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1992-05-11
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Supra Corp Announces:
Growing High-Tech Company
Celebrates Grand Opening
in New Business Park
July 26, 1991
Albany, OR - Supra Corporation, a manufacturer of personal computer
accessories sold thoughout North America and Europe, will celebrate the
Grand Opening of its new manufacturing facility Thursday, August 1. The
public is invited to attend the event at 9:30 a.m. at Supra Corporation
Corporate Headquarters, 7101 Supra Drive S.W., Albany (across Allen Lane from
Linn-Benton Community College).
The Grand Opening will include speakers; building tours; product displays;
exhibits; demonstrations of Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Desktop Publishing,
and Supra's manufacturing processes; and refreshments. In addition to the
public, those attending will include local and state government officials,
national and international customers, and national computer press
representatives.
Supra manufactures computer peripherals - hardware product that expand the
capabilities of personal computers. Approximately half of Supra's product
line is hard disk systems, memory expansion boards, and similar products for
Commodore-Amiga computers. (Supra is one of the largest manufacturers of
third-party add-ons for the Amiga computer.) The other half is a complete
line of fax and data modems for use with virtually any computer, most of
which are sold into the IBM and Macintosh personal computer markets. Some of
the reasons customers buy from Supra are competitive pricing, solid design
and craftsmanship, friendly customer service, and same-day shipping on most
orders.
Most of Supra's sales are through a large established dealer and distributor
network throughout North America and Europe. Supra also handles a certain
amount of direct sales to large customers such as Hewlett-Packard, United
Airlines, Cigna Insurance, and the Army Air Force Exchange System (base
PX's). Supra sells approximately 65% domestically, with the remaining sales
exported to Europe (24%), Canada (11%), and Asia (1%). Supra's sales are
primarily through telephone contact and trade shows (10 to 20 per year),
augmented by visits to larger customers.
The new building allows the company to continue the steady growth it has
experienced since being founded in 1985. Supra Corporation owners John Wiley,
President, and Alan Ackerman, Vice President - both 28-year-old Albany
natives - founded the company with 6 employees. Since then, Supra has grown
to approximately 50 employees and sales of $15 million per year. In 1990,
Supra opened a subsidiary in Cologne, Germany, to better serve their
European customers. Future growth expectations include continually increasing
sales and increased need for additional employees, especially in technical
positions.
The $1.5 million, 25,000 square foot Corporate Headquarters building sits on
5 acres south of Albany, close to I-5 and Highway 34. The building features
a glass atrium entryway; research & development, office, manufacturing, and
warehouse space; and an on-site day care center. The building site is the
first development in a 155-acre industrial park planned by the City of Albany
and the Albany-Millersburg Economic Development Commission (AMEDC), who were
actively involved in attracting Supra to the site. It is also within the
Albany Renewal Agency (ARA) and Enterprise Zones, making Supra and future
park occupants eligible for substantial property tax savings and other
benefits.
The City of Albany and ARA were fundamental in making the move possible. The
City extended sewer and water service to the site from its previous location
along Highway 99, built the access road to the proposed business park (Supra
Drive) and helped facilitate approvals and permits for the project. Without
the city's help, Supra would have had to build elsewhere, possibly outside
of the Albany/Corvallis area.
One of the benefits to employees is the building's central location, providing
reasonable commutes for employees from Corvallis, Albany, Lebanon, Sweet Home,
Philomath, Eugene, Salem, and Portland. (Supra presently has 3 employees
who commute to Albany from Portland.) Because of the building's proximity to
Linn-Benton Community College, employees can also take advantage of easy
access to continuing education opportunities.
Among its many employee benefits, Supra offers employees reimbursement for
education expenses, monthly profit sharing (10% of monthly profits are
divided among employes), lockers and showers for employees who choose to
exercise before or after work or at lunch time, and an on-site day care
center for 10-12 children. When the daycare center is not full with
employees' children, spaces will be available to other children in the
community.