A recent report in the Southwest Ledger offered an explanation why Westwin Elements made the decision against construction of a large-scale commercial nickel refinery in Lawton.
The company had announced earlier in December its decision. But now a further explanation came from Richard Rogalski, executive director of the Lawton Economic Development Authority who said the company decided logistics were just too great to overcome.
“It was primarily logistics, meaning the cost to truck (materials) to Lawton and out,” he said. “They saw it as an insurmountable issue for Lawton.”
Rogalski said Westwin’s redevelopment agreement with LEDA, the city and the Comanche County Industrial Development Authority did not require the company to build a commercial plant in Lawton.
Westwin will end up repaying a $2.7 million loan from the Lawton Economic Development Authority and also pay $400,000 for the purchase of the site where the plant was to be located.
Click here for Southwest Ledger