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John Lewis
Updated: July 25, 2025
Commentary
Auburn offers a blueprint for the role of economic development in strengthening manufacturing
By John Lewis, Manufacturers Association of Maine
At the Manufacturers Association of Maine, our mission is to support and strengthen Maine’s manufacturing sector through advocacy, workforce development and public awareness. But we can’t do this work alone.
One of our strongest partners in this effort is the city of Auburn — an example of how local economic development departments can play a direct and transformative role in helping manufacturers grow, recruit talent and connect to statewide resources.
In an era when communities are searching for ways to attract investment and stabilize their economies, Auburn has quietly become a model for others to follow.
Prioritizing manufacturing
The success didn’t happen by chance. It happened because city leadership, especially through its economic development department, has prioritized manufacturing as a cornerstone of economic growth.
“A lot of people don’t realize the scale or scope of what’s made right in their own backyard,” said Jay Brenchick, Auburn's director of economic development. “We’ve got companies making aerospace materials, precision components and even the laminates used in 95% of the world’s bowling alleys — all right here in Auburn. But people don’t know what they can’t see.”
That’s exactly why visibility and collaboration matter. When we partnered with the city of Auburn for Manufacturing Month in October 2024, we saw firsthand the power of local government to shine a spotlight on modern manufacturing.
Together, we hosted facility tours, recognized industry leaders and brought the public behind the scenes at companies like Auburn Manufacturing and Panolam. It was more than a celebration. It was a strategic effort to change perceptions and generate excitement about careers in manufacturing.
Four strategies
Brenchick understands that to attract and retain manufacturers, economic development can’t stop at land use and infrastructure. It has to be proactive, people-centered and relationship-driven.
Auburn’s approach includes four major strategies that any city or town could replicate:
- Incentivize growth through municipal tools like Tax Increment Financing (TIF), which help manufacturers reinvest in expansion and equipment.
- Build a diverse workforce by engaging immigrant populations. More than 100 New Mainers have been hired by Panolam alone, thanks to English language classes delivered in partnership with Auburn Adult Education at the worksite and during work hours
- Address transportation barriers through Worklinx, a $3 door-to-door ride service that gets workers to their shifts reliably, often with employers footing the bill.
- Host monthly technical assistance sessions that bring together manufacturers and resource partners like Northeastern University's Roux Institute, Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the University of Maine’s Advanced Manufacturing Center.
Not just jobs
It’s one thing to talk about economic development in theory; it’s another to see it in action.
“These aren’t just jobs. They’re careers,” Brenchick told me. “We’re investing in people because we believe in the value of what they do, and the role manufacturing plays in our economy.”
At MAME, we’re constantly advocating for deeper public-private partnerships, and what we see in Auburn proves that when city leaders listen to industry and take deliberate action, the results speak for themselves.
Within a 10-minute drive of Exit 75, nearly 90 manufacturing and distribution businesses call this area home. It’s not just a hub. It’s a blueprint for economic growth.
As we look ahead to Manufacturing Month this October, Auburn’s example sets the stage for what’s possible statewide. We encourage other cities and towns to reach out to MAME and explore how to replicate this level of collaboration in their own communities. We have the roadmap and the resources. What we need are more partners willing to lean in.
If Maine is going to compete, retain talent and strengthen our economic foundation, manufacturing must remain at the center of the conversation. That starts with visibility, coordination and leadership at every level, especially at the local level. Auburn proves that when economic development is done right, it can do more than support industry. It can power a movement.
Let’s make this next Manufacturing Month more than a celebration. Let it be call to action.
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