Partnership brings Patriot Aluminum to Caroline County

Donovan Marine acquired the Bartley Building, a commercial property on Engerman Avenue in the Denton Industrial Park, in 2018. The building was larger than they needed and provided a value-added opportunity to lease out the second suite.

Knowing that the property was available for lease, Caroline County Economic Development and Tourism approached Donovan Marine about using the property as the location for their Caroline Economic Symposium, a high-level review of the economic state of the country, region and the Eastern Shore. CCEDT Director Debbie Bowden and Business Development Coordinator Kendall Teague knew this regional event would be an ideal opportunity to market a prime industrial property in Caroline County.

The CCEDT team worked closely with John Foster of SVN Miller, the listing agent for Donovan Marine, to facilitate the use of the property. The event was a great success — more than 125 business leaders and partners filled the warehouse-turned-conference room to learn about the state of economy from Dr. Anirban Basu. The partnership created great exposure for the building, keeping the property top of mind.

When Patriot Aluminum approached Caroline County Economic Development about expanding their operations from Felton, Delaware, Bowden knew firsthand from her experience with the symposium that the Engerman Avenue property would be a perfect fit. She referred Patriot Aluminum to the listing agent, Foster, who worked with both parties to close the deal.

“It was a combination of a collaborative partnership, a strong and credit-worthy client and great market conditions that created this fast-moving deal,” said Foster. “It was a great experience for all parties involved.”

“Donovan Marine recognized the value in showing their space to the business leaders in Caroline County via the Economic Symposium,” said Bowden. “It was truly a partnership that turned out to be mutually beneficial. We hosted the Economic Symposium in a great space, Donovan Marine got some exposure that led to an active lease, and Caroline County welcomes a growing new business to the community.”

Caroline County is excited to have Patriot Aluminum join its business community, Bowden said. The company is an American-veteran owned and operated family business that fabricates a full line of aluminum fence panels, posts and gates. Patriot Aluminum takes pride in its product quality, customer service, and overall positive atmosphere for both its customers and employees. It currently employs 12 people, with plans to expand to more than 30 full-time jobs that will be offered to the Caroline County community as the business continues to grow. For more information on Patriot Aluminum, visit patriotaluminum.net.