Southwest Missouri News

Branson

First-quarter sales set record

Data from the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors indicates first-quarter sales for residential homes in Stone and Taney counties were up 16.6 percent compared to the same period in 1999, the previous best quarter ever. According to Cooper Appraisal of Branson, the first quarter is traditionally the slowest of the four quarters. Cooper Appraisal reported that area real estate professionals indicated in interviews that interest rate increases had not dampened Tri-Lakes area sales as predicted by the National Association of Realtors.

The association had predicted a drop of 5.1 percent for residential home sales. On the supply side, Cooper Appraisal reported that the number of homes listed for sale dropped 4.8 percent during the first quarter compared to the same period in 1999.

Cooper Appraisal also reported annual revenue estimates for Tri-Lakes area motels had strong growth in 1999. The appraisal company stated in its report that annual revenue per individual room was up 9 percent over 1998 estimates, according to data compiled from a sampling of properties and compared with data from Smith Travel Research, a nationwide analysis firm. The supply of rooms remained stable, while occupancies, room rates and room demand were up nearly 5 percent over 1998 figures, according to Cooper Appraisal.

Local couple authors Branson guide

Falcon Publishing of Helena, Mont., has released an updated edition of "The Insiders' Guide to Branson & Ozark Mountains," written by Branson area residents Fred Pfister and Jennifer Marsh. The 300-page guide gives details of Branson's legend and lore, restaurants, shopping, fishing, theaters, theme parks, night life and other local attractions. The guide also provides useful tidbits including maps and sidebar features.

Carthage

Leggett & Platt buys TransPro division

Leggett & Platt Inc., the nation's largest maker of mattress components, has purchased the fabrication division of TransPro Inc. for $28.6 million plus the assumption of $8.9 million in debt. TransPro, based in New Haven, Conn., sold its Crown specialty metal division to Leggett & Platt as part of its strategy to focus on its heating and cooling systems business.

TransPro had $261.6 million in sales last year. Leggett & Platt, based in Carthage, makes furniture parts such as springs for mattresses and chairs, as well as wood products and aluminum die castings. The company had $3.8 billion in sales last year.

Joplin

Modine sales rise, earnings drop

Modine Manufacturing Co. reported a slight rise in sales but a drop in earnings for its fourth quarter and for the fiscal year that ended March 31. Net sales for the fourth quarter were $285.2 million, compared with $281 million for the same period a year ago.

Sales for the fiscal year were $1.14 billion, an increase of 2.5 percent compared with $1.11 billion for the same period a year ago. Earnings for the fourth quarter came to $14.6 million, compared with $17.4 million in the fourth quarter of last year.

Earnings for the fiscal year came to $65.4 million. That is down more than 11 percent compared with the $73.8 million reported a year earlier.

Earnings per share came to 49 cents for the quarter and $2.20 for the year. In fiscal year 1999, earnings per share came to 58 cents for the fourth quarter and $2.46 for the year.

Modine, which has a plant in Joplin, cited increased distribution costs, new plant startup costs and "the negative effect on international results of the strong U.S. dollar."

The Joplin plant employs 175 people who make heat exchangers for vehicles. The company is based at Racine, Wisc. "Modine is well-positioned, with the capacity in place, to take advantage of new business programs some beginning later in fiscal 2001 that will bring large, incremental increases in total revenues over the next few years," the company said in a press release. "The additional business is a combination of increased market penetration and of new product lines. Operating income should begin to improve during the new fiscal year after several plant startups are complete.'

King Press attends DRUPA 2000

King Press Corp. is among the companies exhibiting the latest in printing technology at DRUPA 2000, the world's largest trade fair for the printing and paper industries. The event is being held May 18-31 in Dusseldorf, Germany.

King Press is a major manufacturer of single-width web offset printing presses.

Main Street Joplin holds cleanup

Main Street Joplin recently held a downtown cleanup and recruited residents to pitch in to help beautify the downtown area. May 13, participants were asked to bring gloves, tools and rakes. They then collected litter, planted flowers, pulled weeds and cleaned sidewalks.

The cleanup was held in connection with National Historic Preservation Week.

Neosho

Super 8 receives awards

The Neosho Super 8 Motel was honored during the Humphrey Companies annual conference, held April 4-6 in Baltimore, Md. Pam Hill, manager of the Neosho Super 8, was presented with the Outstanding Manager Award. She also received the Senior Manager Award.

The hotel received an Excellence in Cleanliness Award and the N.O.T. Award, for "an outstanding net operating income percentage for the year in their property size category."

Humphrey Hospitality Management Inc. is the parent company of Supertel Hospitality Management Inc., which manages 86 hotels in 19 states.

Nevada

Senior center gets CDBG help

The city of Nevada has qualified for a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant for a new senior citizens center. In addition to the $300,000 grant, the proposed senior center will receive $500,000 from a six-year, half-cent sales tax for the Nevada Parks and Recreation Department.

The sales tax is expected to generate $3 million in six years, and $500,000 of it will go for construction of the senior center.

The center will include seating for 100 to 120 people, 120 parking spaces and a lab for four to six computers.

Pineville

18-hole golf course planned

Construction of an 18-hole golf course, which could bring additional revenues to McDonald County, is expected to begin in the fall of 2001 and could be ready for play in 2003.

The Property Owners' Association of Bella Vista Village in Bella Vista, Ark., is spearheading the course, which will cover 370 acres in Missouri and Arkansas. Two hundred acres of the course will be in McDonald County, with the remaining 170 acres in Benton County, Ark.

Seneca

Milnot attends Chicago showcase

The Milnot Co. was among the Missouri companies that recently attended the annual U.S. Food Export Showcase in Chicago. The event, which was billed as the world's largest food show, is for small and medium sized businesses.

Milnot is a manufacturer of canned evaporated and sweetened condensed milk, as well as baby food and gravy.