Lights back on at Sackville electrical transformer plant
Cars and trucks are again parked in front of Moloney Electric in Sackville.
During the winter of 2016, a dozen vehicles were in the same parking lot, but back then employees met to commiserate the loss of their jobs and see if anyone knew when they would be going back to work.
In all, 60 people lost their jobs, many after decades of working at the plant.
Owned by Toronto-based Moloney Electric, and before that by General Electric, the plant provided solid wages and benefits to people in the small town since 1961.
But after months of telling employees they'd have their jobs back soon, the company closed for good.
Now the plant is getting a second chance under new owner Kyle Campbell, president of Cam Tran Co.
Like Moloney Electric, the Ontario company builds and repairs pole-top transformers.
"Now we have to go find some customers," Campbell said.
Family business
He started the family business company with his brothers in Colborne, Ont.
Cam Tran has since branched out into Alberta, British Columbia and now New Brunswick.
"The fact that we're now next door is what we're counting on people at least listening to our pitch and giving us a chance to earn their trust and respect."
"You aren't getting it from overseas, you aren't getting it from Georgia and Tennessee and elsewhere, you're getting it from just down the street."
NB Power can expect a call from Cam Tran in the near future, though Campbell said the provincial utility has a contract with another company.
But the Sackville plant will be there if an emergency pole-top transformer is needed, he said.
Until Cam Tran can build up a local client base, Campbell said, some work from the Ontario plant will be diverted to Sackville.
Right now a handful of people, former Moloney Electric employees, are in the building, cleaning it up and repairing things that were broken or ruined during the two-year shut down.
Campbell estimated 10 people will be working in the building by March.
