Partnership industrial parks prove prosperous

Anyone searching for evidence of Springfield's continual growth need only look as far as the 360-acre Partnership Industrial Center. Also known as the east park, the center has drawn local, regional, national and international business into the city for seven years and continues to gain momentum.

In addition, according to Greg Williams, vice president for economic development with the Springfield Area Chamber of Com-merce, new infrastructure and streets will be cut as soon as mid-September at the Partnership's 410-acre west park, located next to the Springfield-Branson Regional Airport. Williams said the Partnership, in selecting the site, "saw the advantage of our critical mass' on the east and that we can have a role in quality development on Springfield's northwest side."

Williams said of the west park, "We've had one purchase offer made, to be reviewed by the west center's administrative council." Before purchasing property in the west industrial park, pro-spective manufacturers must be approved by the Partnership Industrial Center West Administrative Council, which is made up of representatives from the Springfield Business and Development Corporation, Greene County, the city of Springfield, City Util-ities, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and the airport. Tenants of the east park must be approved by the Part-nership Industrial Center Administrative Council, which includes the same representatives with the exception of the airport.

Development and maintenance of the parks' infrastructure falls to City Utilities and the city. "SBDC and the chamber are responsible for project management, including promotion, marketing, and selling of projects," Williams said. He added, "Dealing with the Partnership team makes for direct decision-making. Projects can be facilitated and expedited, which is a true advantage. Our purpose is to ensure an adequate inventory of quality industrial sites, and we're prepared for the next seven to 10 years. We're in good shape, and proceeds from the land sales will help us retire our bank loan."

According to Williams, "Each site is ready to go with prepared underground utilities. Because they're annexed to the city, businesses can realize cost savings in insurance due to local police and fire protection. The adjacence of the west park to the airport could be of real benefit if need arises. Commercial and industrial use is appropriate for land in the general vicinity of the airport and could even complement that facility and its development."

Karl Plumpe, senior manager of economic development for City Utilities, said, "The benefits of the industrial parks are that they create quality employment opportunities, add to the community's tax base and produce tenants with high utility load factors. These high, consistent utility users help keep rates low for all our customers."

Roy Dameron, president of Dameron Color Labs, a tenant of the east park, agreed. "The available infrastructure sold me," he said. "Everything I have is run by microprocessors, either computer-controlled or related. We're fed by two loops, so if one's gone for some reason, we don't lose power. If there's a problem, CU responds very quickly."

Plumpe said, "The Partnership Indus-trial Center has a looped' industrial feed. Electricity comes through two different feeder circuits. This improves system reliability to the park, and minimizes outage potential."

Following several relocations in Springfield, Dameron Color Labs bought property in the east park in July 1995 and began what would become a 35,500-square-foot building. "We had to have more room, and very few choices were available," he said. "We needed a 5- to 7-acre lot, and they're difficult to come by. This was a big enough spot to double our space and then some."

Dameron added, "Being in the park, we lined beside CU and they made things happen. Parts of the building process that could've been a hassle weren't. It's just a good deal in a great location. I'm glad to know the investment's being recouped, returning cost to the customer. It's a plus for Springfield. We win because folks move here, we win because of the partnership, and the city wins."

Greg Williams said, "The true benefits of the industrial centers are that they're on a large scale, as master-planned, world-class industrial parks. They're strictly manufacturing, so there's no issue or challenge, as sometimes happens with mixed-use areas. The aesthetic nature of the plans leads business to choose the parks."

Dan Mitchell, president of DaBryan Coach Builders Inc., moved his company into the park in April 1999. "In our case, the decision to locate in the Partnership Industrial Park boiled down to what we perceived to be a good value package. The park fit our budget. The location is attractive and well-maintained, and it's got convenient access to 1-44 and 65. Nearly all our completed cars are trucked out, and it's easy access for employees."

Mitchell added, "An element of pride attaches itself to being here. It's a great industrial development, and the folks at the chamber and CU were certainly cordial and accommodating in working with us. Customers compliment it and seem to appreciate the appearance of the park and our facility."

DaBryan manufactures limousines from Lincoln and Cadillac product lines. Mitchell estimated that the company sells 325 to 335 cars annually to companies, corporations and individuals. "Some go to dealerships, but most are to businesses, and we ship directly from Springfield," he said.

From its 48,500-square-foot facility, the company distributes the majority of its line domestically. "They go mostly to the East and West coasts," Mitchell said, "but about 10 percent are exported internationally. The cars spend five hours at each station and 12 days in process. We do all the components in-house, from cabinetry woodshop to plastics, upholstery and metal finishing."

DaBryan has no imminent expansion plans for the future, Mitchell added, but "We've been working toward a position to develop other products. Our intent is to ultimately make resources available. We've cut our work-in-process inventory a-round 40 percent the same production with fewer capacity requirements. The goal is to create excess capacity and bring in additional product lines."

Mark Cook, president of Central States Industrial Equipment and Service Inc., moved his four-employee company from Jefferson City to Springfield in 1984. CSI struggled to find suitable, long-term property. Cook said, "Company architects recommended we look into the industrial park. The biggest benefit to us was the image projected. We sell to clean industrial' producers, and here those customers see solid infrastructure and clean production systems. They're interested in more than price; they look for quality. "

CSI produces piping systems for hygienic and sanitary processes, distributing most of its products nationally, though a small proportion may be exported. Composed of stainless piping, valves and pumps, the systems may be used in food, beverage, dairy, biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The location also houses CSI Tools Inc., which exclusively distributes pipe preparation tools to fabrication shops and mechanical contractors for Protem, a French corporation.

Cook added, "We have great water, electric and phone utilities, so there are no worries as we grow. There's convenient access for trucking, not to mention commuting employees from outside the city of Springfield. Arrivals on 65 and 44 make directions and navigation simple, and the streets are good."

CSI currently occupies 37,000 square feet and, Cook said, "we have a building permit for expansion, which will eventually include a training room and around 7,000 square feet of production space. Eventually we'll add 50,000 square feet to this facility."

Missouri Color Web, the latest business to join the Partnership Industrial Center East, began relocating operations there in November 2000. A subsidiary of Community Publishers Inc., based in Bentonville, Ark., the company prints newspapers, tabloids and real estate publications on a newspaper and commercial press, including the Marshfield Mail, Bolivar Herald, Buffalo Reflex, Cedar County Republican, Nixa News-Enterprise, Christian County Headliner, and the Ozark Pennysaver.

The plant will ultimately incorporate its Marshfield and Bolivar production lines into one, staffing the new facility with employees from those locations. The firm occupies 3.6 acres in the park and a 30,000-square-foot building. Matt Hale, plant manager and supervisor of operations, said, "It's a sensible, central location, halfway between Bolivar and Marshfield. It's a trucking hub, in a good, well-lit neighborhood with streets and curbs."

As of September 2001, the company will bring a 14-unit Goss Magnum press into operation.

According to Hale, the press is the largest in the Springfield area. He said, "It has a total capacity of 64 pages with process coloring, making up to 40,000 impressions hourly."

Hale added, "There are lots of small printing outfits, but nobody can do these great big jobs. Many need a high-volume printer, and small companies can't handle it. We'll remedy that."

At the Chamber of Commerce, Greg Williams had one final comment: "This has been a real case study in partnership. The Northwest Springfield Neighbor-hood Association called and offered 100 percent support, which is the real value. Generally speaking, we're expecting 15-25 tenants in the west park, but due to the potential for large use, it's hard to say. The park will have a positive impact on the city. Our planned approach could make the west park as successful or more so than the east."

Additional information on the industrial parks can be found at www.springfieldchamber.com.