Normal councilman: Mitsubishi plant sale is ‘good news’

Posted on May 2, 2016
Mitsubishi assembly line
The plant closed in November 2015. (WJBC File photo)

By Adam Studzinski

NORMAL – Normal’s Mitsubishi Motors plant has been sold to Maynards Industries, an auction firm from Michigan, and that’s something Normal Town Councilman Jeff Fritzen thought is good news.

Fritzen said it’s the first news of any kind about the plant they’ve had in awhile and for that reason, any news is good news. He added it was clear Mitsubishi wanted to get out of the real estate business.

“They’ve sold it to a company that’s in the real estate business,” said Fritzen. “I think that’s all good. They have a lot of connections in the manufacturing sector and in the automobile sector in particular.”

Fritzen said they’re not yet sure what Maynards’ plans for the plant are.

“Long term, if they don’t get it sold they’re not going to hold that property forever. It could go another direction,” said Fritzen. “They could dismantle the thing eventually. Who knows?”

The Mitsubishi plant closed in late November 2015 and has had a skeleton staff since then, which has been fully winding down the operations.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].

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