By AMY JONES / Associate Editor

HOOVER — A company that offers a line of precision measuring tools, instruments and equipment is soon opening a location in Hoover.

Mitutoyo America plans to open its new location at 2100 Riverchase Center, Suite 106, on May 22.

Alan Jackson, metrology divi¬sion sales manager for McDaniel Machinery Inc. in Pelham and a Mitutoyo distributor, said the store will be a resource for those who work in manufacturing who have questions Mitutoyo’s products can answer.

“They do anything in the way of measurements,” Jackson said. “It’s a great resource to have. You can bring a problem that presents itself in your business or your line of work and they provide the solution to your problem and the resources to fix the problem.”

The company chose to open a new location in Hoover because of the city’s proximity to automotive industry centers, Jackson said.

“(Mitutoyo) strategically places their centers around the country to support industrial manufacturing,” he said.

Jackson said Mitutoyo is the largest metrology company in the world and is highly respected.

“This is a very recognizable brand in the industry,” he said. “This is like Intel for computers or Apple for telephones.”

The Hoover Chamber of Commerce plans a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new location at 11 a.m. May 21.

Mitutoyo was founded in 1934 and is headquartered at Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. Mitutoyo America was formed in 1963 and is headquartered in Aurora, Ill.