NMDC’s Longstaff looking to expand business in Aroostook

    AUGUSTA — The Maine Office of Business Development’s (OBD) business development specialists have been hard at work in northern Maine. Alain Ouellette and Brian Longstaff have recently been working on procuring regional job opportunities including a metal manufacturing company that is currently looking at possibly expanding a Presque Isle facility. The project would bring in at least 15 new jobs with a pay range between $12 and $18 per hour. This is good news for Aroostook County. At this time, the company has subcontracted some work to an existing Aroostook County company.
    Longstaff and Ouellette are the business development specialists within Aroostook County and North Penobscot County. They are part of the state’s team of economic development experts who p provide communities with state support and resources.
    “Our business development specialists are an integral part of Maine’s economic success,” said OBD Director James Nimon. “Their grass roots approach is a personable and effective business model that is truly making an impact throughout the entire state.”
    “We are able to effectively accomplish our jobs by working collaboratively with many local organizations to develop economic opportunities for this region, “ Alain Ouellette said. “Brian Longstaff and I have a unique work arrangement and this broad based approach to economic growth is very successful especially in northern Maine.”
    The local organizations Longstaff and Ouellette work with include the Northern Maine Development Commission (NMDC), Northern Maine Finance Corporation, the Aroostook Partnership for Progress, Aroostook County Tourism and the Leaders Encouraging Aroostook Development.
    The business development specialists also coordinate with existing resources such as the Maine Manufacturers Extension Partnership, the Maine Procurement Technical Assistance Center and the Maine International Trade Center to obtain procurement information and best practices support to area businesses. Both Longstaff and Ouellette were excited to discuss several of their recent economic development projects.
    “We have recently been assisting an Economic Development Administration (EDA) funded Disaster Mitigation and Recovery Planning effort in collaboration with our sister organizations of Eastern Maine Development Corporation and the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments for the towns affected by this year’s floods,” Longstaff said.
    This spring, Maine experienced severe flooding in the St. John and Penobscot River valleys, resulting in federal disaster declarations in Aroostook, Piscataquis, Penobscot, Somerset, Lincoln, Waldo and Knox counties. While the impact of this flooding was felt throughout the designated counties, Aroostook County was particularly hard hit. Total flood-related impact has exceeded $5 million thus far, though the true impact to the regional economy, particularly the ability of businesses and other employers to return to their former levels of productivity, has not been fully assessed. Longstaff said the project seeks EDA assistance in making this assessment, developing plans for business response and recovery, involving stakeholders in the process and developing and disseminating training and informational materials to those affected.  DECD will coordinate the effort.
    “We’ve also assisted in the development of the funding application for the Small Business Energy Cost Reduction(SBECR),” added Longstaff. “SBECR will provide matching grants to small businesses and manufacturing firms to perform energy audits and to assist in implementing cost-saving measures revealed by the analysis.”
    Longstaff continued to say that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business Enterprise Grant program will provide funding for this program in the amount of $190,200. This funding will allow NMDC staff to provide technical assistance and support to individual businesses by facilitating the completion of energy audits and providing information on the management of energy needs.
    NMDC will add value to this program by providing experienced staff to help businesses obtain the energy audit, interpret the technical reports and identify possible funding sources and incentives for accomplishing the identified energy saving improvements.
    The Maine Department of Environmental Protection introduced the northern region’s business development specialists to a company that has a patented process from Europe that manufactures synthetic diesel from organic materials. The owner is interested in establishing a pilot facility in northern Maine so Longstaff and Ouellette traveled to Quebec and visited the company. The company is now in the process of completing its business process plan for the state of Maine.
    Ouellette also mentioned several projects that they are assisting in the development of including a Wind Energy Conference to be held this fall, writing a grant application to Maine Office of Tourism to implement a “Destination Aroostook” marketing campaign and they also discussed the possibility of filming two productions in northern Maine with two potential producers and the Maine Film Office.
    Maine’s eight business development specialists are based in different regions throughout the state to help companies and organizations take advantage of Maine’s valuable business resources. This de-centralized method provides a local and more convenient way to help Maine’s businesses grow. For more information go to www.mainebiz.org.