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2019 SESSION

19105987D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 994
Offered February 14, 2019
Commending West Engineering Company.
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Patrons-- Fowler; Senator: McDougle
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WHEREAS, West Engineering Company, which produces special and custom machinery in Ashland, celebrates 100 years of service to its customers in 2019; and

WHEREAS, Edward E. West, Sr., the founder of West Engineering Company, graduated from Virginia Mechanics Institute and was an apprentice machinist at Tredegar Iron Works before founding West Engineering in a garage behind his home on Fourth Avenue in Richmond in 1919; and

WHEREAS, in the early years, West Engineering Company focused on designing and building equipment that manufactured cloth drawstring bags for companies such as Chase Bag Company; Edward E. West, Sr., was a prolific inventor with 20 patents related to these machines; and

WHEREAS, in the 1920s, West Engineering Company moved to a dedicated manufacturing facility in Henrico County; the facility initially had a dirt floor and the lathes and milling machines were powered from a central motor connected via an overhead belt and pulley system; and

WHEREAS, in 1956, Edward E. West, Sr., stepped down from his leadership role at West Engineering Company, which was subsequently led by his sons Edward E. West, Jr., David L. West, and Stephen N. West; the company continued to expand and manufacture equipment for numerous industries relating to consumer goods, ship building, printing presses, nylon fiber, advanced fiber, filter tow, fiber optic cable, power generation, and more; and

WHEREAS, by 1964, West Engineering Company employed over 120 machinists, welders, and engineers; and

WHEREAS, in 1984, the company relocated to a climate-controlled manufacturing facility in Hanover County, where it still operates today under the leadership of Stephen West and his son, Kenneth N. West; equipment manufactured by West Engineering Company is installed in over 30 countries on five continents; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend West Engineering Company, which produces special and custom machinery in Ashland, on celebrating 100 years in business; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to West Engineering as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for the company’s longevity and high-quality products.