MIDDLEBURY — Vermont Electro-Mechanical Assembly Services (VEMAS) will be leaving its leased space in Middlebury’s industrial park for a new, permanent space it will own in Poultney.

Jon Leber, president of VEMAS, said the computer board assembly company and its more than 45 employees will relocate to the former Williams Machine Co. property in Poultney, once that space is renovated.

VEMAS bought the 1.76-acre property, which includes a cluster of buildings off Beaman Street, in a foreclosure transaction.

The company’s lease for 28,000 square feet in the J.P Carrara building at 1197 Exchange St. in Middlebury expires in 2008, but Leber anticipates VEMAS will be settled in Poultney before then.

“We’re excited about what the future holds for VEMAS,” Leber said, during a telephone interview on Thursday.

Leber and his wife Lucia, residents of Orwell, founded VEMAS in 1991. The company produced its first circuit board in 1992, and moved to its Exchange Street location around 10 years ago.

VEMAS has steadily consumed more space in the Carrara building, to keep pace with new contracts. Through it all, company officials have yearned for a permanent headquarters for VEMAS.

“VEMAS needs a permanent home, and we wanted our own building,” Leber said. “We’ve been looking for many years to make a move.”

When VEMAS officials learned of the Poultney opportunity, they jumped at it. He said VEMAS will be able to use around 90 percent of the available space in Poultney. Any unused space will be made available to other businesses in the Poultney area, Leber said.

The new location will mean a lengthier commute for some employees. The work force hails primarily from Addison and Rutland counties, as well as New York state, according to Leber.

“It is our hope and sincere desire that everyone will make the move to Poultney,” Leber said.

Asked how employees reacted to the impending move, Leber said “I would say they are optimistic about VEMAS having a permanent home.”

Jamie Stewart, director of the Addison County Economic Development Corp. (ACEDC), said he had been aware that VEMAS was looking for a permanent site. He noted that there haven’t been any suitable, vacant industrial spaces for a company like VEMAS to occupy in the Middlebury area.

While Stewart is disappointed to see the VEMAS jobs relocate, he is pleased that the jobs aren’t being eliminated.

“The only economic impact on the area is that the jobs won’t physically be located in Addison County,” Stewart said.

He said the ACEDC will play a role in filling the Carrara building with a new tenant.

“It looks like we’ll have a piece of real estate we’ll be able to go out and promote,” Stewart said. “We’ll work hard to recruit someone that brings a significant benefit to our region.”