Unlike many years, there were no big press conferences announcing the arrival of a major project in 2014. But the year in Golden Triangle industry was not without surprises.

By year’s end, one industry built on new technology had shuttered its doors, a long-established manufacturer had called it quits, a major industrial enterprise had changed hands and another manufacturer surprised many by reducing its work staff.

From the start of the year until near the end, the big story in industry was the demise of the Texas-based company KiOR, which built a first-of-its-kind plant on The Island that would convert wood chips to biofuel.

In January, an ominous sign emerged when the company announced it was shutting down production, which had been far below projections all along, in an effort to improve operations. The company said none of its roughly 100 employees would be affected as it tested new innovations it had developed in hopes of increasing production.

The plant never went into production again. In its filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission in March, officials stated, “We have substantial doubts about our ability to continue.” Officials said additional investment were needed to salvage the company. In March, the company filed its end-of-the-year financials with the SEC. The 257-page report painted a bleak picture of the company’s future, but despite another $25 million investment by its main financial backer, a company controlled by California billionaire Vinod Khosla, the company continued to struggle.

In June, KiOR missed its $1.85 million installment payment on a $75 million loan from the Mississippi Development Authority. The company negotiated a 90-day forbearance period on making that payment. In July, the company laid off a third of its employees and soon after announced that it was exploring the possibility of a sale.

In August, the company announced it was in danger of facing bankruptcy and, shortly after failing to pay its MDA loan at the close of the 90-day forbearance, announced bankruptcy on Nov. 10. The company held the Columbus facility out of those filings in the hopes that it may yet find a purchaser.

KiOR said it owed $312 million in debt, including $69 million on its MDA loan.

Sanderson Plumbing ends operations

Sanderson Plumbing, a long-time presence in Columbus, ended production in May and laid off most of its 250 workers. The company had amassed $2.8 million in debit it could not pay, including almost $300,000 in back taxes owed the city and county. The company declared bankruptcy in July.

Airbus surprise

For most of the year, all of the news appeared to be good news for Airbus Helicopters. After surviving a crisis caused by the federal budget crisis in 2013, the company, formerly American Eurocopter, announced increased orders in February, April and September and in March announced that it was adding a second production line.

So it came as a surprise in November when the company announced it was offering voluntary severance packages to its employees. Citing a world-wide decrease in helicopter sales, the company said it hope to reduce its work-force by an unspecified number. The company said it did not anticipate lay-offs, however.

Severstal sold

In May, Severstal officials announced plans to sell its two U.S. steel manufacturing facilities, including the steel plant in Lowndes County. The sale by the Russian-owned company seemed to be more of a reaction to international politics — the U.S. and its European allies had announced sanctions against Russia and Russian-owned companies in response to that country’s take-over of Crimea and threats against the Ukraine — than the performance of the company’s U.S. holdings.

In September, Steel Dynamics, an Indiana company, completed its $1.62 billion purchase of the Columbus mill. Officials with Steel Dynamics said the purchase expands the company’s operating base, increasing its annual steel shipping capacity to 11 million tons — a 40 percent increase.

Other industry news

Meanwhile, CalStar, a company that makes “green” brick and paving materials, began operations in July. The Wisconsin-based company opened with 28 employees, but said it anticipated growing its workforce to 58 when it reaches full capacity and could employ close to 100 workers within three years of operations. The company was aided by $5 million in debt financing backed by the county.

While work on the Yokohama plant continues on schedule in anticipation of beginning production in the fall of 2015, there was other good news, too.

In September, it was announced that after almost a year of being idle, the Navistar Defense assembly plant will be up and running again early, thanks to a $38.4 million contract with the U.S. Army. The contract calls for Navistar to make the U.S. Army’s Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. The funding comes from fiscal year 2014 appropriations derived by Congress for the Department of Defense.

Rumors and promises

In November, the area braced was another big announcement when aluminum manufacturer American Specialty Alloys announced it was exploring the area as a site for a $1.2 billion facility. While Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins declined to comment, he did say he expected big things on the development front in 2015.

Higgins told LINK members in December that his group was currently working on more than a dozen projects that represent more than $2 billion in local investments.

Higgins said he remained confident that all three counties would see a new project during the 2015 calendar year.

Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].