ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Thursday, March 13, 1997               TAG: 9703130029
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: B-8  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR THE ROANOKE TIMES

SALES EAT LAST OF UNDEVELOPED LAND AT DEANWOOD CENTER 3 FIND ROOM TO GROW

Emtech Labs Inc., Magnets USA and Moody Graphics/ Polaris Studios say their moves will equal $2.4 million in investments.

Three small but growing companies are scheduled to announce plans today to move into the Deanwood Commerce Center in Northeast Roanoke.

Emtech Labs Inc., Magnets USA and Moody Graphics/Polaris Studios expect their moves together will represent a $2.4 million investment in land, buildings and equipment.

The moves also will complete the sale of all developable land in the 10-acre center.

The commerce center land was sold to the companies by the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

Emtech Labs, now at Hardy in Bedford County, plans to build a 10,000-square-foot office/warehouse. Emtech, which employs 30 people, manufactures "earmolds," custom-made acoustic chambers that hold behind-the-ear hearing aids.

"We are growing," Emtech President Moses Nakhle said. "We felt that if we moved the company to Roanoke we would have a better employment base. It's hard for us to get good people to come all the way out here to work."

Magnets USA will move both its Brandon Avenue offices and a warehouse on Aerial Way in Southwest Roanoke to a new 20,000-square-foot building. The 5-year-old company - which provides magnetic calendars and stickers to real estate agents nationwide - projects that its employment will grow from 15 to 30 people.

"We've had a hard time finding a facility with warehouse and office space in one location," said Dale Turner, vice president of marketing. "This gives us a chance to combine operations and design office space exactly like we want it. Plus it's a great location. It's close to the interstate and close to the main post office."

Moody Graphics plans to move its offices from Piedmont Street in Southeast Roanoke to a new 10,000-square-foot building. The 20-employee company provides electronic color prepress and digital photography services for catalogs.

"We've outgrown our current facility of 3,700 square feet," said Neil Nicklas, the company's president. "The demands for our services are growing."

The Deanwood industrial area - bounded by Orange Avenue, Williamson Road and Hollins Road - is one of the last areas of the city suitable for light industrial use, according to a housing authority spokesman.

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