| Offices : Beckley • Charleston • Fairmont • Martinsburg • Washington, DC | E-mail Senator Rockefeller |
September 8, 1999
ROCKEFELLER AND UNDERWOOD ANNOUNCE NEW COMPANY TO LOCATE IN WAYNE COUNTY
PRICHARD -- U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Governor Cecil Underwood were in Wayne County today to announce that Okuno International will be locating its new manufacturing operation at the Prichard Industrial Park. Initially providing 50 new jobs for the area, Okuno will manufacture hydraulic cylinders used in forklifts, farming equipment and industrial size trucks.
"Okuno is a welcome addition to the West Virginia business community,” said Rockefeller. ”This is a well-respected, family-owned company that represents West Virginia’s ability to attract Japanese investment. I am confident that our state’s dedicated workforce will be an asset to them.”
"Wayne County provides Okuno an ideal location from which to serve its customers in the heavy equipment and machining industries," said Gov. Underwood. "We welcome this investment by the newest Japanese company to discover the advantages of doing business in West Virginia."
Rockefeller met with Mrs. Masayo Okuno, President of Okuno, and her son Mr. Shinichiro Okuno, Vice President, as well as other company representatives in May to discuss the possibility of locating their new facility in West Virginia. Okuno was introduced to the West Virginia-Japan Office by Mr. Kazuyo Katoh, President of K.S. of West Virginia.
Rockefeller continued, “During the meeting in May, I learned from Mrs. Okuno, who is one of the most respected business leaders in Japan, that values such as loyalty and respect are paramount to her company’s philosophy. Through our discussions, I think we both agreed that their values make West Virgnia a perfect place for them to do business. Okuno’s philosophy is clearly something West Virginia can be proud of.”
Underwood continued, "The West Virginia Japan Office worked with company officials as they evaluated sites for Okuno's first U.S. manufacturing facility. I commend Ken Crockett, director of the Nagoya office, for his efforts to assist the company and I thank Senator Rockefeller for his continued commitment in our efforts to attract international investments to West Virginia."
Okuno will be located at the Prichard Industrial Park, occupying a shell building. Its estimated investment in West Virginia is $4.1 million, providing 50 jobs at the onset and an additional 50 as production reaches full capacity. Production is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2000. Its main confirmed United States customer is Toyota Industrial Equipment in Columbus, Indiana.
A small company located in Kariya, Japan, Okuno has 50 years of manufacturing experience. Major customers in Japan include Toyota Automated Loom, Mitsubishi, Aisin, and Komatsu. Annual sales in Japan were $29 million in 1998.
E-mail Senator Rockefeller | Click here for more contact information.