital expenses with a maximum corporation tax of only 10 percent until the year 2000. But Noonan said Ireland has invested in its people as its best incentive. The country invested $612 million in education in the past five years, and 30 percent of its students in higher education are studying engineering, science or business-related courses. Another unusual characteristic of Ireland is that half of its total population is under 25 years old.

"We are the young Europeans highly educated; and these young people are a tremendous resource for research and development," Noonan said. Two of several Georgia firms that have already vested in Ireland include Coca-Cola which makes its beverage concentrate for Europe and the Middle East in Ireland, and Cado Systems, a subsidiary of Continental Telephone Inc. of Atlanta. While industry is still very important to tourism Is a rapidly growing area of the economy. More than 400,000 Americans visited Ireland last year, an increase of 25 percent over 1984.

Ireland is now presenting itself as a safe destination in Europe, and it hopes that recent terrorist attacks on the continent will not dampen its tourism industry. "It may be something to our benefit Americans may still want to go to some part of Europe," Kavanagh said. "And the American people are welcome in Ireland." Noonan added that political tensions between the Irish and the English have subsided since the signing of the recent Anglo-Irish agreement "We feel this is going to lead to peace and prosperity on our island," he said. Ireland, known for its castles and whiskey, is in the midst of change from an older society to a center for high technology and tourism in Europe. So the Irish are particularly pleased that Delta Air Lines picked its Shannon Airport near Dublin to be a new, European destination for the Atlanta-based airline.

service, which starts May 8, will provide the only non-stop flights between Ireland and the United States outside of Boston and New York. Delta will offer six flights a week, three don-stop and three flights with one stop in London. one of the most exciting things that has happened in the tourist area for us," said Liam Kavan agh, jninister of tourism for the Republic of Ireland. "I think. Delta has made a very astute decision, because be promoting Ireland very much, certainly during tourist time from St Patrick's Day to September." 7 In fact, the Irish Tourist Board has someone working full-time at the Delta office in Atlanta, and the organization may soon open a permanent office in the city' to promote tourism in Ireland.

-The board would join the Industrial Development Autnbrlty of Ireland, which has bad an office in Atlanta for three years headed by John Warren. i think investment will follow the communication lines," said Michael Noonan, Ireland's minister for Industry and Commerce. "A lot of people living in the Sun Belt will visit us, and the traffic will be both ways. We have invested in Atlanta and Georgia already." -Bbth Noonan and Kavanagh were in Atlanta last week; to lay a foundation for the new economic activity expected between Ireland and the Southeast wYJ think the timing of this visit is particularly Noonan told members of the Federal Reserve Bank pf Atlanta. "It is very appropriate that on the eve of; our national holiday St Patrick's Day I have had the opportunity to talk to you about Ireland." rtiDelta Air Lines also has been very active in pro- Jt i nt DAVE WINKStaff live in Ireland, there's a risk the westbound planes could have lots of empty And since tourism is seasonal, there is concern about what may happen after September.

One way to balance the flow is new business ties. The Atlanta Chamber of Commerce plans to have one of its large trade missions visit Ireland and Germany in May to promote the new links for both regions. The Irish ministers are delighted with new connections and hope it will translate into dollars for the English-speaking country. Noonan portrayed Ireland as a country hungry for American investment, particularly in the high technology fields." "There are now 327 companies in Ireland employing over 36,000 people," Noonan said. "They also gain a lot from their presence in Ireland.

A recent survey by the U.S. Department of Commerce shows that in the eight years 1977 to 1984, the average rate of return moting Ireland as a tourist destination by instituting introductory fares and advertising campaigns. For example, between May 8 and June 11, Delta will offer round-trip tickets of S478 to $498 with few restrictions between Atlanta and Shannon. "The inaugural flight is just about filled to capacity," said Darrell Hatton, Delta's district director for marketing. "I see as good or better results from this flight as any other flight we have." Hatton acknowledged that the Ireland flight was more risky than Delta's other international destinations that are more traditional and better known, such as Paris, London and Frankfurt "The challenge of turning that risk around has been exciting for us," Hatton said.

