Kalama wine bottle plant to restart in July

KALAMA, Wash. (AP) — Workers at the

"After being in a holding pattern for two years, we now are working feverishly on a number of things," said Bennu CEO

Most important is the replacement of the 400-ton electric melter, or furnace. Using an electric-powered furnace was considered risky technology, and failure of the unit ultimate brought the plant down shortly after the Pennsylvania-based Cameron family opened it on Port of Kalama property.

Bennu hired contractor

Last month, Bennu's contractors hauled away chunks of glass that filled the 400-ton melter. A disposal company will determine whether it can be recycled. Large amounts of the glass were contaminated with other materials and likely can't be recycled, according to Lemieux.

On Wednesday, contract workers were busy disassembling the metal bracketing that supported the two-story electric melter, which was shaped like an octagon. A new, square-shaped liquid oxygen-fueled melter, a proven method which heats molten glass to 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit, will be installed in May, according to

About nine to 10 contract employees daily are working at the site with 10 full-time Bennu employees, Weir said. The company expects to do the bulk of its hiring in April through the WorkSource office in Kelso.

Bennu bought the plant at a bankruptcy auction in March 2010 for $64.8 million. The company announced last fall that it had secured the $40 million to $50 million in loans to start operating.

Bennu, which plans to produce 100 million bottles a year, is owned by New York-based financial firm

Lemieux is traveling along the West Coast, mostly in California, to secure deals with customers. The company plans to sell primarily to small wineries, which often import bottles because they can't find enough domestic supply, Lemieux said.

The company is moving forward with other smaller projects, such as commissioning other equipment and building a warehouse to store liquid oxygen, Lemieux said.

"It seems to be coming out okay so far," he said.