In 1991, after the Iron Curtain fell in the Soviet Union, the Loring Air Force base was abruptly closed down. After the Cold War had ended, the base lost its strategic importance. Between 1990 and 2000, Limestone’s population fell from almost 10,000 to just over 2,000, a 76 percent drop. According to the Maine state planning office, 19 percent of the regional economy was related to Loring. The base’s closure left a large hole in it — and in the community.
With 20 years in the record books as what is now the Loring Commerce Centre, it’s a time to celebrate the industrial hub’s past and present, but also to look ahead at Loring’s bright future. With many new and exciting business prospects on the horizon, the Commerce Centre is hoping to expand its economic influence in not only the Limestone area, but throughout all of northern Maine.
With potential upcoming projects like the Norinco rail car manufacturing business, Global Mega Recycling, a $19 million transit bus contract at Maine Military Authority and many other business opportunities Loring hopes to land, the Loring Development Authority staff and board are consistently busy working to grow the industrial hub to the economic mega center that it could potentially be.
Here is a brief outline of some of the many projects that have either already been completed at Loring as well as those that could potentially end up at Loring:
Norinco — The Chinese company has been communicating with LDA since late last year, and has already signed a memorandum of understanding with the Authority. Norinco is looking to not only occupy a current building at Loring, but hopes to also build their own building at the Commerce Centre, in order to manufacture their rail cars. This would be the first-ever major building project at Loring. A delegation led by Gov. Paul LePage and including LDA President and CEO Carl Flora, traveled to Norinco headquarters in Beijing, where they conducted a ceremonial signing of the MOU.
Global Mega Recycling — GMR is a Hong Kong-based worldwide resource recovery group, dedicated to “diligently apply our low-carbon-footprint waste tire Pyrolysis technology and our waste management expertise to recover energy and resources from petroleum-based scrap tires and attain cost-effective economic advantages.” GMR is currently interested in leasing building 8410 for a tire-recycling project at Loring. Along with the potential Norinco rail car project, the GMR project could be integral in the possibility of securing federal funding for the improving of the rail line from Limestone to Caribou.
Loring Solar II — “Loring Solar II,” as it has been dubbed, is a solar-powered electrical generation system recently installed at Loring. It consists of 720, 275 watt solar modules placed on 30 dual-axis tracking devices. The equipment will be leased to LDA, and can produce enough electricity to power 50 average-sized Maine homes.
The project is the second solar-powered electrical generation system to be installed for LDA by The Power Company.
MMA bus contract — The Maine Military Authority, which originally specialized in the refurbishment of military vehicles, is in line to receive a $19 million contract to repair transit buses owned by Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. The MBTA contract will allow the Loring-based company to hold on to vital jobs, after being forced to lay off approximately 140 workers, due to the loss of contracts with the National Guard Bureau last year.
