STRICTLY BUSINESS: TG (U.S.A.) A GROWING COMPANY, WILL DOUBLE FACILITY

When TG (U.S.A.) Corp. opened for business in Perryville Industrial Park more than seven years ago, it produced plastic transmission gears for Ford Motor Co. and steering wheels for Chrysler Corp. The company and its small group of 27 workers operated out of a 48,000-square-foot building.

That was in February 1987.

Today, TG (U.S.A.) works out of more than 200,000 square feet of space, and more than 650 employees produce hundreds of auto parts, including steering wheels, air-bag covers, speaker covers, auto side moldings and lots of little knobs and plastic covers.

The company makes parts for most auto manufacturing companies, including Toyota, Mazda, and the Big Three: Ford, GMC-Chevrolet and Chrysler.

The company, a subsidiary of the Toyota Motor group formed to produce parts for the automotive industry in the U.S., has announced plans to double the size of its facility at Perryville Industrial Park. That means TG (U.S.A.) will be working in 400,000 square feet of space.

"The plans call for a new 200,000-square-foot building," said David S. Lynn of the company's public relations department.

That doesn't mean the future work force will double. Instead, the company is thinking in terms of another 300 employees.

Workers at the plant observe a Japanese custom of exercising as a group before starting work each day.

TG (U.S.A.) was formed by Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd., a part of the Toyota Group and Mitsui and Company, a leading trading company in Japan. TG (U.S.A.) was founded in April 1986, and in May 1987 the first Japanese-owned automotive plant opened at Perryville.

Toyoda Gosei started in Japan in 1949 as Nogoya Rubber Co. Ltd., which produced rubber parts for automobiles. In 1973, the company changed its name to Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd.

The Mitsui Co. was founded more than 100 years ago, in 1876, and has offices throughout the world.

TG (U.S.A.) selected Perryville as the site for its first manufacturing facility after several visits to Missouri and other states. Glenn Graham is plant manager at Perryville.

Graham was the first American to be hired by Toyoda Gosei, when he became a part of the management team of TG (U.S.A.), during formation of the company. He helped oversee construction of the first plant. After joining TG (U.S.A.) he spent considerable time in Japan becoming familiar with Toyoda Gosei and its production and management systems.

Kunihiko Nakashima of Japan is president of the TG (U.S.A.) Corp., and is in charge of the Perryville plant. Other executives include Norio Jorgan and Akitoshi Ishibashi, executive vice presidents at the Perryville plant.

The new Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems Center, which opened recently, held its official ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday.

The center serves as the SWBMS regional office for all of Southeast Missouri and features the latest in cellular communications products.

"This new facility not only represents the tremendous growth we have enjoyed throughout the area, but serves as a sign of our continued commitment to the entire region," said Frank Boyer, vice president and general manager of SWBMS.

The 4,600-square-foot facility, in front of St. Francis Medical Center and across the street from West Park Mall, includes a large showroom, private meeting room, installation bays and service department. A van providing on-site installations operates from the facility.

Jill Smirl is manager of the center, which employs 14 people and expects to add more soon.

"The growth in the cellular industry indicates the need for a facility of this type," said Smirl. "Not only are we more accessible for new customers, but we're also in a better position to serve our current customers faster and more efficiently."

In addition to enhancing its service within Cape Girardeau, Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems has expanded coverage into the Bootheel.

Mobile Systems provides continuous cellular coverage along Interstate 55 from St. Louis through Perryville, Ste. Genevieve and Cape Girardeau, to the Arkansas border.

The Missouri manufacturing scene has a healthy glow.

The number of Missouri plants increased by 12.3 percent during the past 12 months.

The state gained 1,438 plants and lost 357 to mergers, movement out of state and closings, realizing a net gain of 1,081 plants. It brought the 1995 grand total of Missouri manufacturing facilities to 9,813.

Two Cape Girardeau County cities shared in the good news revealed in the 1995 edition of the Missouri Manufacturers Register.

Cape Girardeau ranked 12th in number of manufacturing facilities in the state and 13th in number of manufacturing jobs. The city had 95 facilities in the new publication, up 10 from last year.

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce profile publication lists more than 5,600 manufacturing jobs.

Jackson, ranked 25th in manufacturing jobs in the state, more than doubled its manufacturing employment over the past year, from 1,328 in 1994 to 3,234 in 1995. Much of this can be attributed to an expansion at Lee Rowan Co. Inc.

