|
RemTec to move into American-Lincoln site
Bowling Green was hit hard by recent announcement that American Lincoln was shutting down it plant which employs 90 people. But the pain of that news may be softened a bit now that another company has revealed plans to move into the American-Lincoln site at 1100 Haskins Road .
Officials from Reclamation Technologies Inc., better known here as RemTec International went before the Wood County Community Improvement Corporation Tuesday morning to ask for $3.5 million in industrial development revenue bonds.
Richard Marcus, president of the company, said RemTec has plans to move its manufacturing site from 436 N. Enterprise St . , which is no longer large enough to handle the growing business, plus move its headquarters here from Holland .
The company currently employs 38 people at its Enterprise Street site, and will be bringing in another eight employees from its headquarters and eight additional hires.
The CIC approved the $3.5 million bond request, which will be divided as follows:
- $1.5 million to purchase the building.
- $1 million for building improvements and relocation.
- $900,000 for new machinery.
- $100,000 for plant improvements and installation.
“We just need more room,” Marcus told the CIC members.
Though American-Lincoln has not given Bowling Green officials a firm closing date, Sue Clark of the Bowling Green Community Development Commission, said the company is expected to stop operations sometime next summer.
While the city is sad to see American-Lincoln leave, Clark said she was pleased that RemTec found a local site for expansion.
“We were delighted we were able to accommodate their needs,“ she said.
Clark said she expects RemTec to start operations in the Haskins Road plant as soon as a deal is struck with American-Lincoln.
RemTec went into business in 1986, and moved its manufacturing to Bowling Green in 1999, partially due to the low utility rates. The company's primary contracts are with the U.S. military, doing reclamation of fire suppressants such as halon and other fluorocarbons.
Halon is a “clean agent” used to put out fires without damaging delicate items such as computer systems. Because it dissipates into the atmosphere and is safe to breathe, it is also used for fire suppression on airplanes, Marcus explained.
However, halon is a ozone depleter, and consequently can be used now by the military and airline industry. It is no longer produced here in the U.S. , and is permitted in European nations only for critical uses.
RemTec recycles the product and puts it into bulk storage for sale to the military and airlines.
“It's actually a very high-tech operation,” Marcus said. RemTec is the largest firm in the world working on reclamation of halon and other fluorocarbons. “A customer like the military will come to us because we know what we are doing,” Marcus said. Since halon is expected to no longer be used after the next 25 to 30 years, RemTec is also looking into new alternative clean agents for fire suppression. “We see the business expanding for the next 25 to 30 years, and beyond that,” Marcus said.
December 2005
|
