TETRA STAYS ON SOLID GROUND IN THE SHOW ME STATE

     Tetra Plastics Inc., which developed the plastic "Airsole"
for Nike and is a supplier to K2 Snow Ski Inc., has announced
that it will build a 220,000-square-foot plant at the Missouri
Research Park and expand its R&D department.  The company was
flooded out last year and "had plenty of reason to join Nike" in
Oregon, but "incentives from Missouri's Department of Economic
Development were crucial to Tetra's decision" to stay in
Missouri.  State aid included $263,000 in investment and job
creation task credits, and $750,000 to build a new highway
interchange.  The company will also save $600,000 in utility
charges over five years, and is exempt from real estate taxes.
Tetra expects sales of $37M this year and "has 23 new products
under development just for Nike, which accounts for 55 percent of
the company's sales" (Fred Faust, ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH, 9/30).