Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 19 M A R C H 6 , 2 0 2 3 F O C U S E M E R G I N G I N D U S T R I E S is looking to add 40% growth to the $8.5 billion industry by 2025. It has been moving forward to commercialize new uses of wood, developing a marketing plan to bring more capital investments to Maine; building a communications strategy to promote career opportunities in the forest industry; and updating Maine's sustainable wood supply projections. "Our goal is to grow and diversify Maine's for- est economy, to build resilience in the industry and to support rural communities where manufacturing and natural resource-based jobs are located," says Brianna Bowman, program director for FOR/Maine. FOR/Maine's work includes "global matchmak- ing" for companies interested in Maine's resource, Bowman says. "We've tuned in to a massive global demand," Bowman says. Patrick Strauch, executive director of the Maine Forest Products Council, says climate change awareness has helped highlight the advantages of forest products. "It was natural to think about how wood could be used to replace plastic," Strauch says. "I think that timing was good for Maine." He adds, "I joke with my sawmillers: 'You can't refer to your lumber as 2-by-4s anymore; they're 'linear carbon construction units.'" Printed homes, engineered siding Wood-derived products are a focus of research at the University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center in Orono. e center recently unveiled a 3D printed pro- totype "BioHome3D" with flooring, walls and roof made of wood fibers and bio-resins. e customiz- able house is recyclable and 100% wood insulated. Construction waste was nearly eliminated due to the precision of the printing process. "e goal is to print homes like this every 48 hours," the center's executive director, Habib Dagher, said at a recent presentation. C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » Aging workforce A mong its concerns, the forestry industry is looking at workforce recruitment and reten- tion as older professionals retire. "Logging capacity is diminished and we're los- ing truckers," says Maine Forest Products Council Executive Director Patrick Strauch. "The industry will pivot toward these workforce issues." Among its efforts, the council is submitting legisla- tion to support childcare services and workforce hous- ing in communities that are central to the industry. "We have to be able to get into those markets," he says. "We're looking at immigration as a solu- tion as well." It was natural to think about how wood could be used to replace plastic. I think that timing was good for Maine. — Patrick Strauch Maine Forest Products Council Patrick Strauch, executive director of the Maine Forest Products Council, says climate change awareness has helped highlight the advantages of forest products. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F M A I N E F O R E S T P RO D U C T S C O U N C I L

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