Business that puts the strings in tags relocating to Sussex County

SUSSEX COUNTY-Anytime you run across a tag with a string, a wire or a looped string inside, chances are Wilson Recondition & Design had something to do with it. And soon, chances will also be that Franklin Borough was involved. The Haskell-based firm that finishes tags and builds and repairs related machinery is looking to relocate to the borough. Last week, the zoning board of adjustment unanimously approved a variance permitting the Passaic County business to use the old Center Auto Parts building on Rutherford Avenue for light industry use, a decision that clears the way for Wilson to relocate to Franklin. "The building is already there," said zoning board chairman Paul Crowley. "He wants to relocate to Franklin, and if everything goes well, he will. They gave a very good presentation, and I think it will be a nice asset to the town." Located close to Franklin Avenue and Route 23 South, the now-empty building is in an area with residential zoning to the north and commercial to the immediate south, "so it is a mixed use (area)," Crowley explained. "The use variance is because we don't allow light industry in the highway-commercial zone." In business for 17 years now, Wilson is hopeful that its purchase of the former Auto Parts building will be finalized within the next month or so. Once that is completed, the company will have to present a site plan to the zoning board, whose approval will allow the building's renovation to begin. The property covers roughly three quarters of an acre. ‘As far as we're concerned, it's like 99-percent (certain)," said company owner Tim Wilson. "Since we got this approval, now everything is moving forward from here. So we're looking to move from where we are and expand a bit." Why does Wilson want to move his firm to Franklin? "I always liked it up there," he responded. "Actually, it works better for me because I live in West Milford, and I would be moving away from the traffic. And the actual property itself is perfectly suited for my business. "It's actually tag finishing," Wilson continued. "It puts string into the tags or a wire in the tag. These are actually industries that are used all over the world. We're a low-profile business. We deal mostly in the United States, but out of state. Only a small percentage is overseas." But that overseas export trade includes countries such as Turkey, England, Switzerland, Canada and China, and because Wilson reconditions the equipment needed to produce tag-related material, he plans on keeping busy. "So we do sell equipment, too," he continued. "Actually, it's both. We make no tags. All we do is finish them. Or we'll actually recondition the equipment and send it back out. We've done jobs for Starbucks, and we'll do a million-and-a-half pieces of one little round tag. Walt Disney World (Fla.) is a customer. And Car Freshener Corporation, the little tree that hangs on the mirror — I sell them equipment." Wilson said that he had worked as a division head for the manufacturer of the equipment he now sells. When the company decided to divest i tself of the division, "because it wasn't profitable enough," Wilson resigned and began his own business. "I became a competitor of theirs, but we have an excellent relationship with them," he said.