Former Microsoft Facility In Bothell Sold To Romac

BELLEVUE - A building that was once Microsoft's primary production facility will become a factory producing pipe for municipal water systems.

Seattle-based Romac Industries has paid owner Kao Infosystems $16.5 million for the 262,000-square-foot building in Bothell's Canyon Park high-tech industrial area. Romac plans to move its 170 Seattle employees to Bothell after remodeling next fall.

The move represents a return to the Eastside for Romac, which was founded in Bellevue in 1969 and moved to Seattle four years later. The privately held company operates in four buildings near the Kingdome.

"We need more space. We didn't want to go get a fifth or sixth building," said Romac President Jim Larkin.

The move also will bring assembly operations closer to Romac's foundry in Sultan. The 80 Sultan workers will not be affected.

Romac produces steel, stainless steel and ductile iron pipe fittings and tools for the waterworks industry.

Until last year, Microsoft packaged most of its consumer software in the Bothell building. Kao, which bought the plant from Microsoft in 1996, closed its doors in a corporate restructuring last fall.