ROCKLAND, Maine — Mayor Larry Pritchett said that Rockland is known for its lobsters, its art galleries and its Main Street, but companies such as FMC, however, show that manufacturing also is alive and well in the city.
The mayor was one of several speakers Wednesday morning at a ceremony to mark the conversion of the carrageenan manufacturing plant from No. 6 heating oil to natural gas. The international company’s vice president for operations, Barry Crawford, said that the conversion will make the Rockland plant globally competitive and ensure its long-term viability.
The company has been considering a switch for five years. FMC officials said the conversion would dramatically reduce smokestack emissions and, without being specific, significantly reduce the energy costs for the company.
FMC is one of the largest employers in Knox County with about 130 workers with a third of those specialized scientific and technology jobs. The company is Rockland’s largest property taxpayer.