Governor Recognizes OldTown Fuel and Fiber Anniversary

Governor John E. Baldacci today joined Lynn Tilton, CEO of Patriarch Partners, mill employees and local officials for the celebration of the first year of operation of Old Town Fuel & Fiber.

“I commend Lynn Tilton and the partners who have provided the vision to make this mill a success,” said Governor Baldacci.  “From day one, Ms. Tilton and her partners expressed a commitment to get this high-quality workforce back on the job.  They saw the value of the workforce, the facility, the partnership with the University of Maine, and the ground-breaking work being done here in Old Town, Maine.  They saw the great potential of this facility as both a producer of alternative energy and as a pulp mill.  I am confident that we will return here for many years to come to celebrate the success of the mill and its people.”

The Governor has been active in efforts to keep the mill in OldTown viable and operational.  When Georgia-Pacific decided to close the mill, a new buyer and partnership was sought.  Red Shield Environmental stepped in, but by June 2008, the mill again faced closure.  Patriarch Partners acquired what was to become Old Town Fuel & Fiber a year ago.

“From what we have seen in the last year, the City of Old Town and the State of Maine could not have asked for a better partner than Patriarch Partners,” said the Governor.  “It has taken a great amount of cooperation from many people to get to where we are today – and I would like to recognize the legislative delegation who is here; the members of the Old Town City Council, City Manager Peggy Daigle, members of the union.  Every single one of us had the best interests of the workers as our first priority.”

At around 190 employees, Old Town Fuel & Fiber currently employs about the same number of workers at the facility as there were in the summer of 2008.