 |
July 25, 2005 CST/berger showcases new Purdue Research Park corporate officeWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – CST/berger, a division of Stanley Works, moved its corporate office from Watseka, Ill., to West Lafayette, Ind., to take advantage of the growing entrepreneurial climate made possible by Purdue University, Purdue Research Foundation and the neighboring cities of Lafayette and West Lafayette.
An open house today (July 25) at Purdue Research Park’s Vistech 1 building, where CST/berger is leasing 6,500 square feet of space from Research Properties LLC, featured several speakers, including David White, vice president CST/berger; Martin C. Jischke, president, Purdue University; Joseph B. Hornett, senior vice president and treasurer, Purdue Research Foundation; Mark Gordon, director of marketing, CST/berger; Willela Burgess, managing director of Purdue's Discovery Learning Center at Discovery Park and the Interns for Indiana Program; and Ted Hingst, co-owner, Research Properties LLC. The company, which designs and manufactures equipment for surveyors, contractors and engineers, relocated its corporate office – responsible for computer graphics, marketing and sales – while keeping its manufacturing facility and customer service center in Watseka, Ill., about 60 miles northwest of West Lafayette. CST/Berger is Stanley Works' fastest growing division. "CST/berger’s growth objectives necessitated an infusion of new talent," said Ash Puri, CST/berger's President and CEO. "Purdue University and Lafayette/West Lafayette will be key components to CST/berger's success, whether through new technological advances that Purdue-related talent helps us to create or the recruitment of superior people who will be attracted to the quality of life and options available in this community." Since the company settled in last month, its corporate office staff has grown from 15 to 25 employees, with more than 50 percent of the new employees recruited from the surrounding area and the rest of the staff composed of employees who relocated from Illinois. The West Lafayette office is expected to grow to 35 personnel, with additional hires in the areas of finance and marketing. Eventually, the company plans to expand its engineering department, where future staffers would be utilized by other Stanley divisions in addition to CST/berger. David White, CST/berger's vice president, said, "The benefits now available to Purdue Research Park-based companies, especially the opportunities to network with and tap into some of the area's brightest minds, were a huge draw." The company is participating in the Lilly Endowment Interns for Indiana Program, in which a $3.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. allows students to receive a $5,000 stipend for completing 10-week, 40 hours per week internships at companies in Indianapolis and at the Purdue Research Park. The program is administered through Purdue's Discovery Learning Center at Discovery Park. "Purdue’s strengths in engineering, computer graphics and advanced manufacturing are the perfect combination to assist growing companies like CST/berger," said Joseph B. Hornett, senior vice president, treasurer and COO, of the Purdue Research Foundation, the organization responsible for developing the Purdue Research Park and providing business development services to park companies. "Also, we aren’t surprised that word of Purdue Research Park's entrepreneurial success is spreading to our neighboring states." Vistech 1, the research park's first privately owned, high-tech, multi-tenant facility, is located at 1435 Win Hentschel Blvd. About CST/berger CST/berger is the world's leading manufacturer of quality surveying, construction equipment and supplies. Vertically integrated with more than 300 employees in five plants worldwide, CST/berger offers its customers a diverse range of more than 1,000 products. About Purdue Research Park Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, Ind., is home to the largest concentration of high-tech ventures in the state, including an award-winning business incubation complex. It's the state's first certified tech park and was named one of Indiana’s top 25 Keepers (Inside Indiana Business with Gerry Dick and Indy Men's Magazine, 2005) and top research park in the country (Association of University Research Parks, 2004). Contact: Jeanine Phipps, senior marketing and communications specialist, Purdue University/Purdue Research Foundation, (765) 494-0748 (office), (765) 409-2745 (mobile); jeanine@purdue.edu
PHOTO CAPTION: |
