March 28, 2024
Archive

Estimates delay proposed plant in Baileyville

BAILEYVILLE – Hopes that a company that manufactures structural insulated panels for use in commercial and residential buildings would be up and running by the end of the year is just that – hope.

The Baileyville Town Council learned at its meeting Monday that bids for construction of the manufacturing plant for Insulated Component Structures Inc. of Eustis, Fla., came in higher than expected.

The company, which hopes to employ 75 people, had wanted to open the plant by late fall. That date is expected to be pushed into next year.

Town Manager Scott Harriman told the council that although the company continued to hold an option on land in the town’s industrial park, it had not yet purchased the property.

“So we haven’t really sold the property,” Town Council Chairman Dorothy Johnson said.

“We do not have the money in hand yet,” Harriman answered.

Once built, the new facility will be called ICS of Maine Inc. Harriman suggested that the company’s president, Damar Dore, be invited to the council meeting in October to talk about the delay. The company had hoped to begin construction on its new facility in August. The facility would be built using structural insulated panels manufactured at the ICS plant in Florida.

Town officials were anxious for the plant to get up and running after the Montreal-based Domtar Inc. in August announced it was shutting down its paper mill. The layoff put 150 workers out of work. Some of those workers have applied to ICS for a job.

After Domtar announced its mill was going out of business, Gov. John Baldacci arrived in the county. He talked about the ICS project and said his agencies would expedite the necessary state permitting process – which it did – and use federal and state funds to put 60 people to work as soon as possible.

The governor’s spokesman, Dan Cashman, said Tuesday that the governor’s office had just learned about the delay in Baileyville that day.

“We are still looking into all of the details and are committed to working with ICS and other companies to provide jobs to the displaced workers in Washington County,” he said in an e-mail to the Bangor Daily News.

The town bought land near the intersection of Routes 9 and 1 several years ago at an auction and turned it into an industrial park. The U.S. Border Patrol and UPS have facilities there now.

The town has been working with ICS since last year. Town officials also are speaking with other companies that may wish to relocate to the park, but have declined to elaborate on those companies.


Have feedback? Want to know more? Send us ideas for follow-up stories.

comments for this post are closed

You may also like