Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 13, 1995 TAG: 9507130047
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RON BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FINCASTLE LENGTH: Medium
The investment would be the largest ever for a new plant in the county. Construction is to begin in September, and production in late 1996.
The Botetourt plant will manufacture customized heavy truck frames. It will employ 65 workers initially and pay more than $11 per hour.
A.O. Smith, based in Milwaukee, makes frames, siderails, control arms and other structural components for autos and trucks; electric motors; water heaters; and fiberglass pipe.
Its A.O. Smith Automotive Products Co. division accounts for just over half of A.O. Smith's annual sales of $1.3 billion, company spokesman Ed O'Connor said. The company has 12,000 employees.
The Botetourt County Board of Supervisors has agreed to give the company 41 acres in the Vista Corporate Park, a county-owned industrial complex off U.S. 11 in Hollins.
"We think there will be significantly more jobs and investment as the company grows," County Administrator Gerald Burgess said.
Sam Licavoli, the president of A.O. Smith, said in a news release that unprecedented sustained growth in the domestic heavy truck industry made it necessary for the company to expand its manufacturing capacity.
A.O. Smith has manufacturing facilities in Milwaukee; Milan, Tenn.; and Corydon, Ind.
The company is one of the pioneers in the use of welding robots, Licavoli said, and the technology at the Botetourt plant will include robotics.
"We selected the Roanoke Valley site because of its accessibility, good transportation network and the availability of high-quality, well-educated workers and a high quality of life," Licavoli said.
He also cited the technical support offered by Virginia Western Community College and Virginia Tech as factors in the company's decision.
The pot was sweetened when Botetourt County received $300,000 from the Virginia Governor's Opportunity Fund for use in site preparation.
A news release from Gov. George Allen's office late Wednesday said the 200,000-square-foot plant, which will begin production in late 1996, could produce up to 130 jobs over its first 30 months.
Construction is expected to begin in September.
Allen met with company officials at Roanoke Regional Airport on May 10 on his way to announce a new plant in Clifton Forge being built by Bacova Guild Ltd. of Bath County.
Burgess, the county administrator, said both Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, and state Sen. Malfourd "Bo" Trumbo, R-Fincastle, had urged the company to locate in Botetourt.
by CNB