“I’m chewing it over, would be the best I can say at the moment. Chewing it over.”
However, he said it was too early to divulge more, including who he was working with.
Kaitāia’s Triboard mill is up for sale. Photo / Liz Garton, RNZ
Brown has previously developed a number of large commercial properties in the North Park area, next to the mills, and is a landlord to private businesses and government agencies.
He has also developed properties in Mangōnui and Kerikeri, also in the Far North.
During his time as Far North Mayor, he revived and pushed through a stalled project to build the Te Ahu Centre, which included a library, community hall, cinema, museum and council service centre at the southern end of Kaitāia.
Northland MP Grant McCallum earlier told RNZ he had met a consortium of local and national investors keen to keep the mills operating, but could not say who was involved.
When announcing its plan to exit Kaitāia earlier this year, Juken New Zealand said the mills had been affected by declining export markets and high costs, especially electricity.
The mills are also major water users, consuming about a third of Kaitāia’s town supply.
Juken is planning to keep its Masterton mill, which is newer and makes similar products.
On Wednesday, Workers First Union organiser Marcus Coverdale warned closure of the mills would have a “devastating effect” on the town – not just on the 200 workers and their families, but also on a construction firm that used Triboard to build prefabricated homes, trucking firms, supermarkets, and every other business that relied on workers spending their wages in town.
The union has called a public meeting at Te Ahu from 4.30pm on Saturday.
– RNZ