BUCKSPORT, Maine (NEWS CENTER)-- After 80 years, Bucksport may no longer produce paper. Verso Paper has sold its Bucksport mill for $60 million to scrap company AIM Development, a subsidiary of American Iron & Metal Company Incorporated. Officials from AIM, Verso, and the town of Bucksport met Tuesday afternoon to discuss plans for the mill.
Town officials and local United Steel Workers Union members expressed concern upon finding out who the buyer of the mill is. Aim Development is already a familiar name in Bucksport, the company is responsible for dismantling two other paper mills- one in Wisconsin, another a sister paper mill of Verso in Minnesota. Company president Herbert Black says he is not in the business of paper making and has no plans to be. However, Black said AIM has not yet decided what to do with the mill property.
"I'd rather keep all options open and if I have a solution to make everybody happy, or the happier I make them, the happier I am, that's what life's all about, to work together as a family and a team. What's best for that location right now, I'm not in the position to say," said Black.
Town Manager Derik Goodine also believes AIM will not continue to run the property as a paper mill, but the option for the mill to make paper in the future could still be a possibility.
"We said we'd like to check whether or not there are people out there that could run a mill on the property and we're going to continue to look at that. But we're also looking forward to working with the company to determine what the future of the site can be used for," said Goodine.
Black said he hopes he can find a way to bring get all the laid off mill workers working again, but details on what to do with the mill and the Verso power plant are still being discussed between all parties. The sale will be final in January.
