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Fuel Tank Firm Consolidates in Brewer BREWER - Trans-Tech Industries Inc., a manufacturer of large fuel tanks such as the kind mounted on tractor-trailers, has had a transportation problem over the last few years. Business was growing, but moving its oversized products out of Southwest Harbor, especially during tourist season, was becoming cumbersome. "It certainly was a beautiful area, but we ran out of room,'' said Ken Peters, president of Trans-Tech. The company's administrative offices were located above the Southwest Harbor Post Office, its pre-fabrication plant was down the street and its finishing facility was in Hancock. During the last year, Trans-Tech has undergone a $2.4 million expansion project and has consolidated its operations in the East-West Industrial Park in Brewer, Peters said. The new, 42,000-square-foot building will allow the company to increase production and build on its product line, he said. Gov. Angus King will be among those in attendance today when Trans-Tech officially celebrates its grand opening in Brewer. Festivities are from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the facility at 42 Coffin Ave., near Maaco and Jeff's Catering. Since 1985, Southwest Harbor was home to the manufacturer of tanks used to transport fuels and other petroleum products. Trans-Tech had depended on strong home-heating fuel sales, but after three warm winters the focus needed to change to building other products, Peters said. Now Trans-Tech wants to add tanks to transport bulk-oil lubricants and aviation fuels to its product line, he said. Most of the tanks made by Trans-Tech carry anywhere from 2,500 to 6,000 gallons. In the new facility, the company has the capability to produce 25,000-gallon airplane fuel tanks, Peters said. Trans-Tech, with sales this year expected to reach $5 million, employs 47 people, seven of whom were hired recently. "Our plans are to have up to 65 to 70 in three years,'' Peters said. "If it goes beyond that, that would be great. We're trying.'' The company's tanks are sold through distributors that outfit them, add pumping equipment and mount them on trucks, Peters said. Three of the distributors are in Maine, and most of the tanks sold by them go to companies in the eastern United States, he said. "More than 80 percent of what we do is sold outside Maine,'' Peters said. Most of the expansion was financed by funds from various local, regional and state programs, Peters said. Those include loans from banks, Eastern Maine Development Corp., the Small Business Administration, and the business assistance program with the state Department of Economic and Community Development, he said. Trans-Tech also received tax-increment financing from the city of Brewer, said Andrew Sachs, director of economic development. The life of the TIF is 17 years, and its predicted value over that time is $395,000, Sachs said. Brewer Mayor Donna Thornton said discussions to bring Trans-Tech to Brewer began when Richard Hawkins, owner of Hamel Fuels, told the city that the tank manufacturer was experiencing growing pains. The city contacted Trans-Tech officials and area business development groups, and all created a plan to move the company to Brewer, she said. Hamel Fuels today will receive the first tank produced at the Brewer facility, Thornton said. Instead of a ribbon cutting, Hawkins will drive the tanker through a ribbon. "It's not going to be a ribbon cutting, but more like a ribbon storming,'' Thornton said. This is a copyright article written by Deborah Turcotte that appeared in the Bangor Daily News, Tuesday, August 4, 1999. Brewer Economic Development Office
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