Mar. 16th, 2010
The City of Mexico is one step closer to getting a new brick factory.
For more than three years, the CEO of Mid America Brick, LLC has been struggling to open a new brick factory in Mexico. Frank Cordie wants to convert the old A.P. Green Refractory Plant, which was open for 80 years, into a new brick factory. The brick factory employed more than 2,500 people in Audrain County.
The A.P. Green plant shut down eight years ago after making fire bricks for steel mills and other high-heat industrial uses. Mid America Brick would produce bricks to make homes and office buildings. Cordie says things are finally coming together as he gets financial support from federal, state, city and private sources.
"I feel there is a real good opportunity here," Cordie said. "The State of Missouri needs a brick plant. All of the brick plants around the area have been basically closed up throughout the last 30 or 40 years. We have a freight advantage in the marketplace. We have a low cost of entry by taking a brown field plant like this and converting it."
The City of Mexico recently got a $250,000 community development block grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development to demolish some of the old buildings on the A.P. Green factory site.
"This will be on a smaller scale, but still from a community impact, it will be really something that will be beneficial to all of us." Mexico Assistant City Manager Russell Runge said. "We re just hopeful that it will continue to move forward and we will be able to utilize these grants to their fullest."
Developers hope to hire more than 70 workers when the new brick plant opens. The purchase of the former A.P. Green plant still has a lot of obstacles to overcome. Developers said it will at least be another year before their new brick plant is up and running.
The City of Mexico is one step closer to getting a new brick factory.
For more than three years, the CEO of Mid America Brick, LLC has been struggling to open a new brick factory in Mexico. Frank Cordie wants to convert the old A.P. Green Refractory Plant, which was open for 80 years, into a new brick factory. The brick factory employed more than 2,500 people in Audrain County.
The A.P. Green plant shut down eight years ago after making fire bricks for steel mills and other high-heat industrial uses. Mid America Brick would produce bricks to make homes and office buildings. Cordie says things are finally coming together as he gets financial support from federal, state, city and private sources.
"I feel there is a real good opportunity here," Cordie said. "The State of Missouri needs a brick plant. All of the brick plants around the area have been basically closed up throughout the last 30 or 40 years. We have a freight advantage in the marketplace. We have a low cost of entry by taking a brown field plant like this and converting it."
The City of Mexico recently got a $250,000 community development block grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development to demolish some of the old buildings on the A.P. Green factory site.
"This will be on a smaller scale, but still from a community impact, it will be really something that will be beneficial to all of us." Mexico Assistant City Manager Russell Runge said. "We re just hopeful that it will continue to move forward and we will be able to utilize these grants to their fullest."
Developers hope to hire more than 70 workers when the new brick plant opens. The purchase of the former A.P. Green plant still has a lot of obstacles to overcome. Developers said it will at least be another year before their new brick plant is up and running.
