Bushmaster Firearms International, one of the largest employers in Windham, may be moving to Standish.

“It’s gone from a possibility to a strong probability that Bushmaster will be leaving the town of Windham,” said Town Councilor Kaile Warren. He said the company is close to signing a deal to purchase a larger building in Standish.

He announced at Tuesday’s town council meeting that he has been working with Keith Luke, Windham’s economic development director for the past two weeks to entice the firearm manufacturer to stay, such as creating a tax increment financing zone.

Chad Brooks, chief executive officer of Bushmaster, did not return phone calls asking for comment on a potential company move.

Luke said Bushmaster does not report to the town how many employees it has, but estimated it at between 60 and 100. He said it’s tax revenue is lumped in with the Windham Business Park on Route 302 it leases its space from. Luke estimated Bushmaster’s annual town tax revenue to be between $34,000 and $57,000.

Windham Business Park is owned by Dick Dyke. He also owned Bushmaster until 2006 when he sold it to Cerberus Capital Management investment firm.

“Windham’s tax base is diversified enough that there won’t be staggering budget cuts,” said Luke, if Bushmaster leaves.

Bushmaster has been making AR15 assault rifles and other firearms for law enforcement, military and personal use for the past 30 years. The company’s Web site states its weapons are used militarily by the more than 50 countries, including the United States.

Luke and Warren said Bushmaster is looking to expand by moving to a 100,000 square foot building, and is considering buying the Sensata Technologies plant on Northeast Road in Standish that currently produces sensors for automobiles and consumer electronics.

“Sensata is actively trying to sell the building and we’ve been approached by a number of companies,” Tom Potter, integration manager at Sensata Technologies in Standish. “But I can’t say much more.”

“The town has no knowledge of it,” said Standish Town Manager Gordy Billington. He said he’s heard about a company looking into purchasing the Sensata building, but hasn’t been officially told which company.

“We have been told all along by Sensata that were would be no release of public information until the closing times of the deal,” said Billington.

He added that he has heard from Sensata employees have told him they can expect the plant to still be open until the end of July.

In it’s heyday, the Sensata plant provided 200 jobs and a yearly municiple tax revenue of $114,807, according to Standish Assessor Peter Arnemann. In January 2007, Sensata announced it would be moving most of its jobs to the Dominican Republic and leave a skeleton crew of Standish workers behind.