Sep 18, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Crystal France
Director of Marketing/PR
Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation
276.403.5940
cfrance@yesmartinsville.com
EDC highlights West Window Corporation in PR Campaign
~ After 57 years, West Window is still growing in Martinsville-Henry County ~
Martinsville, VA (Sept. 18, 2006) – This release is part of the “Business Works Here” public relations campaign established by the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation to highlight local industry’s growth and successes.
West Window is featured in September. Their story is below.
It all began March 15, 1949, when Francis T. West came to Martinsville and opened a retail window company on Lester Street. West hired W.E. Giesler in 1951, shortly after he graduated from Georgia Tech.
In those early years, West Window experienced rapid growth. In 1953, the Lester Street building reached capacity and the company moved to a new building on 220 north of Martinsville.
In 1959, the company began manufacturing windows rather than selling windows purchased from another manufacturer. They again outgrew their building and moved, in 1964, to their present location in the Martinsville Industrial Park on 220 South.
Since that move, the company has added on to its building 5 times and has never had a losing year. That is not something many businesses can boast. W.E. Giesler, who is now the company’s Chairman/CEO, attributes the companies success to its employees.
The company, which has grown from 4 employees to over 200, has a talented, loyal staff, according to Giesler. “You won’t find better employees than those in Martinsville-Henry County,” says Giesler.
West Window has found a niche selling high quality, custom windows. It has been the company’s direction to serve the better home and apartment markets, schools, hospitals, businesses, churches and other projects requiring above average materials. West Window’s products are tested by an independent testing laboratory to ensure product quality and consistency.
“Because we still manufacture our windows in the United States, customers often have their windows within 2 weeks of placing an order,” explains Don Hodges, West Window’s President. “Quick turnaround and a high quality product is what differentiates us.”
Today, West Window Corporation specializes in custom manufacturing of aluminum and vinyl windows and doors, as well as a variety of other building products for both residential and commercial applications.
West customers – more than 1100 home improvement dealers, builders, home manufacturers, building supply companies and contractors – are in a nine-state territory extending from Delaware and Maryland in the Mid-Atlantic Region to Florida and Tennessee in the southeastern states.
“West Window Corporation has been successfully growing for 57 years. That’s quite an accomplishment,” states Mark Heath, President/CEO of the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation. “We hope to take their message to other companies looking to expand or relocate as an example of how business works in our region.”
The mission of the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation is to create new job opportunities and expand the tax base for the area. The organization strives to support and develop local industry, as well as market Martinsville-Henry County globally as an exceptional place to live, work and play.
The EDC is a public-private partnership between the City of Martinsville, Henry County, the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce, the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber’s Partnership for Economic Growth (C-PEG) and the Harvest Foundation of the Piedmont.
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