By By JAMES COLLINS / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- The recent expansion of IHS from a heating and air conditioning service to a full technology service has brought the business into downtown Niles.
The local business was primarily a heating and air conditioning service for five years before owner Kevin Lewis decided to branch out and include services concerning computers, cell phones and satellite television.
Lewis said the new business venture made sense because even when they were strictly a heating and air conditioning service, they focused on technology based solutions like building automation controls and communicating thermostats.
The new branch, IHS Technologies, has been existence for a little over a year now and was being run out of Lewis' Niles Township home until they found a new home in the downtown area.
IHS held a grand opening celebration last week at their 111 E. Main St. location.
Lewis said he is not looking forward to all of the construction that will be going on this summer, but he said the final project will be well worth it.
IHS Technologies' tagline is "your local technology store."
Unlike many technological service providers, where you may get passed from one customer service representative to another, IHS will try to do anything they can to make their customers happy.
Lewis said they take pride in the fact that they are able to provide a face with their services.
IHS is currently doing an equal amount of business between the new technology services and the heating and air conditioning services.
IHS technologies has already provided eight new full time jobs to the downtown area and Lewis said there is significant expansion around the corner.
IHS provides the services of Dish Network, Nextel, T-Mobile, XM Radio, high speed internet and network support for homes and small offices.