Newspapers / Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald (Ahoskie, N.C.) / April 29, 1965, edition 1 / Page 6
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The New Lucas Machine Works Plant Adds To The Services Of The Roanoke-Chowan George A. Lucas Is The Founder AHOSKIE - George A. Lucas has come a long way since he was born In Canton, Ohio. His parents moved to RoanokeRapldswhenhe was small and he went through his school years there. During his years as a member of a ground crew with the Air Force In World War 11 he went to France, England, Belgium, Holland and Germany. In 1946 he was discharged and went to a Chicago machinists school for four years. Then he returned home and worked at Weldon Machine Works for ten years. In June of 1959 he moved to Ahoskle to establish his own business. He rented a small sheet metal building onSouthCatherine Street where he built the founda tions for his machine works with experienced and progressive methods. He started with two other em ployees and the business, known as Lucas Machine Works, now has seven. Although most of his custom ers come from the Roanoke-Cho wan counties of Northampton, Bertie, Hertford and Gates, he has done work from as far away as Hutchinson, Kansas. The cus tomer was Alrco Industrial and the order was for machined alu minum stops. For the past several years, the company has added to its serv ices by constructing numerous metal truck bodies and trailers for heavy hauling. Its mobile electric arc welding units allow them to make repairs to trucks and farm machinery on the spot where the breakdown occurs. Another line of work is the construction of tanks for the holding and hauling of fuels and other liquids. In 1964 Lucas decided that he needed more room for working space and additional room for future expansion. He felt that the Increasing needs of equipment companies and industries, as well as the increasing amount of farm machines in the area, warranted an investment in 'an expanded business. The result of his planning is a new 5,250 square foot building on U. S. South of Ahoskie that adds to the growth of services in the Roanoke-Chowan area. Lucas' wife Louise Hinson, who was born and reared in Roanoke Rapids, has served as bookkeep er for the business since its founding. They have two girls, Cynthia and Angela, who are students at Ahoskie High School. George Lucas attributes the growth and success of his busi ness to the support and help of his customers. Because of the happy relationship that he has been able to build with them, he expects the business to continue to expand. New Plant Uses Modern Features '—r*" if ,.I'f T.U'. ■ a'l mM New Home Of Luc aS Machine Works 'Sf-W- i«rM '•'.aa&sffc, •- The new brick veneer building on U.S. 13 South of Ahoskie is one of the finest additions to the Roa noke - Chowan’s service busi nesses in several years. It occupies a lot 100 front feet by 150 feet deep and the building is 50 feet by 105 feet. The 5,250 square foot building has a front office, a storage room, a large machine room with room for the addition of six or seven new machines, and a repair room in the rear that will accommo date full length tractors and trailers. The building has a high clear ance and uses a steel truss sys tem to hold its oval roof. The construction was done by contractor D. J. Tinkham, with a carrier hot air heating system by White and Woodley Mechanical Contractors and electrical fix tures and lamps from Electrical Equipment Company of Raleigh. A two-ton hoise is mounted on a trolley frame that travels to any part of the working rooms of the plant. It was supplied by Dillon Supply Company of Rocky Mount. The plant has 16 mercury vapor lamps in the machine room that create a daylight impression. Drills, milling machines, gear cutters and lathes are set in the machine room so that there is ample work room at each ma chine. A low block wall separates the repair and welding room from the rest of the building. The full- height overhead doors allow the repair crews to work on full length trailer rigs on the inside of the building. The new building is six times larger than the first location of the company. It should provide for ample room for expansion for many years to come. it' GEORGE A. LUCAS is the owner-operator of Lucas Machine Works of Ahoskie. He set up his business on South Catherine St. in 1959 with two employees and the firm has expanded until it has seven employees. uiiiilMTII LUCAS MACHINE WORKS in moving to their new location from The Henry Walke Company 1161 Ingleside Road Norfolk, Virginia Phone Norfolk — 855-1071 Area Code: 703 THE NEW HOME OF LUCAS MACHINE WORKS ON U.S. 13 SOUTH OF AHOSKIE TONY O’MEFY of Ahoskie is shown preparing a mobile welding unit for use. The Lucas Company has two similar units that are used for on the spot repairs and to allow the shop to work on four welding jobs at the same time. Tony came to Ahoskie from Greenville. He works at welding and general repair work. His daughters are named Theresa and Beverly Ann and are two years and nine months old. Congratulation & Best Wishes FROM YOUR Linde, Lincoln Welding Supply Distributors SEABOARD OXYGEN SERVICE, INC. PHONE SW 3-2177 PLYMOUTH, N. C. ALUMINUM SIDING NEW YORK lUPD-Alumi- num siding is expected to con- ■■'sumd'*'230 million pounds of aluminum in 1965 and as much as 320 million pounds annually by 1970, it was predicted re cently by A. H. Williams, speak ing for The Aluminum Associa tion. Williams, chairman of the Association’s Architectural Alu minum and Building Products Committee, said population in creases 'Will mean more space requirements, more rooms and more housing. He said new home starts should reach 1,975,- 000 by 1970, compared to the 1,500,000 predicted for 1965. Williams said the average new home in 1964 used 282 pounds of aluminum, compared to only 80 pounds in 1955. "We believe the total market for aluminum siding can be expanded greatly this year." he said. LOUISE HINSON LUCAS aotF as the bookkeeper for the machine works and also hold.s down the homemaker’s job for the Lucas family. Born, reared, schooled and married in Roanoke Rapids, she came to Ahoskie with her husband, George, in 1959. She lists reading as her pastime and is an active Sunday school teacher at the First Baptist Church. Your Home Newspapers Support PROGRESS in the Roanoke- Chowan Area Service Industries add to our Economic Development Congrotulations to LUCAS Machine Works • The HERALD • The INDEX • The TIMES NEWS • The LEDGER- ADVANCE • The Roanoke-Chowan NEWS-HERALD If 1i « ■| ' "I li * •a* LUCAS Machine Works We are fully equipped in our new shop to do . . . I General Machine Work 9 Welding Lathe Work Milling Form Equip.ment Construction PRECISION EXPERIENCE Shaping Truck and Trailer Bodies Make and Repair Liquid Tanks DEPENDABILITY ON HIGHWAY U.S. 13 SOUTH OF AHOSKIE
Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald (Ahoskie, N.C.)
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April 29, 1965, edition 1
6
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