
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, January 17, 1995                   TAG: 9501170129
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PRINTER SET TO EXPAND

Transkrit Corp., a business-forms printer that moved its operations and headquarters to Roanoke last year, said Monday it is expanding and expects to transfer all its manufacturing operations from New York by spring.

The company plans to open a manufacturing center next month at 3993 Daugherty Road in Salem, according to a statement released Monday by the Roanoke Valley Economic Development Partnership. Transkrit will use the same 27,000-square-foot building rented as a temporary training facility when the company began its local operations early last year.

The plant's 20 to 25 workers will produce two new product lines, print names and addresses on mailers and ship finished goods to customers. Operations are to begin in the next few weeks.

The company will hire an undisclosed number of employees. Transkrit pays inexperienced floor assistants $9 to $10 and experienced press operators up to $14 hourly, company officials have said.

Transkrit calls itself the largest U.S. manufacturer of specialty mailer business forms.

Since moving from Brewster, N.Y., early last year, the company has expanded faster than predicted. It has outgrown its year-old, 105,000-square-foot printing plant and headquarters at the Roanoke Centre for Industry & Technology, creating the need for a second production site.

Employment, which the company had estimated would peak at 165, stands at 217, excluding the new positions announced Monday.

Company officials were not available to comment Monday, but, in the release, Transkrit president and chief operating officer Jack Resnick said the company will finish moving its remaining manufacturing operations to the Roanoke Valley from its former headquarters in Brewster by April.

Leaders of the Economic Development Partnership applauded the company's decision.

``The significance is, the community works well for this company, supports their goals in regard to productivity and efficiency, and it's a logical place for them to continue to grow,'' said Beth Doughty, the partnership's executive director.

Transkrit, along with its subsidiary, Label Art, operates eight plants and distribution centers and 14 sales offices nationwide.

by CNB