Echo Lake Foods plans to rebuild in Burlington after massive fire
BURLINGTON (WITI) -- Echo Lake Foods plans to rebuild in Burlington after a massive fire destroyed the plant there in January.
The fire that took out a huge part of the Echo Lake Foods plant crippled business. Part of production moved to nearby Yorkville.
Eight months later, the ice has melted, the damage is visible, part of the plant is gone, and few people remain on site. Now, there's a plan to rebuild in the same spot. It's currently pending with the state.
"Burlington is home. We want to stay here. This is where my people are," said Jerry Warntjes, general manager of Echo Lake Foods.
Warntjes says it will be good for business and the county. Some 300 jobs are expected to return to the plant.
"It’s great news, we always want our businesses that are here to expand," said Racine County Executive Jim Ladwig.
After the January fire, OSHA sited Echo Lake Foods with 27 violations that carry $150,000 in fines. The company would not comment on the violations. But Ladwig said it could affect financial support from the county.
"We’re not going to allow an incentive package to go to somebody that’s being irresponsible, but at the same time, we do allow them to come into compliance with those violations," said Ladwig.
Both the company and the county are hoping to move forward -- getting a business back on track and bringing jobs back to a community. Details of the incentive package are still being worked out.
If everything is approved, Warntjes says Echo Lake Foods will break ground sometime this autumn.