Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation

Mehler announces expansion

Sep 13, 2007
By BULLETIN STAFF. Mehler Engineered Products (MEP) and Mehler Texnologies are planning an expansion that will create 10 to 20 jobs and “considerable” capital investment, according to an announcement Wednesday.

The two companies are sister companies that have shared space on Mehler Lane in the Patriot Centre industrial park since 1999, according to a release.

Mehler Texnologies warehouses and distributes industrial PVC fabrics for many industries and houses material for companies including Nautica, Print, Dock and Inflatable Boat.

MEP develops, manufactures and converts yarn and special fabrics as textile reinforcements for the rubber industry. Globally, the Mehler Group has annual sales approaching $600 million and employs 75 people at its local plant, which is one of seven worldwide, the release said.

As part of the expansion, Mehler Texnologies will move from the Patriot Centre to a building at 220 Cabell St. in Martinsville, where the company has signed a five-year lease, the release said.

“We are committed to Martinsville-Henry County,” Linda Via of Mehler Texnologies stated in the release. “The nature of our business is distribution, which can be easily outsourced, but we have seven dedicated employees that do a great job for us every day.”

The jobs should be added within 12 months at MEP, and the company also will add equipment that will increase its capacity 25 percent. The exact amount of capital investment is not listed in the release, which calls it “proprietary information.”

“This expansion is part of our company’s global strategy,” Andreas Schulze Ising, MEP’s vice president, said in the release. “Martinsville-Henry County offers superior logistical advantages for us, from roads and infrastructure to a work force that can handle the demands of our business.”

The announcement of the expansion was made by the Henry County Board of Supervisors, Martinsville City Council and Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp. (EDC). Their officials hailed the expansion as a good thing for the area.

H.G. Vaughn, chairman of the board of supervisors, said Mehler’s impact in the county since 1999 has been “tremendous,” and he is glad it has chosen to expand locally.

“This expansion could have taken place anywhere, but the fact that the company chose the Martinsville-Henry County area is an indication of its faith in our citizens. We look forward to working with the company as it moves forward,” he said in the release

Martinsville Mayor Kimble Reynolds Jr. said the area is fortunate to have Mehler as part of its corporate community.

“Mehler’s expansion is a reminder of how we need to continue to invest in our existing businesses,” Reynolds said. “When we invest in companies like Mehler, we are essentially investing in ourselves and our future. It’s exciting to know that our city will continue to be a part of the company’s global strategy.”