The Alliance Sand Plant located in Picayune Industrial Park has temporarily stopped production while the plant undergoes a financial transition, said Paul Deville, general manager at the sand plant.

City of Picayune Mayor Ed Pinero said he spoke to a representative of the company and he was told that the company temporarily halted production to work on one of the conveyor belts and while the company makes the financial transition.

Deville said the plant has been purchased by a privately owned company and hopes once the transition is complete, construction will begin again very soon.

Pinero said that the conveyor belt has been shut down so that workers can rebalance it and make repairs.

Also, another company, Avon Engineered Fabrications has purchased the Applied Geo Technologies, Inc. building that is owned by ReflecTech. Pinero said with the acquisition of the building, AEF plans to increase sales and production.

Currently, ReflecTech, Farmer Fresh, Avon Engineered Fabrications, The Way Manufacturing, St. Tammany Box Co., the sand plant and Rheogistics LLC  own buildings in the Picayune Industrial Park.

Those seven companies may then lease out buildings they own for short term leases to other companies to operate, but the tenants of the buildings deal directly with the renting company and don’t go through the city or chamber of commerce for approval, Pinero said.

Pinero also said that he and other officials are aware of an individual who sends out misinformation, mostly rumors, concerning the industrial park and the plants located there.