BREWER, Maine — With little in the way of fanfare or celebration, Cianbro Corp. officials watched the last piece of a mammoth construction project float down the Penobscot River Friday afternoon.
The Motiva Refinery Expansion Project, billed by Cianbro as one of the most important chapters in the company’s 61-year history, involved the piece-by-piece construction project of a gigantic oil refinery being assembled in Port Arthur, Texas.
Joe Cote, Cianbro’s vice president and general manager, said the project represented a new era for the company in many respects ranging from new technology that kept the hulking components perfectly aligned to a strong presence in the city of Brewer.
“The city of Brewer was instrumental in helping us establish this facility,” said Cote as a barge carrying seven modules floated down the river. Cote added that the company is seeking new projects to construct in Brewer. In the meantime the workforce there will consist of about 50 people, down from a peak of 650 workers at the height of the Motiva project.
For a more detailed story, see Saturday’s edition of the Bangor Daily News.
