MAGNETICS FIRM LOOKS TO NEW LOCATION; FIRST OCCUPANT IN NEW DEVELOPMENT

A local manufacturer is relocating to a 28,000-square-foot plant being built on a 2.5 acre parcel in a new industrial park on the south side of the city.

Magnetic Collectibles will double its capacity with the new facility, to be located in the West End Industrial Park, a new development going in east of Shawnee Park.

"We are having a 100 by 280 foot, pre-engineered steel building constructed," said Magnetic Collectibles general manager Carroll Wills of Millersville. "The building should be completed the first part of November. It will face South West End Boulevard, not far from Faust Machine Shop."

The company's current production facility at Good Hope and Ellis streets will be sold. The 10,000-square-foot building was purchased from Harry Naeter six years ago.

Magnetic Collectibles designs and produces small, decorative magnetic items than can be used as holders on household appliances such as refrigerators. The products are molded to three dimensional designs and are painted with two or three colors.

Many of them are used as mementos or souvenirs. One of its most popular lines is a set of magnets for each of the 50 states. A display board is available for serious collectors. The company produced a likeness of Pope John Paul II as a memento of his visit to the U.S. four years ago.

"We are the number one producer in the U.S.," Wills said. "The next two competitors are half the size of Magnetic Collectibles." The company will manufacture an estimated 9 million pieces for world-wide distribution this year.

The firm now employs 75 workers and expects to have up to 100 a year from now.

"We searched various sites in the area for the new building," Wills said. "We wanted to remain in Cape Girardeau. And many of our employees live close to this site."

Its office is located at 107 S. Broadview. The new building will allow the office and the production areas to consolidate. The company sells through its own sales people and through manufacturers representatives.

Roger and Nadine Mainor of Cape Girardeau own the business. The two entrepreneurs started the company in 1974 in Pittsburgh, Penn. They relocated here in 1980.

The West End Industrial Park is an 18-acre site east of South West End Boulevard and north of the Pinewood Mobile Home Park. K and B Development Co. is developing the property.

"The lots are three-fourths of an acre and on up in size," said spokesman Joe Gilmore. "We have 13 lots available. And we are putting in a 40-foot wide street."

Magnetic Collectibles is the first occupant of the development. Dumey Excavation Co. of Oran is general contractor for the new factory. It will occupy a Star-H.H. Robinson pre-engineered, metal building being erected. The company started pouring footings last week.

"Phase I of the project has five lots available," Gilmore said. "Later on, eight lots will be available under Phase II."

The company had the property rezoned from C-3 to M-1 to allow manufacturers to operate there. The city approved its development plan last week, Gilmore said.

He said the property is located in an enterprise zone, which allows tax relief to new or expanding businesses that locate there.