Buy local, sell global
Maine's exported goods totaled $2.86 billion last year, up 4.9% from the previous year.
That growth is significant given that our population is stagnant and getting older. (I admit to my own part of the aging problem.)
We've heard it said by many Maine-based companies that they can only sell so much to Mainers. While a good deal of companies depend on “exports” to other states, this issue in fact deals with global trade. But the point remains the same: for businesses to grow, they need to grow globally. It's fine to buy locally, but we need to think globally.
On Portland's waterfront, there's a debate over whether to allow for construction of a major cold-storage facility. The proposed facility, which would be operated by Atlanta-based Americold, could serve as a port hub for frozen seafood, blueberries and processed foods of all kinds. From the proposed waterfront site, goods could be easily transported by truck, train or ship. Have shipping container, will travel.
Our cover story, by Senior Writer Renee Cordes, looks at what's at stake for the International Marine Terminal in Portland and for the state.
On the road again … in Norway
Every year, Mainebiz visits six towns or cities as part of our “On the Road” series. Each visit includes a roundtable with local business leaders. By my count, I've taken part in 19 of these roundtables, and some of the same themes emerge. No topic comes up north to south like Maine's labor shortage — whether you're in Kittery or Fort Kent, Skowhegan or Eastport — it's a constant theme among business leaders.
Maine's unemployment rate is the lowest it's been in decades, and the demographic challenge of an aging workforce adds an ever-present layer to the conversation.
Recently, we were in Norway, and the topic of the labor shortage again reared its head. Scott Beck, owner of Nomad Café, said he was having trouble finding seasonal help. Likewise, Charles Melhus, whose family owns Norway Brewing Co., said he recently set up five interviews to screen potential summer employees. Of those, only one person showed up.
I'm well beyond this age range, but I would think for someone in their 20s, working a summer job at a brewery and restaurant would rank pretty high on the list of prime jobs. So if a craft brewer is having trouble getting potential job candidates to show up, what's it like for the rest of Maine's businesses?
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