Did you know that 95% of the world’s bowling alleys are constructed from Panolam laminates? That every tampon in North America is made by Tambrands in Auburn? That multiple Maine-based manufacturers are making aerospace materials?

“People don’t know what they can’t see,” said Jay Brenchick, Director of Economic Development for the City of Auburn. “Through zoning, we tend to set industrial off to the side because people don’t want to look at big buildings. Therefore, they don’t always know about the amazing things happening in their own town.”

Maine has been an industrial powerhouse for centuries, and today manufacturing is the fourth largest sector in the state. It has grown by more than 10% since 2019, outpacing the 4.7% nationwide average. Manufacturing in Maine generates around $6.8 billion in gross domestic product, employs approximately 53,300 residents and accounts for 14.4% of wages paid statewide. (All of this is according to Maine Department of Labor and National Association of Manufacturing statistics.)

The City of Auburn has been particularly resourceful, creative and thoughtful in growing local manufacturing. In 2021, there were nearly 3,000 manufacturing jobs within minutes of Exit 75 in Auburn as reported by ESRI Business Analyst. Since then that number has surely grown, including auxiliary services to the industry. The city has 49 manufacturing businesses and 40 transportation or warehousing businesses within minutes of Exit 75, an area that the City of Auburn has designated as the Manufacturing, Warehousing and Distribution Hub of Maine.

Alongside this incredible growth—and perhaps because of it—building a strong workforce is one of manufacturing’s biggest problems. Around the state, businesses, trade groups and cities are getting together to solve these issues, and because of their experience, Auburn is leading the way.

Investing in careers to strengthen community

Since the beginning of October, the City of Auburn has partnered with the Manufacturers Association of Maine (MAME) to celebrate Manufacturing Month, drawing more attention to the positive growth and bringing more people out to see the businesses at the Manufacturing and Distribution Hub.

Tours around the Hub have been held at Auburn Manufacturing, Panolam Surface Systems, The Strainrite Companies and Packgen Corporation. The month will close out with a public celebration at Central Maine Community College. (See sidebar above for details.)

All year long, Mike Roughton, Executive Director of MAME, travels up and down the state to support their membership through advocacy at the State Legislature, professional development and workforce recruitment. He believes what Auburn has done can be replicated in more cities and towns in Maine. “Jay is unique in in driving these conversations at a city level,” he said.

Over the past two years, Brenchick’s Department has supported these businesses’ growth because the city believes in the stability and quality of the work people can do there, plus there’s competitive wages. “It is important for our economy that we are still making things,” he said. “These are jobs that can turn into careers.”

Starting with monthly meetings to hear about specific problems from manufacturing leaders in January 2023, the City of Auburn and Office of Economic Development have been able to support their local manufacturers in four specific, ongoing ways:

1. Providing financial incentives, including funds derived from Municipal Tax Increment Financing (TIF).

2. In addition to other recruitment methods, the New Mainers Workforce Program attracts and retains legal immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers. To date, about 150 new Mainers have been hired and retained, more than 100 of them by Panolam Surface Systems. The City has worked with Auburn Adult Education to provide workplace English language classes at Panolam that are hosted during work hours at their place of employment. Additional employers are working on offering this program too.

3. Transportation to manufacturing facilities is offered through Worklinx, a Western Maine Transportation Services program. The door-to-door bus service is $3 each way and some employers pick up the cost.

4. Lastly, ongoing monthly meetings, known as the technical assistance program. University of Maine, Roux Institute, Maine Manufacturers Extension Partnership, Maine Technology Institute, Apex Accelerator, Maine International Trade Center and others have shown up to connect with businesses in the overlay.

Looking forward

“In our organization, we’re often saying, ‘Maine is more than blueberries and lobster,” Roughton said with a laugh. Besides more state-level investment, MAME’s members would like to see more parents and guidance counselors at both middle and high school levels learn more about the manufacturing opportunities right in their backyards.

“There’s still a preconception of it as dusty, smoky, dirt-floor environment,” Roughton explained. He recalled one of his first tours when he started working at the association, taking high school students to Lyman-Morse, a Thomaston boatbuilder. “They had no clue that computer programming, which they liked, and CNC machining was part of the process.”

Jay Brenchick wants to create more partnerships between Auburn manufacturers and other educational institutions alongside CMCC. “The goal for 2025 is to position our manufacturers and distributors to keep growing and changing—using data analytics, artificial intelligence. We’re working on relationships with the University of Maine Advanced Manufacturing Center and Composites Center and The Roux Institute [at Northeastern University].”

While tourists might not be pulling off Exit 75 to check out the Manufacturing, Distribution and Warehouse Hub, the hope is that when next Manufacturing Appreciation Month rolls around, even more Mainers will want to explore the “hidden gems” that power this incredible state.

Learn more at goauburn.me/manufacturing and mainemfg.org.