Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Company Specializes In Design

Catering to the needs of local business and industry is the primary focus of Designed Automation.

The company has been in the Clark County Industrial Park since 1992, and specializes in lumber handling equipment other manufactures can't or don't make.

However, Designed Automation, according to vice president Randy Childs, also works with Clark County, Scroll Technologies, Reynolds Metals, Petit Jean Poultry, Hot Metal Molding and other companies. He told this to members of the Clark County Industrial Commission at its regular meeting in May.

The company specializes in the design and fabrication of sawmill and lumber equipment, but can assist in the design of other equipment, and help build it.

Childs said Designed Automation works to help companies, but doesn't want to see anyone lose their job because of the equipment it builds. Instead, he said, Designed Automation works to make business more efficient.

The company does custom work, primarily in the design end, and has a special niche in the business world.

Childs said many companies look for ways to move personnel around to help avoid the possibility of their being injured. Insurance and Worker's Comp are expensive, he said.

With the equipment Design Automation makes for companies, management is more free to move people out of potentially dangerous situations and make everyone more productive.

In other news to the CCIC members, Charles Summerford, project engineer for the access road to the I-30 satellite park, working conditions have been ideal and progress is being made.

All the dirt has been moved, with the tops being subgraded and culverts installed. Top soil is being moved back on the slopes to reestablish the soil and prevent erosion.

The base should be done soon, with the asphalt to be put down when the base work is completed.

Mike McFarland said the existing industries committee recently sponsored a seminar on modern supervision techniques.

He said 22 attended the seminar, held at no cost, with a survey and evaluation of the information given done at the end. According to the survey, McFarland said, the seminar got good ratings and was well received.

Al Lynch had a different message for the assembly. He said there are those in the area wanting to overturn Arkadelphia's form of city government. This would take if from a city manager form to a mayor-council form of government.

Petitions, he said, have been circulated in the issue as well.

But, Lynch pointed out, some of those circulating petitions and wanting to change the form of government have vested interest.

Many own rental property, and disagree with the regulations currently existing on putting mobile homes in, preferring the way it was before the March 1, 1997, tornado.

In one instance, he said, a person wanting the change doesn't even live inside the Arkadelphia city limits.

"A lot of people are unsatisfied with the way things are being done," he said, "and some have legitimate gripes. But changing government is not the way to make changes."

The complainers, he pointed out, are no shows at council meetings and are not members of any committees for rebuilding the city following the twisters.

According to Lynch, people from across the nation have came to Arkadelphia to see how such a small city operates so efficiently with so little capital.

He pointed out Arkadelphia has a great fire department for a city of its size, and one of the best solid waste departments in the state, along with a top notch water and sewer system and a good street department.

Arkadelphia, Lynch said, has one of the lowest crime rates in the Southern U.S.

He said the building standards used in rebuilding are important. A lot of the city's success is due to the way the current government operates.

He suggested the CCIC support the city's government, which is also working to bring industry into the county.