Cleveland Utilities’ Adam McCracken, in vest, and Merv Ownby, direct a drill rig operator Wednesday as they prepare to install a heavy-duty utility pole on Benton Pike at the Whirlpool construction site.CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Site preparation for three major industrial projects in Bradley County is expected to meet key target dates.
Winter weather hasn’t delayed progress at the future locations of Wacker Chemical, Amazon or Whirlpool, members of the Cleveland/Bradley Industrial Development Board learned Tuesday.
Also, bond money to renovate Olin Chemical’s plant is lined up and work should begin in late spring or early summer, members were told.
Olin announced in December that it will spend $160 million to renovate its Charleston, Tenn., plant and eliminate the use of mercury in the production of potassium hydroxide and caustic soda.
Local governments approved bond resolutions to help the company win federal grants. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2012.
An official groundbreaking for Wacker Chemical at its site on Old Lower River and Mouse Creek roads in northern Bradley County is expected sometime in the spring, said Gary Farlow, president and CEO of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce.
“They are progressing rapidly at the site,” he said. “It’s nice to see them moving dirt out there now. It’s becoming a reality.”
Completion is expected late in 2013 on the German-owned plant that will make polysilicon for the solar industry.
Wacker officials are expected to meet soon with school leaders on transferring German families here. Wacker also has acquired office space on North Ocoee Street in Cleveland.
Despite a “rough weather pattern,” Whirlpool is not concerned about meeting its construction target dates for its new 1 million-square-foot plant, said Doug Berry, vice president for community and economic development at the Chamber.
Production at the new plant is expected to start in early 2012.
Berry said preparations are also on track at sites in Bradley and Hamilton counties where Amazon is building distribution centers. The goal is to be shipping products by next Christmas season, he said.
“They are doing some of their major earth moving,” he said.
At Olin, bond issues were closed by the end of 2010, Berry said, and Olin and TVA have been meeting to discuss rate structures for electric power.
The Industrial Development Board also looked at preliminary drawings for an industrial park along Interstate 75 at exit 20, which Cleveland annexed just before the end of the year.
Board members said they have been told that inquiries have been made by Volkswagen-related suppliers about available space in the community, too.
Contact Randall Higgins at rhiggins@timesfreepress.com or 423-314-1029.