Biddeford-based Fiber Materials to add 50 employees this year
Courtesy / Fiber Materials Inc.
A production technician at work at Fiber Materials Inc. in Biddeford. Positions like this are among the 50 jobs the company plans to fill this year.
Fiber Materials Inc. in Biddeford is experiencing unprecedented growth in its core defense and space markets, and in diversified markets such as high-performance racing, commercial aerospace and industrial markets.
This year it plans to add at least 50 people.
By the end of 2019, the employee count is expected to be about 235. The growth is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
“We are expecting to increase head count to 300 employees by 2023,” Kate Whitney, the company’s marketing communications manager, told Mainebiz.
Fiber Materials develops and manufactures high-temperature materials and composites for use in industrial, commercial, and aerospace applications, according to its website. The company was founded in 1969 and has two campuses in Biddeford.
The growth results from a broader market diversification strategy that is driving increased demand and revenue growth, Whitney said.
“We grew 20% in 2018 and are projected to have double-digit growth in 2019,” she said.
Open positions are primarily in manufacturing, to fulfill contracts for products already in the pipeline, she said. Other open positions include managers and engineers.
In December 2016, Fiber Materials was purchased by Edgewater Capital Partners, a Cleveland-based private equity firm investing in lower, middle-market performance materials businesses.
New ownership brought in a new CEO, broadened the sales team and lent “fresh perspective,” all of which helped drive growth, said Whitney.
“It’s a fairly new team of people,” she said. Whitney is herself a new hire, tasked with marketing the company. “Traditionally, they haven’t had a focus on marketing,” she added.
Moving forward, “There’s a heavy emphasis on sales, business initiatives and growth in different industries,” she said.
One example is additional product offerings for Formula One auto racing.
To find employees, Fiber Materials is using local employment agencies, job fairs and digital outlets like LinkedIn, Whitney said. In addition, recruiters are meeting with vocational programs at high school and college levels, to create awareness of the company. The company’s contracts are expected to provide steady full-time work for years to come.
The company’s workforce expansion comes during its 50th anniversary.
Fiber Materials was named Innovator of the Year by the Maine International Trade Center in 2018.
For details on job openings, visit the company's website.
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