Koos not surprised by Mitsubishi plant sale

Mitsubishi Motors plant
The sale of the plant was announced last week. (WJBC file photo)

By Adam Studzinski

NORMAL – Normal Mayor Chris Koos wasn’t surprised by the sale of the Mistubishi Motors plant to Maynards Industries.

Koos explained he was aware the deal was in the works. He added he’s not too concerned about Maynards simply selling off the assets of the plant and moving on.

“Frankly, most of the assets within the plant are already gone,” said Koos. “Almost all of that tooling really has no value to anybody other than Mitsubishi because it was very specifically designed to build the Outlander Sport.”

Koos believed the sale will be a benefit in the long run.

“For that company to have the best outcome and make the most money it will come from selling the plant. So I think they’re going to be aggressive about doing that,” he said.

Koos recently returned from a trip to an industrial and economic development convention in Germany. However, he said that trip did not produce any potential buyers for the Mitsubishi plant.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…