Boardman company opens office in suburban Cincinnati

BOARDMAN -- A long-standing local company that supplies the beverage, dairy and pharmaceutical processors has opened an office in suburban Cincinnati.
Girton Oakes & amp; Burger added three engineering or sales workers for an office in Erlanger, Ky.
William Sayavich, director of business development, said the office was located in that area because that is where the workers are from and where they had built business relationships.
Engineering focus: The expansion is part of the company's attempt to rebuild its engineering focus, Sayavich said.
The company had a history of designing and installing systems for food and other processors but in recent years had focused on being primarily a distributor of parts, he said.
That changed when C. Joseph Marino sold the company recently to Ron Creatore, who owned the Banyan Tree Rehabilitation chain until 1998, and David Barnitt, an accountant.
Sayavich said the new owners want to beef up the company's design capabilities so it can offer more value-added services to customers. The company wants to help design solutions for its customers, not just supply equipment, he said.
Other offices: The company employs 38 with offices here; in Millville, Pa.; and in Amherst, N.Y. The company moved to 6971 Southern Blvd. recently.
The company supplies pumps, valves and other equipment for processing lines. It was founded in New York in 1873 as Oakes & amp; Burger and moved to Niles in the 1930s. It moved its headquarters to Boardman in 1999.