Gates
Corporation
 "Locating
in Virginia's aCorridor proved to be so successful the company has
also moved a division headquarters to the Glade Spring facility.
The quality of the workforce is double what we see in other areas."
Daniel R. Gorton
Vice
President
North
America Mobile Fluid Power Gates Corporation
Proximity
to customers and suppliers on the East Coast was a priority for
Denver-based Gates Corporation when the company began looking for
an additional manufacturing location in 2006. Since its decision
to locate in Virginia's aCorridor in July 2007, the company has
also moved a division headquarters to the Glade Spring facility
and is gearing up for design and production of an additional product
line.
"It
was nice to be a part of of the process to direct the design of
our facility in this former shell building," said Scott Moore,
Director of Gates North America Operations, Hydraulic Assemblies,
who relocated from South Carolina to manage the Glade Spring plant.
Gates
looked at 15 locations in four states and chose the 87,500 sq. ft.
shell building in the 300-acre Highlands Business Park in Glade
Spring. The park was developed as a joint effort between Smyth and
Washington counties, and is owned and operated by the Smyth-Washington
Regional Industrial Facilities Authority. With its excellent location
at Exit 29 of I-81, one of the busiest truck routes in the U.S.,
its proximity to Gates customers "and the outstanding
 |
| Scott Moore,
left, and Daniel Gorton of Gates Corporation. |
assistance
we received from the state, regional, and local economic development
team, our experience here has been very positive," said Moore.
The
quality of the available workforce is also a positive factor for
Gates, according to Moore. "We had nearly 1,000 applicants
for our start-up phase, and we were impressed with the skill levels
of the workforce and the assistance we received from the Virginia
Employment Commission."
Daniel
R. Gorton, Vice President of the North America Mobile Fluid Power
division for Gates, said the quality of the workforce "is double
what we see in other areas."
"In
other locations we may have three out of 10 that we call back for
a second interview. Here, it's more like six to eight out of 10,"
said Gorton who relocated along with his division from Denver to
Glade Spring.
 Gates
supplies world-class hydraulic hoses, couplings, adapters, accessories
and crimpers to meet the fluid power needs of heavy industry. Moore
said the company hopes to employ more than 170 within three years.
Currently 70 employees operating in two shifts produce 25,000 assemblies
a month with 100,000 a month projected.
The
mobile fluid power division that is now headquartered at Glade Spring
is using automated robotic technology to bend tubing and create
innovative metal tubing components and modular assemblies to add
to the company's product line.
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