Although Missouri had a net gain of 1,081 manufacturing plants, total employment fell, from 469,956 jobs in 1994 to 468,449 in the 1995 report.

Small manufacturing plants with fewer workers are supporting Missouri manufacturing and keeping it healthy, said Howard S. Dubin, president of Manufacturers' News Inc. at Evanston, Ill., which publishes the Missouri edition.

"Manufacturers all over the state are opening small plants that require smaller, more specialized work forces," said Dubin. "These plants are flexible and can shift products and schedules quickly. They have fewer layers of management and can hire better quality workers because their size lets them be more selective."

St. Louis is the state's largest industrial city with 2,141 plants, a gain of 110 from last year. Actually the city gained 214 new plants but lost 104. Second-ranked Kansas City, with 915 plants, gained 135 but lost 45 for a net gain of 90, and Springfield, ranked third statewide with 392 plants, gained 68 and lost 14 for a total increase of 54.

Rounding out the top five manufacturing cities are Fenton, with 166 plants, an increase of 16 from a year ago, and Joplin, at 161 plants, up 25 over last year.

Printing and publishing firms comprise the largest industrial group in Missouri, according to the 1995 register, with 1,702 such businesses statewide, or 15.1 percent of the state total. Industrial machinery and equipment ranks second, with 1,253 plants, accounting for 11.3 percent of all manufacturers. Completing the top five are metal fabricating, with 945 plants; the food industry, with 707 plants; and lumber and wood products plants, with 672 plants.

Detailed profiles of all 9,813 Missouri manufacturing plants appear in the 1995 register. The profiles include manufacturers' names, products, telephone and FAX numbers, area of distribution, annual sales, year founded, and names and titles of executives.

Total building and construction activity is up in Cape Girardeau.

Through August a total of 456 permits were issued by the Cape Girardeau Inspection Service.

That translates into a busy year here, said Rick Murray, building inspector and supervisor of Cape Girardeau Inspection Service. It also translates into hundreds of inspections.

"We're up more than 100 permits over this time a year ago," said Murray.

Permits are issued for all new constructions, renovations, signs, demolition of buildings, carports, decks, swimming pools and more.

On some projects as many as 50 on-site inspections are required from start to finish.

"These include inspections for footings, plumbing, electrical, sewers, water, mechanical (gas lines and venting), and more," said Murray. "We conducted more than 3,500 inspections through August."

A total of 4,600 inspections were conducted last year.

The biggest permit construction category to date is residential housing, where 85 permits have been issued at a total valuation of $11,027,902. The dollar figure was slightly higher after the first eight months in 1993, but only 64 permits had been issued through August last year.

City building permits through August totaled $20.9 million, compared to the $26.8 million during the same period a year ago.

City building permits for more than $33.1 million were issued in 1993, the second highest year ever. The biggest year was 1992, when permits were issued for more than $47 million in construction.

Input is wanted by the Cape Girardeau Board of Examiners concerning examination requirements for the licensing of electricians and construction contractors.

Under the current ordinance all plumbers, mechanical installers and drainlayers must provide proof of experience and pass an examination before they can be licensed in Cape Girardeau.

The Board of Examiners is considering the same requirement for electricians and construction contractors. A public hearing will be held Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. at City Hall to discuss the Trades Licensing Ordinance and possible changes.

Pizza Inn held a pizza-cutting ceremony in Cape Girardeau last week.

On hand for the Pizza Inn opening were Bob Drury of Drury Southwest, franchisee for the Pizza Inn in the 3300 block of Gordonville Road; Mike Jansen, a vice president of Drury Southwest and project manager for the new business; and Mike McGee of Dallas, Texas, director of training and new stores for Pizza Inn.

Pizza Inn has opened 65 restaurants this year. The company has 435 stores in the U.S. and abroad.

Mike Brant is manager of the restaurant and Allen Bruns is assistant manager. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays.

Office 1 Superstore, retailer of office products, furniture, computers and electronics, will open in Cape Girardeau Wednesday.

The 12,000-square-foot store will offer about 7,000 products.

Store hours will be 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays.

The Chicago-based Office 1 Superstore was created in 1991, and has stores sprinkled throughout a nine-state area.

The company's mission, said Greg Jones, president of the company, is to become the primary provider of office products in our markets."

Dan Dickey is Cape Girardeau's store president.