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Local manufacturer buys former Haeger Potteries factory

The East Dundee factory that was home to Haeger Potteries for 145 years has been sold to a local manufacturer.

Golden Plastics USA in Carpentersville, formerly known as Golden Bag Co., plans to repurpose and move its film and plastic bag manufacturing business into the recently vacant building at 7 Maiden Lane, said Lexy Haeger Estes, Haeger Potteries president. The sale was finalized last month, she said, though she declined to disclose the details of the sale.

The pottery company, which ceased operations last summer, spent the last several months sifting through a century's worth of memories and cleaning out the factory to prepare for its new owners, Haeger Estes said.

"It was wonderful that we could just get out and they could move in," she said. "If they can begin to hire people again for the betterment of the community, that's very important. That's what the whole goal has been - to better the community."

Golden Plastics representative Gene Staples said earlier the company would likely employ about 50 people at its new facility, compared to the 22 it employed in September. The Haeger facility has about 145,000 square feet of usable space, he said - a significant upgrade from Golden Plastics' current 35,000-square-foot building.

Staples also told East Dundee trustees he anticipated making roughly $1.2 million worth of renovations to property while still maintaining the building's character and historical significance.

"He's quite a history buff, from the discussions that we've had," Haeger Estes said. "Things may change, and it's certainly up to him, but he did like the feel of the kiln in there and the old things that were around. It's an interesting, old place, that's for sure."

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