Losurdo Updating & Consolidating Facility
By JIMMY LAWTON
HEUVELTON - In hopes of centralizing and modernizing the facility, Losurdo Foods Inc. is demolishing buildings and relocating offices.
A towering former drying facility at the Union Street plant was the latest in a total of five to meet its end at the hands of the wrecking ball Thursday afternoon. The building was destroyed by Lorraine-based Independent Commercial Contractors Inc. Some of the buildings dated as far back as the '40s, according to General Manager Eric F. Steller, who has overseen operations at the Heuvelton cheese plant for nearly nine years. He said the buildings are in disrepair and are being removed to rid the facility of clutter and make it more appealing to potential customers.
"The buildings were outdated and not being used. One of the main reasons we are removing them is for the appearance of the company and the plant. When you come to a plant, appearance is 90 percent. We want everything to be clean and painted," he said. "It's going to help us in future inspections and customer visits."
To date, a dryer facility, evaporator building and machine shop have been knocked down. The remaining buildings will be demolished and cleaned up over the next few weeks. The office building will be the last to go as contractors continue converting empty space in the existing plant into new offices.
Mr. Steller said consolidating the office with the plant will reduce travel time between buildings and allow for easier communication.
"It will be more efficient. We won't have to go from building to building," he said. "We'll be centralized."
Although several buildings are being torn down, Mr. Steller said there are currently no plans to construct new ones. He said there are no plans to expand or cut back operations but new machinery will be installed to allow for more efficient production.
"We'll be utilizing new machinery that will get us better run times," he said.
New brick signage will also be displayed near the new office entrance. Mr. Stellar said making the facility more aesthetically pleasing is a goal for the company.
The project is expected to wrap up in late September or early October.
New Jersey-based Losurdo Foods Inc. has operated in Heuvelton since 1986, producing mozzarella and ricotta cheese. Mr. Stellar said all of the milk used at the plant comes from local and regional farms through Agri-Mark, Inc. a Boston, Mass. dairy cooperative.
