East Tech Company Inc. will more than triple its employees and manufacturing space through an expansion planned this year at Hamilton County’s Centre South Riverport Industrial Park in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Roger Layne, president and CEO of East Tech, announced plans to purchase over four-and-a-half acres in the park for construction of a 30,225 square foot manufacturing facility. Layne says the company has a workforce of 13 and he expects the number of employees to increase to 53 within five years. The expansion represents an investment of $415,000 for the property, plus $1.6 million for the building and equipping the new facility, according to Layne.

East Tech’s principal products are custom components for hydro-electric and nuclear power plants, the asphalt paving industry and the automobile industry. East Tech also provides services for engineering and research and development projects.

When Layne established East Tech in 2004, the company was operating out of one-half of a 10,000 square foot building on South Creek Road and had eight employees. The company has grown so dramatically that East Tech sales for 2005 are $1.9 million, more than double the first year’s sales of $920,000.

"We attribute our tremendous growth to great customers, great employees, great vendors and continuous reinvestment of profits back into the company," Layne said. "Our employees have a true team effort and each employee has improved significantly. That is due in part to our continuous training and to the outstanding work of our plant manager, Archie Layne."

Layne also pointed out that new specialized equipment added in 2005 opened markets that East Tech previously couldn’t pursue. "Adding the Engineering Department, headed by Brett Webber, has significantly improved customer relations and efficiency," Layne went on. "The transfer of electronic drawing files and Cam Link software make it easier for our customers to do business with us."

Layne said East Tech sales are projected to increase significantly in 2006. The increase makes a larger facility, more equipment and additional employees necessary to meet the demand in 2006 alone.

"The new facility will allow us to grow immediately, with additional acreage to expand in three years," Layne said, noting that an East Tech Phase Two expansion of 33,000 square feet is projected in 2009.

The new East Tech facility will be located on the lot at the intersection of Amnicola Highway and River Terminal Road, across from the Post Office.