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V O L . X X V N O. X V I I I A U G U S T 1 9 , 2 0 1 9 16 G R E AT E R B A N G O R / N O R T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S Rooms and machines have been built to produce a single product for one company. In the 1990s, the company began producing foam-tipped applicators for industrial, medical and specimen collec- tion uses. In 2011, it patented high-per- formance flocked swabs, as well as sam- pling kits for environmental sampling for the food and drug industries. In 2012, it launched UniTranz-RT and Opti-Swab, media for viral and bacterial transport, and a line of spec- imen-collection devices. e products are available at a range of medical suppliers and cost between $300 and $400 apiece. It also produces the PurSafe line, a DNA/RNA preservative. "It's never boring," says Paul Dube, director of regulatory affairs and qual- ity assurance. One day he's dealing with a customer who's trying to find the right device for a diagnostic test, "the next day it's a crime lab looking for test ampules." Pallets in the warehouse are stacked with products for the 255-mile trip to Northborough, Mass., where they'll be sterilized with radiation or ETO gas before returning to Guilford to be shipped to customers. e rise in DNA testing, advanced disease testing, more attention to food safety and increasingly sophisticated technology requiring clean industrial machines have all boosted business. Meeting changing needs JSI has also successfully ridden — and benefited from — the wave of change. "As people's tastes change, we change what we produce," says Steve Dunham, general manager of JSI's Milo wood-products plant. e plant makes 35 different items for grocery store produce, wine, flowers and bak- ery displays. "If they want it, we make it," says Dunham. e day he gave Mainebiz a tour of the plant, two employees were crafting rustic-looking cases for large flat-screen monitors, part of a craft beer display. JSI also has a refrigeration prod- ucts plant in 45,000 square feet of leased space in Bangor. Duane Hallowell, vice president of refrigeration, says grocery store needs are rapidly changing beyond what the wood products division provides. "It's about fresh foods and pre- pared foods," he says. JSI opened the refrigeration divi- sion in 2013, and it alone generates $25 million a year in sales. Overall, JSI had $68 million in rev- enue in 2016, its best year. Awalt says 2019 will be its second best, with $64 million in sales spread among its four divisions, including a Utah division that oversees West Coast custom- ers, and one in Ontario, where JSI acquired Shaw Woodworks in 2016. It expects to generate $70 million in revenue next year, Awalt says. e company added 60 positions this year and intends to add 40 com- panywide next year. A bigger picture With adaptability comes something else, Awalt and Templet say — the ability to see a bigger picture. Awalt's brother Terry, who's the company's CEO, in 1991 suggested a business building store fixtures. He'd sold them and had ideas that he thought would work. Mark Awalt wasn't so sure. Terry got their stepfather, Clayton Johndro, on board and the business started in the garage of Johndro's Milo home. Mark recalls the two painting fixtures in the living room. Mark, who earned an MBA in 1995, was soon on board. e first customer was Hannaford supermarkets. "ey helped create JSI," Awalt says. "Terry's a big thinker, he sees the big picture," he says. "I'm more cautious." After a couple of moves, the company bought the former Dexter Shoe building in Milo in 2001, and doubled the space, to 85,000 square feet. ere were 30 employees at the time. ere are now close to 400, with about 200 in Milo. It's hard convince Terry an idea won't work, Mark says. He developed a banana holder for large displays that doesn't soak up liquid, keeping bacteria down and the product fresher. Many, includ- ing Mark, were skeptical. e company now has a patent on the banana holder and has sold millions. "Our success has a lot to do with Terry's vision," Awalt says. "He's always trying to figure out ways to better serve the customer." In Guilford, Templet says both he and his cousin, James Cartwright, vice president of Hardwood Products, have a drive that goes beyond just running a business. "It goes back to passion," Templet says. "I have it, and James has the same passion for the wood business." Templet doesn't have a background in medical devices. "I'm not a micro- biology guy, I'm just curious." He says the expansion, automa- tion, moving into fields the company hadn't gone before may be scary, but are necessary. "It's about taking a risk," he says. "It's about taking the company to a place you think is going to work. And here we are." Maureen Milliken, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached at mmilliken @ mainebiz.biz » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E It's about taking a risk. It's about taking the company to a place you think is going to work. And here we are. — Timothy Templet Puritan Medical Products P H O T O S / F R E D F I E L D Puritan Medical Products has brand names like UniTranz-RT, Opti-Swab and PurSafe. Puritan Medical Products and sister company Hardwood Products Co. have a wide range of brands and 550 employees, making them a major presence in Guilford.

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