June 2010

In this Issue

-- PlumChoice Partners with Maine Community College System to Train New Workers

-- Verso Paper Hires 200 Employees for Two Maine Mills

-- Maine Manufacturing Continues Expansion in Sanford; 94 Employees and Counting

-- Maine Company Zeomatrix Lands Major SBIR Science Grant for Biofuel Technology

-- MCED's Top Gun Program Soars with 2010 Applicants

-- AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY: PLUG AND PLAY CALL CENTERS IN MAINE

-- Maine & Company Board of Directors/Sponsors

A Maine & Company success story is celebrating. PlumChoice is entering an exciting new partnership with the Maine Community College System which will train up to 350 new workers! Read more below.

And keeping jobs in Maine, not shipping them overseas, is the latest news from Maine Manufacturing LLC in Sanford. Find out why this life sciences technology company is staying in the state.

And, do you need a turnkey call center location? For the first time in a few years, we have multiple former facilities in Maine that were recently in use as call centers. These facilities are available immediately with great terms and existing workforce and infrastructure. More details below.

Matt Jacobson, President & CEO, Maine & Company (207) 871-0234

PlumChoice Partners with Maine Community College System to Train New Workers

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PlumChoice, the nation's leading remote technical services provider, announces a new training program with the Maine Community College System. PlumChoice is partnering with Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) and Maine Quality Centers, both part of the Maine Community College System, to train and employ up to 350 Maine residents as work-at-home service technicians.

Maine & Company is pleased to announce this new initiative, which it helped facilitate with Maine Quality Center, SMCC and PlumChoice. With a $550,000 Maine Quality Center grant, SMCC will provide customer service and certified Microsoft and Apple systems training at no cost to accepted students.

Pictured above: (left) Rich Surace, Senior VP, Operations, PlumChoice; Jennifer Mistal, Director, COE, PlumChoice; Dr. James Ortiz, President, Southern Maine Community College; James McGowan, Director Maine Quality Centers and Peter DelGreco, VP of Operations, Maine & Company

PlumChoice opened its Center of Excellence in Scarborough Maine last year to provide support and advanced training for its fast-growing U.S. operations.

Find out more about PlumChoice at www.plumchoice.com.

Find out more about the PlumChoice announcement at WCSH6.com

Verso Paper Hires 200 Employees for Two Maine Mills

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There's good news from the paper industry in Maine. Verso Paper Company is hiring up to 200 workers.

A spokesperson for Verso paper told the Bangor Daily News that the company's two Maine mills, one in Jay and one in Bucksport, is preparing to replace a large number of future retirees.

Verso hired almost 200 workers for both mills to train workers who will fill future vacant positions. Also, Verso has scheduled outdoor mill projects this summer which too require additional workers.

Find out more about the Verso Paper new hires in this Bangor Daily News story

Maine Manufacturing Continues Expansion in Sanford; 94 Employees and Counting

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Maine Manufacturing LLC, a customized manufacturing partner for the life science industry, continues to expand.

Maine & Company recently visited the company's Sanford location where employment has now reached 94 with plans for continued growth.

Maine Manufacturing is housed in a facility once operated as Whatman Life Sciences. After GE Healthcare purchased the UK-based Whatman manufacturing company, GE moved the production from Sanford back to the UK, leaving the facility vacant. Former Whatman executive William Emhiser re-opened the facility earlier this year and has been hiring back employees to meet the production needs of his new life sciences contract manufacturing facility. Maine Manufacturing LLC continues to produce high quality injection molded components in a clean room environment for their customers.

Senator Susan Collins visited Maine Manufacturing LLC during a recent open house celebration. Collins told the audience "Maine Manufacturing is truly one of Maine's great success stories. But what you are doing here goes beyond creating jobs. You are building an industry of the future."

Go to www.mfgmaine.com for more on Maine Manufacturing LLC in Sanford.

Find out more about Maine Manufacturing LLC in this WCSH6 news story.

Maine Company Zeomatrix Lands Major SBIR Science Grant for Biofuel Technology

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Zeomatrix, an Orono Maine-based company that engineers and manufactures specialty materials for targeted environmental solutions, recently received a major Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Science Foundation.

The $489,645 SBIR grant is for the Zeomatrix Z-SEP product, a ceramic filtration device for processing and separating fuel from biomass.

