Joplin industrial park adds new tenant PMI

PMI Inc. broke ground Sept. 30 for a new facility at Crossroads Business and Distribution Park in Joplin, according to an announcement by the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce.

PMI Industrial Coatings, a producer of industrial and commercial coating products, will construct a 30,000 square-foot facility at Crossroads that will begin operations next spring.

PMI Inc., also known as Precision Master Made Paint Inc., was one of several businesses hit by the May 4 tornado that struck Carl Junction. PMI had operated in a 20,000-square-foot building in Carl Junction since 1965.

Although the company continued to operate, owners Jerry and Steve Theil accelerated their plans to expand and began searching for a location to construct the new facility. Crossroads was finally selected as that location.

_Crossroads provides a location that offers good transportation access for our customers and room to expand our business in the future. We appreciate the Joplin Industrial Development Authority and the Joplin Chamber of Commerce working with us to find a location that would fit our needs,_ said owner Jerry Theil, in a news release.

Theil and his brother have owned the business since 1987.

_PMI looked at a number of locations across southwest Missouri and in Kansas. We were happy to have the owners select a location that keeps the company in the immediate area. It_s important that we work hard to keep our manufacturers thriving,_ said Rob O_Brian, president of the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce.

PMI is the second company to break ground on a new, larger facility in Crossroads Business and Distribution Park in the past two months. In mid-summer, work began on a new 60,000-square-foot facility for The Beer Company.

PMI has selected Joplin Construction Design & Management to design and build the new facility. JCDM owner Steve Smith said that construction will begin within 30 days. PMI anticipates moving into the new facility in early spring of 2004.

The 670-acre Crossroads Business and Distribution Park is owned by the Joplin Industrial Development Authority. There are currently four companies located in the park.