Tue, 05/28/2019 - 2:45pm

THOMASTON — Dragon Products Company is back in operation after a fire on March 26 shut down production. On May 10, Dragon once again began production of clinker at the cement manufacturing facility in Thomaston, the company said on May 28.

Dragon Products, which is a subsidiary of the Mexican-owned company, Elementia, manufactures cement, using limestone mined from local quarries. Elementia, based in Mexico City, acquired Dragon in 2016 through its acquisition of a 55 percent stake, and full control of Giant Cement Holdings, Inc., from the Spanish company, Cementos Portland Valderrivas.

Dragon has been part of the Midcoast landscape for much longer, since the early 1900s, when manufacturers first started mining limestone quarries and making Portland cement at the Thomaston facility. Over the last century, the plant has grown its footprint to 1,100 acres.

Dragon currently employs 85-88 workers at the Thomaston plant, and still actively mines its 130-open acre quarry.

The plant itself sits on approximately 250 acres, and the other 700 acres, according to Environmental Manager Michael Martunas, remains undeveloped.

In 2010, it produced approximately 300,000 tons of cement.

The primary focus of reconstruction was to restore three stories of equipment used to transport clinker and prepare solid fuel that was damaged in the fire, according to a news release.

(Read: Multiple fire departments respond to Dragon Cement fire)

“Dragon crews, supported by several contractor companies, worked around the clock for six weeks to repair and replace building structures, conduit and wires, motors, gearboxes, bearings, material transport equipment, etc. required for operation,” the company said. “Safety was at the top of the priority list. No injuries occurred during the March 26 fire, and Dragon continued to maintain the focus on safety, reporting no injuries throughout the six-week rebuild process.”

“After six weeks of hard work, our dedicated team of Dragon Cement employees and supporting contractors returned the plant to full operational status,” said Plant Manager Martin Turecky. “I appreciate the determined effort by all involved to ensure Dragon’s future as a leading supplier and partner to our many customers in the New England market. Furthermore, I am extremely proud of the Dragon team for keeping safety at the forefront of this project and completing this monumental task with zero injuries.”