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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 17 O C T O B E R 1 5 , 2 0 1 8 F O C U S M I D C O A S T & D OW N E A S T M A I N E Whole Oceans found the Bucksport site attractive for numerous reasons, including substantial acreage and exist- ing assets, says Willauer. e seller, Quebec metal recycler American Iron & Metal Development LLC, has been dismantling structures but will leave intact discharge pipes to the Penobscot River and intake pipes from Silver Lake that were formerly used by the mill and will now serve Whole Oceans. Another plus, Willauer says, is the region's culture. "is is a culture of people with a can-do attitude that is welcoming to folks who want to do something bold and is very open as a community to learning new industries," Willauer says. Whole Ocean's timeline calls for initial site preparation this year and phase one completion by late 2019. Initial permits allow it to grow 5,000 tons. Phase I costs $75 million. Full build-out is expected to cost $250 mil- lion as the company develops capacity in over the next 15 years to produce 25,000 metric tons per year. Workforce development Whole Oceans expects to have 60 jobs available within the coming year, and close to 100 total after that, says Willauer. A job link on its website, as of September, received 200 to 300 inquiries. Whole Oceans is planning partnerships with Maine's work- force development infrastructure, including Castine's Maine Maritime Academy where studies like biology and marine engineering are relevant to Whole Oceans; and other educa- tional institutions as sources of train- ing, Willauer says. Nordic's Phase 1 is expected to cre- ate 60 to 65 positions, and 100 at total build-out. "We're hoping to find Maine employees, but we're recruiting nation- ally and internationally, too," says Heim. Nordic has been meeting with Maine education institutions, he says. "It's an opportunity for universi- ties to provide work opportunities for their students," Heim says. e opera- tion will also spin off ancillary jobs in outside companies, like packaging, trucking and plumbing. Both companies expect demand for Atlantic salmon to grow. "Seafood is considered the most energy-efficient and viable way of pro- ducing protein compared with other meats," says Heim. He adds: "is is simply a new seg- ment of the industry that really, for a lot of reasons, is emerging and seems to be the wave of the future." Laurie Schreiber, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached at lschreiber @ mainebiz.biz M A D E F O R A L I F E W E L L L I V E D M a r v i n W i n d o w s a n d D o o r s Fo r m o re i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t h ow H a m m o n d L u m b e r C o m p a n y a n d M a r v i n Wi n d ows a n d D o o rs c a n d e f i n e yo u r h o m e , v i s i t www.HammondLumber.com/marvin 21 Locations Across Maine www.HammondLumber.com Hammond Maine Biz Oct Ad.indd 1 8/16/18 9:22 AM Seafood is considered the most energy efficient and viable way of producing protein compared with other meats. — Erik Heim, Nordic Aquafarms Whole Oceans' Chief Development Officer Ben Willauer, left, and founder and CEO Rob Piasio, who grew up in Yarmouth. P H O T O / L A U R I E S C H R E I B E R

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