FROED One Government Center Fall River, MA 02722-7700 Tel 508-324-2620 Fax 508-677-2840 info@froed.org		TACO, INC. HAS PLANS TO GROW Rhode Island-based HVAC company expanding in Fall River The Herald News, Saturday, September 13, 2008 Fall River — Not every employer is consolidating its forces. After 25 years in the city, family-owned Taco Inc., makers of equipment for the heating, vacuum and air conditioning industry, has acquired its neighboring Poirier car dealership property on Pleasant and Thirteenth streets for $2.55 million, the Cranston, R.I.-based company confirmed Friday. “It’s a very nice opportunity for us to get a good piece of land to allow us to grow in Fall River,” said Kyle Adamonis, Taco senior vice president of legal and human resources. “A lot of our employees have homes in the Fall River and adjoining areas, and we want to be able to stay in Fall River.” She said that Taco — pronounced with a long “A” — plans “on adding a line of heat exchange products in Fall River,” though she would not discuss specific plans. In the short term, the 80-person work force that’s been at 583 Bedford St. for 25 years would likely expand by three or four employees, Adamonis said. “As you grow, you add more jobs,” she said. The city heat transfer division produces pressure vessels and large tanks for the commercial/industrial HVAC sector. Taco retains about 80 percent of its 500-employee work force at the Cranston headquarters, with another 20 people working in Canada just outside Toronto. Its Web site reported annual sales of $100 million. The manufacturing, distribution and sales company was founded in 1920 by the grandfather of the current president, John H. White Jr. Adamonis said a harmonious sale with the Poirier family closed on Aug. 19. It enabled Taco to nearly double its property and accessibility by adding 1.8 acres at 76 Thirteenth St. and 594 Pleasant St., including two buildings. Poirier, which closed its General Motors dealerships Feb. 1, had continued selling used vehicles until last month. Taco’s immediate plans are to use the adjacent upper building on Thirteen Street, Adamonis said. Of further details, she said, “We really don’t know at this point. We’re just in the process of meeting and having discussions.” In January, Matthew Poirier, president and general manager, whose grandfather Frederick Poirier started the dealership in 1961, said they had an interested buyer. They still retain property at 1533 South Main St., assessed at almost $800,000. On that parcel, the late grandfather, known as “Honest Fred” because of his reputation, opened American Auto Sales with a $2,500 loan from a relative. In closing the family dealership, Matthew Poirier had said the sales of General Motors vehicles that once covered 60 percent of the market had dropped below 20 percent. Back