Photos, video clips from open house. DaytonDailyNews.com
KETTERING — Virtalis Inc., a worldwide company noted for pioneering virtual-reality technology, opened its North and South American offices in the city last week.
The company, based in the United Kingdom, had a grand opening at its offices at 1952 Woodman Center Drive.
“Seeing as how we’ve had such bad news in the past 10 years, with people leaving Dayton. I’m just glad we could steal a few jobs from the U.K,” said David Blacklock, one of the company’s two engineers who will manage the U.S. offices.
Mayor Don Patterson, members of the city council and the Kettering-Moraine-Oakwood Chamber of Commerce were on hand for the Oct. 1 ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Virtalis bills itself as a leader in virtual reality and advanced visualization. The company specializes in stereoscopic display and 3-D viewing and interacting. Blacklock, 36, said Virtalis tries to foster communication between designers, manufacturers, trainers and senior management with the automotive, aerospace, construction, academics, engineers, retailers, military and medical industries. It works with companies like Rolls-Royce, the Fiat Group and the Kalamazoo (Mich.) Air Museum.
The Kettering office will be a service and installation hub for Virtalis businesses, said Kalen Gordon, the other engineer working with Blacklock.
“This is a big opportunity for me and Dave both,” said Gordon, a 1993 graduate of Milton-Union High School. “We’re very excited about it. We’re both going to be working very hard to make this expand. Hopefully we will be the next big company in the area.”
Gordon said they chose to rent office space in Kettering because they both live in the city. Gordon, 34, has been working for Virtalis for a year. Blacklock, a 1991 graduate of Meadowdale High School, has been working for Virtalis since July.
For more information about Virtalis Inc., visit www.virtalis.com.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2414 or kwynn@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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