Both Wiretec Ignition, the original four-year-old business, and Wiretec Wire World, the new business, moved into the building this month. The companies are leasing the building for 15 years at an aggregate rent of $2.63 million ($4.09 per sf). The recorded buyer/owner is Clark Street Properties LLC, the parent of Wiretec World Wire.

"This was not an arms-length transaction in the normal sense," Rohr tells GlobeSt.com. "The original purchase price was $950,000 for the land and building, but not the equipment. The building was in disrepair and there were title problems."

Rohr became interested in the deal after a former employee at Madison Wire, the property's previous owner, told the broker/developer 15 months ago the asset could be purchased. Madison, a global manufacturer of heavy industrial cable wire, "went overboard during the acquisition and expansion mania in the 1990s and got over-extended," Rohr says.

He "looked into the real estate (portion of the deal) but decided the legal issues were overwhelming at that time." But when Regions Bank foreclosed on the property in November 2002, "I got involved," Rohr tells GlobeSt.com.

The building and the equipment in it foreclosed separately. Four different entities disputed title to the equipment. "It was quite a legal mess," the broker says. "In trying to unravel the real estate mess, I found out that Madison used to supply wire to Wiretec right down the street" at 2402 Clark St.

"I went to Wiretec and convinced them to restart the wire manufacturing process (of their business) if I could put all the pieces together," Rohr tells GlobeSt.com. "With a user in tow, I was able to gather back the pieces" and close the deal.

He says "the buyers, Wiretec and I spent several hundred thousand dollars before closing, and the seller contributed to costs of curing some of the problems."

Rohr's efforts led to Worldwide Wire's startup business for Brian Moore and David Dirkse, the two principals at Wiretec Ignition Inc. Wiretec Ignition makes sparkplug wire sets for cars and marine applications. Wiretec Wire Worldwide, starting with a staff of 24, manufactures bulk coated wire.

Moore tells GlobeSt.com he didn't think Rohr could pull off the deal, even after the broker "was able to convince me he could put the deal together." Moore says he was "extremely surprised" when the broker closed the transaction in seven months.

"This type of manufacturing is considered 'heavy industrial,' a rarity in Central Florida," Rohr tells GlobeSt.com. Wiretec competes in the world markets, exporting 90% of its product.

"I thought this was an unusual deal" for the real estate industry to know because "all I hear is that this area is losing manufacturing (jobs); the climate is bad for manufacturing; and no one exports anymore," Rohr says.