By Eric Stock
NORMAL – The head of the task force that’s been working for nearly a year to find a use for the Mitsubishi Motors plant said that work continues, even as the company that bought the plant announces plans to hold an auction at the site.
CEO of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council Kyle Ham said the two efforts of the task force and Maynards Industries can be done on parallel tracks.
“I don’t think it necessarily undermines (the effort),” Ham said. “I work with Maynards on a regular basis with clients that are looking at the facility and need access to it. I think we are coexisting together and they are working with us.”
Ham said the task force continues to receive interest in the plant, some for the building and property, some for just the land in west Normal.
Maynards is hosting the auction August 16-19. Its website says the sale will include a ‘complete automotive manufacturing facility including over 10,000 lots of metal stamping, plastics, paint, robotic assembly, tire assembly, machine tools, inspection, test, cranes, mobile equipment, MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) and much more.’
“I don’t know much about the auction per se, but we still do have people interested in the property,” Ham added.
Maynards President Taso Sofikitis had said previously that if the company was unable to find a buyer it would look to liquidate its assets.
The Southfield, Mich.-based company bought the plant in May for $2.5 million. County records indicate that was the cost of the building and land, but not the contents.
Mitsubishi Motors announced plans last summer that it would end production at the plant by November 2015 and would close the plant by June 1, costing about 1,000 workers their jobs.
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com.
