A Tauranga business case marketing campaign has attracted an Auckland manufacturing firm which is relocating to Tauranga and is expected to be operating locally by July 2013.

The firm has alignments to the horticulture industry and is expected to create 40 new jobs for the Tauranga area.

Priority One chief executive Andrew Coker.

Construction on a piece of land which has been purchased in Tauriko is expected to begin shortly so the company can be up and running by the middle of next year.

The company's, which can't be identified as it is currently negotiating with staff, move is being described as a big success for Priority One's marketing campaign.

Chief executive Andrew Coker says the goal of the marketing campaign is to position Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty as the business destination of choice for companies considering relocating or expanding.

Andrew says Priority One is currently working with eight businesses that are serious about moving to the sub-region.

These include four manufacturers and two import and distribution businesses.

Two businesses are already planning their move here, with an Auckland manufacturer purchasing land at Tauriko and an importer who is developing a new product planning to move to Katikati.

The Auckland manufacturer will employ 30 people and is also considering moving its head office here, which would provide work for around 100 people, says Andrew.

Priority One, the organisation behind the campaign, aims to retain and attract high-growth companies through an approach that highlights the significant competitive advantages the sub-region now has to offer, and communicates these by profiling the increasing number of businesses that have started here, or relocated to the sub-region.

The campaign, which started locally over the New Year period, was taken nationally in April. Specific activity over the last few months has included:

Billboards placed in strategic locations in Auckland and Wellington, which also resulted in a NZ Herald business section front page article.

NZBusiness profiled the campaign and two local companies in March and will include a feature in the October issue, with two more case studies of local companies.