Company seeks to expand in industrial park

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NAUGATUCK — A local company is looking to buy a vacant parcel and expand in the borough’s industrial park.

Electric Cable Compounds Inc., which is located at 108 William C. Rado Drive, wants to purchase a 9.62 acre parcel of land known as lot 13 in the Naugatuck Industrial Park for $150,000. The lot is adjacent to Electric Cable Compounds’ current property.

The Board of Mayor and Burgesses this month voted to send the application to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation. The Planning Commission is expected to meet on June 6.

According to the company’s website, Electric Cable Compounds makes electrical cables for a wide variety of uses, including automotive, utility, and oil exploration.

Borough Attorney Ned Fitzpatrick said Gene Fridland, who owns Electric Cable Compounds, currently employs 75 people.

“He is looking to expand his operation. So he would like to pick up the parcel next door to him and build a warehouse for now,” Fitzpatrick told the board.

A message left for Fridland seeking comment was not returned.

According to land records, Electric Cable Compounds’ current lot is 13 acres and has a 63,500-square-foot building on it. The property is assessed at $2.75 million.

Fitzpatrick said the parcel the company wants to buy is not flat and would be difficult to build on for a new business.

“It’s not your most favorable parcel of land. There is a reason it is not utilized or sold at this point,” Fitzpatrick said.

Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Ron Pugliese said the NEDC would be supportive of the sale and will ask the Planning Commission to send a positive referral back to the Board of Mayor and Burgesses.

Pugliese said the company’s interest in expanding is a good thing for the company and the borough.

“It shows confidence in their company, in the industrial park, and in Naugatuck. They want to stay here and don’t want to move,” Pugliese said. “It’s good for the company because it will add employment opportunities. It is also good for Naugatuck because it will add more to the grand list. Plus we are selling a challenging lot.”