Morgantown expansion will add more space, jobs
By JOHN SERFUSTINI
Sun Advocate Reporter
Drivers passing through Helper along US-6 should note the steel skeleton of a tall new building going up on the southeast end of town. It is an expansion of Morgantown Machine and Hydraulics, a company that for years has been employing skilled machinists and mechanics to serve the needs of the coal mining industry.
According to Operations Manager Mark Harrington, the 14,500 square foot facility is going to provide space to handle the firm's expected growth in repair, rebuild and sales of mining equipment. The building needs lots of floor space because - and this is and understatement - the machines Morgantown works on are not toys. They have the bulk and power to rip tons of coal out of the earth, crush it for conveying to the surface, bore long bolts into layers of stone to support the mine roof and move a phalanx of heavy overhead shields that protect miners.
Harrington said the new building will free up some needed space in the existing facility for the clean, dust-free environment required for repair and rebuild of hydraulics.
Morgantown now employs about 40 full-time and temporary workers. Harrington said there will be room for 10 more when the building is completed by the end of September, with potential for hiring more as the need arises.
Aside from the prospect of boosting employment locally, the expansion will have some spinoff benefits for Helper City. Helper will provide the electricity, and the additional revenue for its electric department will help. The city has been working with Rocky Mountain Power to get upgraded lines and associated equipment installed.
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