"There's an awful lot of warm feeling between the United States and Ireland." Ireland and Delta are targeting the 40 million people who live in the Southeast as potential travelers to the land of shamrocks. Since only 3.5 million people V4 Kroger Southside growth deceives; sleeping giant wakens FROM 1M By Tom Walker Staff Writer According to the Shelby Report, a trade journal, during the 10-year period from 1976 to 1986, Kroger's market share has climbed from 14 percent to 24.32 percent in 1986. The number 2 chain is Winn Dixie Food Stores of Jacksonville, whose 13.26 percent share of the market is up from 12.5 percent 10 years ago. Food Giant, in which Super Valu Inc. recently acquired a majority share, has 12.63 percent of the market, compared to a 22 percent market share in 1976.

Grand Union Big Star chain, with 12.17 percent of the market, is down from 22 percent a decade ago. Allvine who has testified in Federal Trade Commission hearings where Kroger has been accused of predatory pricing, said he believes that profitability problems at Food Giants which led to the chain being sold by Del Haize Corp. were a direct result of Kroger Co. "The Atlanta market has been good to Kroger and we've invested millions here," Akin said. His answer to the accusations of price fixing, "I don't know how else to deal with competitors without matching them on their strengths, be it price or quality of product" company's history at the intersection of Cleveland and Stewart avenues.

Laing Properties a British firm, plans a $75 million, 1.4 million-square-foot office and industrial park on 150 acres along Camp Creek Parkway in East Point The Atlanta Tradeport, a new foreign trade zone permitting local importers and exporters to save on custom duties, will be located next to Hartsfield International Airport' One of the most promising job producers in the area is the Southside Industrial Park being developed by the Atlanta Economic Development the development arm of the City of Atlanta. B. Keith Melton, vice president for development, said the AEDC has already received offers from prospective tenants or developers to purchase seven sites in the first 106-acre phase of the park. The AEDC also hopes to begin development of the second, 190-acre phase of Southside Industrial Park by the end of ment associate of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce in charge of Southside development efforts. "Things are beginning to happen all over, both residential and business," says O'Neal, who argues that Atlanta's Southside suffers from slow growth only in contrast with the spectacular physical expansion of the city's Northside.

He cited the recent announcement that Killearn Properties a Tallahassee-based developer, had contracted to buy almost 2,600 Henry County acres about 20 miles south of Atlanta for 5,000 residential units, a regional mall, office buildings and industrial structures. Indeed, private and public officials who have labored long to promote Southside development are more encouraged today than ever even the skeptics who are not entirely persuaded the area has caught on yet Consider what has been announced recently: The Kroger Co. said it will develop one of the largest grocery stores in the Qn. Monroe Drive, opened a 35,000: square foot store in Midtown Plaza and- Big Star opened a 45,000 square foot store, on Ponce de Leon last year. Kroger plans' to open a store at PoncO'de Leon Place and Ponce de Leon Avenue this year, three blocks from that Big Star.

William Stogner, leasing representative! for Selig Enterprises which handles the Ansley Mall property, said he has noticed a shrinking of the traffic due to grocery store expansion in that area. "Before we had the Winn. Dixie and Big Star go up, we use to attract from as far away as Grant Park," he said, referring to the east Atlanta neighborhood. He said Ansley Mall's primary trade-radius is within three miles of the ball located on Monroe Drive at Piedmont The food retailing environment in Atlanta" has changed in recent years, and Fred Allvine, marketing professor at Georgia Tech; said that Kroger is one of the catalysts for that change. 1 There's more happening on Atlanta's Southside these days than meets the eye literally.

That's because much of the economic development taking place in the metro area south of Interstate 20 is of the one-story, industrial variety that is frequently out of the sight of passing motorists. According to real estate consultant Brian Bash, that is also a clue to how Atlanta's Southside differs from its fabled, booming north, where construction cranes dot the horizon and glitzy office towers are visible for miles. "Nevertheless, business and industrial parks create jobs," observes Bash, manager of real estate advisory services for the Atlanta office of Laventhol Horwath, the accounting firm. Atlanta's Southside even shows increasing evidence of residential development, says Franklin O'Neal, economic develop- SALE SALE SALE SALE INTRODUCING THE NEW rznc-7n nn rzicn BRF i COME0 PORTABLE II SlM JFIVE DAYS ONLY MARCH 17-21 I II I 111 ICD WAS 5175 ill I WTMMsWwWWCWp 1 1 Delivery SfA $70000 30 smallen 17 lighter. 400 faster.

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