At least three offers have been made for the LCP Chemicals plant in Orrington and other assets owned by Hanlin Group Inc. of New Jersey.

Hanlin filed for protection from its creditors in July 1991, under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Among the bidders for company assets are Julian and Lester Sobin of Massachusetts, who were members of the investment group that built the Orrington plant in 1967.

“We’re negotiating hard with the debtor-in-possession (Hanlin), the creditors and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New Jersey to try like the devil to purchase the plant and its assets,” Julian Sobin said Wednesday. “I’d like to believe the chances are 75-25 that we’ll succeed.”

Added Sobin: “Our plans would be to continue to operate the plant and hopefully to expand it.”

Arthur Rawl, executive vice president for finance at Hanlin, refused to discuss the status of the bankruptcy case. Rawl’s boss, however, talked about the bankruptcy in a recent issue of Chemical Marketing Reporter.

The trade publication quoted Christian A. Hansen, chairman of Hanlin, as saying that several offers had been made for company assets. Hansen said the proposals were unsatisfactory, but the company had a fiduciary responsibility to investigate such offers and would remain open to talks in the future.

Any offer for the purchase of Hanlin assets must be reviewed by the company, its creditors and the bankruptcy court. The New Jersey lawyer who represents a committee of the major creditors refused to discuss the case.

“I have no time or interest to discuss this matter,” said Lawrence Lesnik.

Sobin was frustrated by the slow pace of the bankruptcy proceedings. “The process has been very lengthy and difficult,” he said.

Hanlin closed its chemical plant in Moundsville, W.Va., in August 1991, but it continues to operate LCP Chemicals in Orrington and sister facilities in Acme, N.C., and Brunswick, Ga.

The Orrington plant makes chlorine and other chemicals, primarily for the paper industry. It employs about 60 workers.

Henry Tate, manager of LCP Chemicals in Orrington, said he wasn’t kept informed about the bankruptcy proceedings. Tate said business seemed to be improving at the local plant.

“We had a very good June and July, but things have been a little slower in August,” he said. “That’s mainly because of customer shutdowns.”

In any case, said Tate, the last three months were better than the previous quarter.

“We hoping for a recovery in the paper industry,” he said. “Maybe, by the end of the year, we’ll see a definite up-tick.”

The chemical plant is a major taxpayer in Orrington and is the largest customer of Bangor Hydro-Electric Co.

The facility originally was known as IMC Chlor-Alkali Inc. Peter DeAngelis, a former Orrington resident, was senior manager at the plant for its first 15 years of operation.

DeAngelis said the investment group that built the plant included the Sobins, International Minerals and Chemical Corp., and three other parties. Control of the company passed back and forth during the 1970s, with Sobin Chemicals Inc. owning the plant from 1972 to 1975.

IMC bought back the plant in 1975 and held it until 1982, when it was sold to Linden Chemicals and Plastics Inc. of New Jersey, which became LCP.

DeAngelis said he is working with the Sobins to acquire the plant. If they are successful, he might return to manage the facility.

The Sobins primarily are interested in the Orrington plant, DeAngelis said, but they would buy the North Carolina and Georgia operations if favorable terms could be arranged. Their proposal should be given serious consideration, he said.

“The Sobin people have the financial ability, and they are known in the chemical industry,” said DeAngelis. “We’ve been there, and we’ve been successful at it.”

According to DeAngelis, the Sobins would have to invest several million dollars in the Orrington facility to return it to peak operating efficiency.