APT MotoVox Group Inc. (MTVX)

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Motovox Sells at Costco

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —Some new jobs are coming to the economically depressed area where Bannister Mall once stood.

A company has announced plans to expand its operation at existing building near the site.

Motovox said it wants to use the old Montgomery Ward building south of the former mall's site to make scooters, go-karts and other small-engine vehicles.

The company already operates in the building, employing 35 people. It said it plans to add another 250 workers in the next couple of years. The assembly line jobs will range from $12-$15 per hour.

The location may be convenient to the Motovox work force. Because the city's MAX bus lines still serve the mall area, workers may have an easy time with their commute.

"That's an advantage for these folks we want to hire, people from the core of the city," said Troy Covey of Motovox. "This works because this building is at the end of the MAX line. It's a straight line to our facility."

He said that by the end of the year, the company expects to top $2 million in annual payroll. It will still be only halfway done with its hiring.

Some of the company's mini-bikes are already being sold at major box stores, including Kmart and Costco.

Covey said the company has a new kind of small engine that could make fuel use much more efficient.

"We believe we could be part of the solution to reducing the emission from small-engine products," he said.

The company said it plans to make a formal announcement about the expansion in the coming weeks. It is getting about $6 million in state and federal tax credits to help pay for the expansion.

http://www.kmbc.com/Company-To-Expand-Near-Bannister-Mall-Site/12261106