Rolatape Corp., a longtime Spokane Valley maker of wheeled measuring devices, has been sold to Stanley Works, the New Britain, Conn.-based tool giant, and its operations here are expected to close by the end of the year.


Rolatape, which was founded in California 55 years ago and moved here in 1983, manufactures 48 different measuring devices that generally use a wheel and an odometer or counter to measure distances, and often are used for surveying. Its 23 employees, all of whom work at its headquarters at 2701 N. Van Marter, will be given a severance package based on how long they have worked for the company, says Joe Voelker, vice president of human resources for Stanley Tools Group, a unit of Stanley Works.


Its a rather generous severance to help bridge the employment gap, says Voelker.


He says Stanley plans to move the shipping and receiving aspects of Rolatapes line to its 300-employee, precision- leveling and optical surveying plant in Watseka, Ill. A decision hasnt been made on where Rolatape products will be manufactured in the future, but it wont be in Spokane, Voelker says.


Most recently, Rolatape was owned by Sandy Evans Bass, granddaughter of the companys founder, Donald Woolard, and Spokane businessman Ron Erickson, who was chairman and CEO at the time of the sale. Erickson referred questions about the sale to Voelker.


Voelker declines to discuss the terms of the acquisition.


Commonly used to measure distances at construction sites and at accident and crime scenes, the wheeled Rolatape devices now will be marketed all over the world, Voelker says. The addition of the Rolatape line fits in very nicely with our strategy to serve the professional consumer, he says.


Woolard developed the first of the Rolatape devices in 1950. The company has been owned or co-owned by a family member ever since. It was moved to Spokane long after his death.


Stanley Works, which reported more than $3 billion in revenue last year, has been in business more than 162 years, and employs more than 14,000 people worldwide.