THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 4, 1996 TAG: 9610020140
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 52 lines
ID America began 13 years ago in Virginia Beach as a small screen-printing operation making T-shirts for local surf shops. Since then, the company has grown into a regional manufacturer of imprinted promotional products.
On Sept. 26, the family-owned corporation officially opened a new 13,000-square-foot facility at 941 Corporate Lane in Greenbrier Commerce Park. The site is more than twice the size of the company's former headquarters in Virginia Beach.
``We moved here because we were looking for an industrial park that was close to the interstate,'' said vice president of sales and company spokesman Keith R. Carlson. ``Chesapeake also had the best-priced land, and Greenbrier is a growth area.''
ID America's product line includes embroidered polo-style shirts, pens embossed with logos, embossed leather portfolios and screen-printed golf balls. The new $600,000 plant has 25 employees and will serve as a manufacturing and distribution point for sales offices in Newport News, Richmond, Washington and Raleigh.
Mayor William E. Ward, Vice Mayor John W. Butt and Economic Development Director Donald Z. Goldberg attended the official opening ceremony.
``Chesapeake is attracting more businesses to the community every day,'' Mayor Ward said. ``We have the space, the access to the highway systems and an educational system that are important to corporations.''
Goldberg said that the city did not try to lure the company out of Virginia Beach, but did offer a helping hand.
``Our intention is not to market companies from other cities in the area, but if a company is looking to move, it's our obligation to help,'' Goldberg noted. ``We especially like the fact that it's a family-owned business.''
Keith Carlson, 35, said that the city aided the company in expediting the zoning application, making way for a ``fast-track'' move. More than 100 of the corporation's 1,200 clients are located in Chesapeake, including Mitsubishi Chemical and Canon Computer Systems.
Keith, 35, operates the firm with his three brothers: Ken R. Carlson, 34, president; Greg J. Carlson; 36, sales representative for Norfolk and Suffolk; and Patrick N. Carlson, 28, production manager. Mom, Jan C. Carlson, works part-time in accounts receivable.
``There's no sibling rivalry here,'' Ken Carlson said. ``We all work very well together.''
Screen printing and apparel embroidery will be the main focus of the facility in the short run. Imprinting on plastics and ceramics, now subcontracted, may be added later.
Although in a very competitive industry, the owners say they feel well-stationed for growth. About 3,000 additional square feet of property is available for enlarging the plant's capacity.
``Our business has expanded every year,'' Keith Carlson said. by CNB