The Pendleton County Chamber of Commerce Business of the Month for March is Paragon Metal Fabricators, 188 Hammer Drive, Falmouth. Paragon began production in August in the former Hammer Strength factory, and 12 of its 14 employees so far are former Hammer Strength employees. Paragon co-owner Jason Muehlenkamp said that as the business continues to expand, it will continue to hire displaced Hammer Strength laborers. Paragon’s sheet metal fabrication operation in Erlanger has 40 employees in 45,000 square feet of factory space. At 127,000 square feet, the new Falmouth site will be able to absorb 60 to 70 percent of the Erlanger operations, plus have room to take on new customers, which it already is picking up Muehlenkamp said.
In the photo, kneeling from left are Paragon employees Jordan Antrobus, Mark Murphy and Tom Meyer. In the second row are Tami Vater, Pendleton County economic and tourism development director, and Neil Belcher, chamber president, who is handing the Business of the Month plaque to brothers and owners of Paragon, Matthew, Jason and Bryan Muehlenkamp. In the third row are Randy Wells and Doug Buckner of the Chamber, and Paragon employees Joey Clos, Jonathan Pugh, Opal Bills and Mike Antrobus. The fourth row is