A team of six managers has purchased the assets of Moore DP LLC's Underground Construction Products group.
Sherri Simpson, Mark Stuhlreyer, George Zagorski, Ken Flammang, Bob DeMuth and Bo Vogt are the new managers of Blue Diamond Industries LLC.
Lexington, Ky.-based Moore closed in April, citing economic conditions. It had plants in Middlesboro, Ky., and El Reno, Okla. Blue Diamond, also based in Lexington, is continuing operations at the high density polyethylene pipe extrusion site in Middlesboro.
Moore primarily served the telecommunications market, making HDPE inner duct and conduit, branded as Blue Diamond. In 2003, the firm announced its involvement in what was hailed as the largest fiber-to-the-home housing development in North America, in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
The telecommunications market has been a frail sector during the past several years. The conduit market went from 550 million pounds in 1997 to roughly 150 million pounds in early 2003, according to industry sources. Many firms that produced conduit began turning to the more-stable water market, where performance is tied to housing starts.
Officials said Blue Diamond began producing within five days of signing the final agreement April 28 and moved into new corporate offices in May. About 50 employees will produce conduit for telecommunications, power and cable television industries. The firm also can produce industrial and water pressure pipe, and small-diameter gas-distribution pipe.
``We always liked our customers and markets, and we think we can be successful and profitable going forward,'' said Zagorski, who is a vice president. ``The telecomm market may take a long time to get back to the days of 2000. [But] we think the market has stabilized. We think it will have reasonable growth.''
He said the firm will look for more opportunities to expand.
``We could move toward infrastructure markets and construction areas,'' he said June 10 by phone. ``We have a lot of opportunities and a lot of expertise.''
