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.