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Purchase Of Mitsubishi Plant Won't Affect Potential Overseas Deals

Ralph Weisheit

The Mayor of Normal sees the sale of the Mitsubishi plant to a liquidator as a positive. He also said the purchase would not interfere with overseas conversations to sell the plant.

Koos is recently returned from an overseas trip to an industrial trade show to market the town and the plant. Speaking on GLT's Sound Ideas, Chris Koos said the purchase by Detroit-based Maynard's Industries takes Mitsubishi out of the equation at a time they wanted to be gone. Koos is rec

"The idea that you have someone in the Midwest who's business is to sell these operations actively working on it gives a breath of fresh air to process.," said Koos.

Koos said the best outcome for Maynard's is to not to break up the former auto manufacturing plant. He said that is a benefit to the community.

"Maynards will be a very motivated buyer," said Koos. "the best outcome for them financial is to sell the plant, not dismantle it."

The Mayor of Normal says he and economic development officials did not get any live prospects to buy the Mitsubishi plant during an overseas trip to a trade show in Hamburg, Germany. But, speaking during GLT's Sound Ideas, Chris Koos said it was not a waste.

"We did make 3 or 4 pretty solid connections with people who are interested in locating in the Midwest and these would be operations that would make controllers, robotics pieces, things like that, for larger industries like a Caterpillar or a G.E.," said Koos.

Mayor Koos says those potential operations could involve 200 to 400 workers.

WGLT Senior Reporter Charlie Schlenker has spent more than three award-winning decades in radio. He lives in Normal with his family.