ROANOKE CONTRACTOR TO EXPAND

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

DATE: FRIDAY, March 19, 1993                   TAG: 9303190231
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B12   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: GEORGE KEGLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
ROANOKE CONTRACTOR TO EXPAND
New River Electrical Corp., a 40-year-old Roanoke electrical construction contractor, on Thursday announced plans to expand its operations by moving its headquarters staff of 70 jobs to Botetourt County.
The company, now on Cleveland Avenue Southwest in Roanoke, will construct three buildings containing about 30,000 square feet in Simmons Industrial Park. The facility will front on Alternate U.S. 220 near Cloverdale.
The buildings are expected to cost more than $1 million, said Tom Wolden, the company's executive vice president. Construction is expected to start by fall and work is to be completed by the following summer, he said.
The site was chosen because the company's trucks will have easier access to Interstate 81, the land is reasonably priced and the property tax is more attractive, he said. The Cleveland Avenue location is in the flood plain of the Roanoke River.
New River Electrical will double the space it has in Roanoke by building a central office, equipment repair and painting facility and a warehouse/shop, he said. More space is needed for future growth, Wolden said.
The company has a total work force of 260, including its Ohio operations at Columbus and St. Clairsville. Its major work is construction of substations and electrical distribution systems. It also works on microwave and communication systems.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB