EMPLOYER RELOCATES TO COUDERSPORT
'Virtro' is internet marketing firm

A new employer has arrived in Coudersport at the same time another relative newcomer is expanding.

Virtro has relocated its internet marketing to the former Farm Services Building at the Coudersport Industrial Park. Virtro was formerly based in Mansfield, where a number of former Adelphia employees began working for them, explained Joe Pagano, director of redevelopment.

"They realized there was a well-trained pool of talent that really fit their marketing niche in the Coudersport area and moved to where the workers were," he said.

Virtro currently employs eight to 10, but plans to increase to nearly 20, Pagano said.

Meanwhile, AP Wagner, an appliance parts supplier that opened a center in the Farm Services Building last year, has relocated to the former International Paper Company office complex on East Second Street. That building was purchased from the Adelphia estate by the Potter County Redevelopment Authority for about $92,500, far below its $250,000 appraised value.

AP Wagner moved there to solve a space crunch at its current location in the Coudersport Industrial Park and plans to add to its current work force of 35.

"They pretty much filled the space at 34 to 36 employees and can double that at the new building," Pagano said, explaining that AP Wagner had hit their employment target of 20 to 24 in the first couple months and continued to grow.

The company will have between 75 and 80 employees when they fill their new space, he said, adding that a time frame had not been set and would be dependent on training and other factors.

The success of AP Wagner is unique, in that it involves a company shutting off its foreign customer care operations to return those jobs to the U.S. and serve a growing customer base.

AP Wagner began in Buffalo, N.Y., servicing washing machines and later expanded into sales of parts and other appliances. The popularity of the Internet allowed AP Wagner to expand its reach even further.

Today, the company is the largest multinational distributor of appliance parts and accessories in the Northeast. AP Wagner services a growing network of appliance dealers, service technicians and do-it yourselfers. Corporate offices are located in Depew, N.Y., with 18 branch locations distributed in the U.S. and Canada.