Local news on one start-up, and one company who's closing up

A Portland Tribune article recently detailed the growing momentum of Plas2Fuel, a new start-up company in Tigard that turns used plastic containers into high-grade crude oil. Owner Kevin DeWhitt developed the anaerobic thermal reclamation technology that is the basis of Plas2Fuel's process. Agri-Plas, a Salem-area company that recycles agricultural plastics, tested an early version of the Plas2Fuel system, and produced four tanker loads of marketable crude oil within a year.

On the other end of the business momentum spectrum, an Albany food manufacturing plant will close its doors in August, according to a report from the Albany Democrat-Herald. Oberto Sausage Company will offer the company's 43 employees in Albany an opportunity to relocate to the main plant in Kent, Washington. Technological advancements in the Washington facility have allowed the workload at the Albany facility to be absorbed into one location.