Schaefer's Electrical Enclosures is expanding its operations into Cape Girardeau County, 20 miles from its current location in Advance, Mo. Company president Mark Diamond announced that the manufacturer of standard and custom sheet metal enclosures purchased the building at 4860 Nash Road on Dec. 30, 2008, from Moriah Logistics.

The expansion will increase its operating space from 55,000 square feet to 105,000 square feet.

Throughout the next several months Schaefer's will transition from its manufacturing operations to the location on Nash Road. Diamond said Schaefer's will share the facility with Silgan Plastics Corporation and BioKyowa Inc. The company will utilize its Advance location for warehousing operations.

In December 2007 Schaefer's had hoped to purchase the vacated building in Cape Girardeau owned by Dana Corp. However, Plaza Tire Inc. was the high bidder in the end, gaining ownership of the property.

Look for more on this story later in the day at semissourian.com and in Tuesday's edition of the Southeast Missourian.