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World Class Technology on the move |
Published: March 19, 2005
By YVETTE SAARINEN
Of the News-Register
The father and son duo of Klaus and Rolf Hagelganz are renovating their
building at 1300 Alpha Drive in McMinnville to reflect the name of
their company, World Class Technology.
They bought the 54,400-square-foot building, former home of
International Knife and Saw, from McMinnville businessman Pat West for
$1.65 million. They are spending another $900,000 on renovations being
undertaken by Haworth Construction of McMinnville.
Rolf Hagelganz said World Class intends to raise the bar on
manufacturing facilities. "We don't find a reason why manufacturing has
to be in a dingy shop," he said.
His father said they want their customers, many from international, multi-million-dollar operations, to feel at home.
The building is immaculate.
The quarters feature granite window sills and countertops,
hand-textured walls and elegant carpeting and furnishings. They also
feature freehand artwork by Kara Richardson, a Lake Oswego artist, and
various artworks selected by Rolf's wife, Jackie.
The executive meeting room features a curved ceiling and woodwork
installed by Rolf, a former contractor. The 10-foot curved meeting
table is topped with granite.
A huge audio/visual screen is flanked by pillars. The room is wired to
accommodate almost any kind of technological device a visitor might
want to use.
Each office features its own programmable lighting, sound, heating and
air conditioning systems, and the building's security system is fully
integrated.
World Class Technology has been leading the way in cutting-edge design
of orthodontic manufacturing since the elder Hagelganz launched the
business in 1991 in California. The product line includes nickel-free,
stainless-steel brackets, dental archwires and dental instruments and
tools, all marketed internationally.
After completing an apprenticeship in Argentina in 1961, Klaus worked
by turns for Ferrometal and Caco Pacific in California, then Kaddee
Metals in Medford. He launched Ferrous Technology Corp. in 1970 and
sold it six years later to Multimetals of Louisville, Ky.
Three years after founding World Class Technology, he moved the
business to McMinnville. He started in a garage, then moved it into the
former Hayes Axle Building in Bunn's Village.
Rolf left his contracting business to join the company in 1999.
World Class Technology won an award of distinction from the Metal
Powders Industries Federation in June in the metal injection molding
category. The award recognized "outstanding application of powder
metallurgy."
This year, the company projects sales in the area of $5 million. And it hopes to double that next year.
World Class has spent years refining its techniques in order to combine
uncompromising quality, high yields and great cost efficiency, Rolf
said. Using state of the art equipment, its specialties include metal
injection molding and coining, carried out by a team of highly trained
metallurgist technicians.
Management includes Stephen Huff, executive vice president, and Don Thomas, vice president of tooling.
The company has a workforce of 35 full-time employees and seven part-time. That could grow to 50 to 60 next year, Rolf said.
World Class Technology is constantly developing new products. Among
them is a new orthodontist's chair equipped with a camera system allow
seminars to be conducted online. A patent is pending.
World Class Technology is subleasing space to Mark Booth and his
company, North Valley Knife & Saw, an evolution of West's BanCarb
Saw.
North Valley is in the process of building a 3,700-square-foot facility
of its own on 1.25 acres purchased from Mid-Valley Rehabilitation.
Located at 1761 N.E. Miller St., the lot is large enough to accommodate
future buildings for tenants, Booth said.
North Valley services everything from personal saws to 48-inch
industrial models used in the timber industry. The customer mix
includes secondary wood products companies like pallet and cabinet
makers, as well as individuals.
J&J Builders is the contractor on the project, with completion
expected by the end of April. World Class Technology expects to expand
into the space beging freed by North Valley.
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