>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

SPACIOUS DIGS: Eagle Truck and Machine's new building includes a huge shop area with a ventilation system that automatically detects rising carbon monoxidelevels. (The Observer/BILL RAUTENSTRAUCH).

- Bill Rautenstrauch

- The Observer

Eagle Truck and Machine, a local business that offers sales, service and repair of heavy trucks, has completed its move to new digs.

The company, established by Union County businessman C.W. Hoffman in 1977, plans a grand opening and open house at the new location, 60596 Cristad near the intersection of McAlister Road and Highway 203, Saturday.

The move, from the old building at the corner of Island Avenue and 26th Street in La Grande, is all but complete. Well ahead of the Saturday grand opening, the staff is hard at work.

"A lot of strategy went into making the transition," said General Manager J.R. Warnock. "We didn't hardly miss a beat."

Eagle Truck was founded by C.W. Hoffman, a Tennessee native who came to Oregon in the 1940s to get into the timber industry.

For years, Hoffman operated the Ronde Lumber Company in Union. And in 1977, at the age of 82, he decided on a new venture.

"He always said he'd rather wear out than rust out," said his daughter, Robbie Hoffman Waller.

Hoffman, a machinist, started Eagle Truck and Machine, a business catering to the trucking industry in general and log truck drivers in particular.

Today, the company — owned by the Hoffman family — employs about 60 workers in its La Grande and Hermiston stores. Besides service and repairs, it sells a full line of used trucks and new trucks by Freightliner.

"We bring outside money in, instead of sending local money out," said Cribbs. "The dollars we make here are re-invested here."

Cribbs said the firm decided to move its

La Grande store because of ongoing commercial development along Island Avenue.

"The world was closing in on us out there," he said. "This is a better location because we're visible from the freeway, the Union Highway and McAlister. Plus, we're right across the road from the (Flying J) truck stop."

He added that the 18,000-square-foot building on Island Avenue was starting to show its age.

"From a maintenance standpoint, it was time to rebuild anyway," he said.

The new building cost about $2 million. Apollo Construction of the Tri-Cities was the general contractor; Lyle Davidson Construction of La Grande subcontracted for much of the actual building assembly.

Other local companies involved in construction included U.S.A Concrete, Rogers Asphalt, AC Electrical Construction, Johnson Electric and Laprelle's Construction.

The 32,000-square-foot structure has many state-of-the-art features, including a ventilation system that monitors carbon monoxide levels and automatically corrects any build-up.

Also on board is a waste disposal system that separates water from anti-freeze and oil sludge. The water is sent as grey water to the city sewer system, while waste from the exhausted products is pumped into holding tanks.

The tanks are emptied periodically, with the contaminated fluid trucked out of the area.

The wonders of modern technology don't end there. Two boilers warm used motor oil and other waste lubricants and send them through tubing in the floor for heat.

The facility also includes two overhead bridge cranes, a 65-foot pit in the floor for undercarriage work, a garage for steam cleaning, and a 5,000- square-foot storage building.

There is is plenty of office space up front, plus a waiting lounge for truckers, a sales display area and an expanded parts department.

The new building also boasts a library housing the company's extensive collection of manuals, plus electronic diagnostic equipment.

"All in one place, we've got a library system our technicians can use to get the sophisticated information they need," said Cribbs.

Saturday's grand opening and open house, including lunch, refreshments and door prizes, takes place in the new building from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.