Composite building materials manufacturer Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies Inc. has obtained a $3 million loan under the federal economic stimulus act that will help it finance the planned expansion of its $13 million plastics recycling plant in Watts, Okla., that opened in March.
AERT, based in Springdale, announced receipt of the loan July 14 and said it will use the money to help double the plant's output, increase blending and storage capacity and add blending and formulating equipment so it can sell recycled resins to others.
The 70,000-square-foot plant in Watts and AERT's recycling plant in Lowell, Ark., provide all the recycled resin for the company's two Springdale extrusion plants that manufacture its composite decking and railing products.
The 15-year loan has a 3 percent interest rate.
The Watts recycling plant was eligible for the economic stimulus loan because earlier this year it was LEED-certified at the silver level by the U.S. Green Building Council under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.
AERT also said it received a $25,000 grant from Adair County, Okla., to expand recycling in the region.