TOWBOAT COMPANY OPEN HOUSE SET

Marine Equipment Towing Corp., METCO, will hold an open house Friday at its offices at 2097 Corporate Circle, next to Dana Corp.

The public is invited between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.

METCO was established in 1991, and moved to its new building in October.

The Cape Girardeau-based company runs a fleet of 20 towboats. Fifteen towboats are headquartered in Cape Girardeau, and five operate out of the company's branch office in New Orleans. The towboats transport coal, wood chips, grain and other products.

The company employs about 300 people.

Harold Dodd is vice president of boat operations.

The open house will provide an opportunity to show off the new building, which includes living quarters for out-of-town crew members, and its new deckhand training school.

Towboat cooks have a reputation of being some of the best chefs around. One of the company's cooks, who is also a gourmet chef, will be preparing hors d'oeuvres and an ice sculpture for the open house.

For more information contact METCO at 334-8212.