BUSINESS: CAPE ELECTRICAL OPENS NEW DISTRIBUTION CENTER

The existing location of Cape Electrical Supply is about to become a branch location.

Cape Electrical Supply will open a new primary location and distribution center early next month."We're expanding," said Bob Garrett, vice president of the company, which will open a new 41,000-square-foot facility near the intersection of Interstate 55 and Highway 74 Dec. 6. "This is a very significant step for Cape Electrical Supply Company and will allow us to better serve our customers and our regional network." Cape Electrical Supply, founded in 1953, has grown to locations in four states -- including the two locations in Cape Girardeau.

The company employs 90 people and operates stores in Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Poplar Bluff, West Plains, Park Hills, Arnold, Marion, Ill., Carbondale, Ill., Paducah, Ky., Murray, Ky., and Dyersburg, Tenn.

The newest location will be at 489 Kell Farm Drive in Cape Girardeau."Many people will know the building as the former home of Drury Industrial Supply, which has located to Route K," said Garrett. "We're in the process of making various renovations and changes to the building, and should be in place by Dec. 6."The new space will double the current Cape Electrical Supply facility at 325 Christine St.."The building will feature the area's largest inventory of electrical products and related material," said Garrett. "It will give us a full-service counter area, data and communications equipment store. It will serve as a state-of-the-art distribution facility and administrative offices for our company.""We've had tremendous support from our customers and employees over the years," said Allen Toole, president of the company. "I think we have the most knowledgeable, service-oriented and hardest working team around."Toole added that future plans call for a product training and demonstration center at the new facility. "This facility will allow our customers and employees to receive hands-on training in he Modicon automation products, data-comm/networking producing, lighting applications and all areas of electrical distribution."The present location on Christine Street will become a branch location with a full-service counter area, echoed Toole and Garrett. It will continue to feature the residential showroom, the Lighting Center."Cape Girardeau area customers can now choose between two convenient locations when they need Cape Electrical Supply," said Garrett.

Cape Electrical Supply, a full-line distributor of electrical products for industrial, commercial and residential use, entered the Tennessee market in 1998, when it acquired Arrow Wholesale Supply at Dyersburg. The company acquired its Carbondale, Ill., store the previous year when it purchased L.D. Supply Co. there. The company's western-most store was acquired in 1996, when Cape Electrical Supply acquired T-B-N Electrical supply of West Plains.