Berkeley Springs Instruments moves to Cumberland

Berkeley Springs Instruments, LLC has moved from its U.S. Route 522 South location to a site outside of Cumberland, said Bill Clark, Morgan County Economic Development Authority Director.

The company’s move from the Ace Hardware property to a facility along Maryland Route 51 took place this month.

Berkeley Springs Instruments founder and president Gene Silverman has connections to Cumberland and many of his employees are from the Cumberland area, Clark said last week.

Employees from Morgan County will commute to the new location. There were no layoffs. The company has a small number of employees, he said.

Silverman said last year during a Chamber of Commerce tour of their plant that the company had outgrown their location and that they were looking for additional space for expansion. Silverman found a great deal on a building near Cumberland, Clark said.

Berkeley Springs Instru-ments was first located in Paw Paw, and then moved
to Berkeley Springs on Union Street and later to the building next to Ace Hardware. Silverman started Berkeley Springs Instruments here after
retiring from about 30 years in the robotics field.

The company designed and constructed robotic equipment for above ground tank inspections. They also developed ultrasonic sensors that monitor the structural and mechanical integrity of pipelines, storage tanks and mechanical structures, along with the accompanying software.

Their products and services are geared for industries such as oil, gas and petrochemical companies, mining, utilities and municipalities.

Silverman sold part of his business – the robotic technology and business – to A. Hak Industrial Services, Clark said.

Clark said he has been trying to help the company become a solution for gas and oil in West Virginia and that he would continue to work with Silverman on initiatives. He likes what the company does and feels there is a real potential for it.

Clark hoped that the company would maybe open a satellite site in Paw Paw someday to make some of their products or consider hiring some workers from the western part of the county.

The company’s departure leaves 4,000 square feet of warehouse space and about 2,000 square feet of office space open at the Omps brothers’ building. Up to 10,000 square feet is available for a business or businesses, Clark said.

A lot of businesses have gotten their start in that building and the space will be filled, he assured.

The coming new hospital opening is a big deal for local economic development, Clark said. He said he is still working on community development, communication towers and trail projects.

“Without those things going on, it’s hard to get economic development happening,” Clark said.