ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 24, 1997 TAG: 9704240042
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON THE ROANOKE TIMES
The additional space will allow the company to move to assembly-line manufacturing.
Des Champs Laboratories Inc. of Natural Bridge Station said Wednesday it plans to buy the long-vacant Blue Bird bus factory in Buena Vista for expansion that would add as many as 75 jobs.
Des Champs, which moved to Rockbridge County Industrial Park from New Jersey in 1990, needs more room to launch new product lines. The company designs and manufactures equipment for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems in institutions such as schools and prisons.
Meanwhile, Buena Vista City Manager Dan Collins said Wednesday his city plus Lexington and Rockbridge County plan to buy 46 undeveloped acres around the old bus factory to market to other businesses. Collins said the site is large enough to support 1,000 jobs.
The local governments have yet to approve the plan, but are scheduled to vote on it by May 2.
Plans call for the three local governments, acting through their regional industrial development authority, to pay $2.65 million for the the 241,000-square-foot plant and 76 surrounding acres. They would immediately sell Des Champs the building and 30 acres for $1.85 million.
The additional space will allow Des Champs to move from custom production of individual heating and air-conditioning units to assembly-line manufacturing, said Howard McGrath, vice president of operations.
The expansion would be financed from $10 million in industrial development bonds endorsed by the Rockbridge County Industrial Development Authority, he said.
Between 70 and 75 jobs would be added to Des Champs' 240-person work force, McGrath said. The jobs would include professional engineering positions and manufacturing jobs that currently pay $10 an hour, he said.
Blue Bird Corp. of Macon, Ga., closed the bus factory in 1993, citing a drop in demand for its vehicles. About 220 people lost jobs.
Blue Bird recently lowered its price on the Rockbridge property from $3.6 million, its asking price in 1995.
LENGTH: Short : 48 lines KEYWORDS: JOBCHEKby CNB