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

DATE: SATURDAY, October 7, 1995                   TAG: 9510090021
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

MONTGOMERY CALLED GOOD PLACE TO DO BUSINESS

But Guarino and and other local industry leaders were emphatic about one thing at Montgomery County's 1995 Industry Recognition Dinner Thursday: the county and its two towns are good places to do business.

Here industries can concentrate on manufacturing and research, with local government and economic development leaders assisting development rather than obstructing it, Guarino told representatives of the county's 50 manufacturers and other business leaders.

Guarino's company, Wolverine Gasket and Manufacturing Co., is in the midst of a major industrial expansion adjacent to its site in the Blacksburg Industrial Park.

The new technology in this $12 million plant "if it works," Guarino said, will make the company the foremost manufacturer in the world in its process - production of coated steel. The plant exports 43 percent of the automotive components it manufactures - shipping them from Europe to the Far East, from Germany to Korea.

His company always has to be pushing toward newer and newer technology or it will be overtaken by its competitors, he said. "Our motto is to let them chase us."

The new plant will increase Wolverine's 300 employees by another 30 to 45 workers in the next two years, Guarino said.

Jim Dunn, president of one of the county's newest industries, HP Hydraulics, also praised Montgomery County's Economic Development Office for helping clear the way to locate its new plant in the county's Elliston-Lafayette Industrial Park.

The industry, which will manufacture hydraulics for bulldozers and other equipment, plans to employ up to 72 workers within the next three years.

About 100 local business and government leaders, elected officials and candidates attended Thursday's annual dinner at Customer Catering.

Bob Templin, president of the Center for Innovative Technology, told the crowd that one of the center's missions is to provide small research companies at Virginia Tech the marketing expertise and assistance to bring their new products to market. By bringing research from Virginia's universities together with business, the center will help Virginia be globally competitive.