Zeomatrix had already received a $120,000 National Science Foundation grant.

Only four years old, the company is a spinoff of University of Maine technology and is located at the University's Target Technology Center. President Susan MacKay told Mainebiz Zeomatrix hopes to double the SBIR award amount by attracting outside investment.

Find out more about Zeomatrix at http://zmtrx.target.maine.edu/

Read more about the Zeomatrix SBIR National Science Foundaiton Grant in Mainebiz

MCED's Top Gun Program Soars with 2010 Applicants

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The Maine Center for Enterprise Development (MCED) continues its Applied Entrepreneurship Program, aka 'Top Gun', offering an innovative approach to providing training, resources and mentoring to innovation-focused entrepreneurs.

Top Gun is a customized, 15-week entrepreneurial development program that identifies highly talented entrepreneurs in Maine and matches them with mentors who will help guide them as they continue to develop their innovative business model.

The 2009 class included a dozen entrepreneurs. The 2010 applicants have until June 25th to apply to be part of this year's Top Gun program.

Maine & Company is a proud supporter of Top Gun. Find out more about the Maine Center For Enterprise Development's Top Gun program at www.mcedtopgun.biz

Find out what Mainebiz says about MCED's Top Gun "Entrepreneurial School"

AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY: PLUG AND PLAY CALL CENTERS IN MAINE

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As in much of the country, the recession has hit Maine call centers hard. As a result, we have a number of former call center space sitting empty. Most of these spaces still have existing equipment and cubicles in the space and an affordable and available workforce looking for new opportunities.

FORT KENT, MAINE: A former call center for a third party service provider was vacated in April. The workforce was engaged in Medicare Part D enrollments and received HIPAA training and in-house certifications. The facility, built less than ten years ago by MBNA and now owned by the local EDO, is world class, and very attractive terms are available.

WATERVILLE, MAINE: A former LL Bean customer service center closed in April. LL Bean workers have set the standard in customer service and this workforce is available for new opportunities.

ELIOT, MAINE: A former inbound/outbound sales operation with all equipment and furniture still in place. The call center was vacated in May. There was virtually no turnover of the full-time workforce at this facility.

For more information on Maine's available call centers, call Peter DelGreco at (207) 871-0234 or email at pjdelgreco@maineco.org

Maine & Company Board of Directors/Sponsors

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Directors/Sponsors

--Androscoggin Bank, Mr. Chris Logan-- Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Mr. Daniel Corcoran-- athenahealth, Mr. David Tassoni-- Bangor Hydro-Electric Co., Mr. Bob Hanf-- Bernstein Shur, Mr. Eric F. Saunders-- Boston Financial Data Services, Mr. Peter Jackson-- Central Maine Power Company, Ms. Sara Burns -- Cianbro Corporation, Mr. Peter G. Vigue -- DECD, Commissioner Thaxter Trafton-- Eaton Peabody, Mr. Daniel G. McKay-- FairPoint Communications, Mr. Mike Reed-- Harriman, Mr. Clifton W. Greim, P.E.-- Garrand, Ms. Brenda Garrand-- International WoodFuels, Mr. Steven Mueller-- Key Bank N.A., Mr. Chip Kelley-- L.L. Bean, Inc, Mr. Mark Fasold-- Ledgewood Construction, Mr. Peter J. Benard-- Maine State Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Dana F. Connors, President-- Pierce Atwood LLP, Mr. Bruce A. Coggeshall-- PlumChoice, Inc., Mr. Rich Surace-- TD Bank Maine Mr. Lawrence A. Wold-- Time Warner Cable Ms. Melinda Poore-- Unitil, Ms. Cindy Carroll-- Verrill Dana, LLP, Mr. Keith C. Jones

Members of the Corporation

-- Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Charles A. Morrison-- Capital Area Staffing Solutions, Inc., Ms. Cathy A. DeMerchant-- Greater Portland Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Godfrey Wood--- Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Peter G. Thompson-- Maine Employers' Mutual Insurance Company (MEMIC), Mr. Michael Bourque-- Manufacturers Association of Maine, Ms. Lisa Martin-- MidMaine Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Kimberly Lindlof-- Savage-Safe Handling, Inc., Mr. Ford S. Reiche-- Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber, Mr. Steve Wallace

Contact Information

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email mjacobson@maineco.org

phone: (207) 871-0234

web: http://www.maineco.org

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