Cable supply firm, Preferred Technologies, coming to Coeur d’Alene

A new business is taking shape along Fourth Street and its dimensions include miles of cable and mounds of equipment.

By DAVID BUFORD
Staff writer

Preferred Technologies recently purchased the former Coeur d’Alene Subaru Property at 1701 N. Fourth St. The seven-year-old company, formerly based in Oregon, had used temporary space in Kellogg. The move has been underway for nine weeks and is expected to take another eight weeks to complete.

Karl Severson, owner, said he has been looking at relocating to North Idaho since the 1980s.

"It’s a great place to do business," he said.

Preferred Technologies is a supplier of tools, cable and equipment to telephone and cable TV companies, including Cox Communications, Time Warner, Verizon and Lucent Technologies.

Those companies then install the equipment to serve their customers. The company sells to clients throughout the United States. International clients are located in Guam, Australia, Mexico and Canada.

Severson said, despite the drop-off in the telecommunications sector, sales remain strong. It’s a niche market, but competition is stiff. Offering a wide range of equipment rather than specializing in one type has helped stabilize the business.

Severson, who has been in the industry since the late 1970s, built dozens of cable systems and said his experience in the field has helped strengthen the business.

Severson started Preferred Technologies in Oregon and was prepared to expand there, but he sold the property when the economy slowed and offered a chance to move to Idaho. He said he’s pleased with the move.

"It’s a perfect facility," he said. "This place — from the airport to the location to the number of local businesses — is perfect."

The company has four employees and will likely employ more when the relocation is complete.

Severson said the operation will likely remain low-key and few changes will be made to the property other than adding a fence fronting Third Street to be completed by the end of this week.

David Buford can be reached at 664-8176, ext. 4501, or by e-mail at [email protected]

http://www.cdapress.com/index.asp?Sec=Business&str=11477