Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I N O. X I I J U N E 2 , 2 0 2 5 8 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E million in grants to help 77 Maine organizations provide food, housing and other essential services to Maine people experiencing poverty. The grants were made through the 2025 direct services grant program. Navtronics, a marine technology specialist in York, has joined with Electronics Unlimited, a marine tech- nology provider in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to form Great Circle Group, a ma- rine technology industry national sales and service brand. The Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast in Augusta said it raised $165,386 for Log A Load For Kids during its 30th Anniversary Annual Meeting held May 8-9. J.S. McCarthy Packaging + Print in Augusta said it established a world record for folding carton production, printing 429,000 net sellable sheets in 24 hours on its Speedmaster XL 106-8+L press from Heidelberg, Germany. Norway Savings Bank donated $10,000 to the Pink Feather Foundation's Forever Home Project. The Oxford non- profit provides clothing to underprivi- leged students. New Ventures Maine in Augusta an- nounced the winners of its statewide 2025 NVME Marketing Mini-Grant Competition including Nonprofit Solution Hub, Dancing Jaguar Inspirations, Nor'Easter Oyster Co., Insightful Workplace Solutions, 3B's Catering Co. and Revive Wellness. VIP Tires & Service in Auburn reopened three locations: at 522 Riverside St. in Portland, 50 Western Ave. in Augusta and 137 Camden St. in Rockland. Androscoggin Bank in Lewiston an- nounced the release of its feature in Common Good, a new film series pre- sented by B Lab and produced by BBC StoryWorks. The series showcases a collection of certified B Corporations from around the world, highlighting how business can be a force for good. Coastal Enterprises Inc., a community development financial institution in Brunswick, reported in its annual Impact Report that it deployed $132.5 million in lending and investments nation- wide, including $37.3 million in Maine communities. The funding created and retained 5,425 jobs and developed 763 units of affordable housing. Midcoast Humane in Brunswick said that as part of its 75 th anniversary that two longtime supporters pledged a $75,000 matching challenge grant, doubling every donation made during 2025, up to the full amount. Empeople Credit Union opened at 6 State St. in Bangor. Sawyer's Shave Ice opened a store at 173 Park St., Suite C, in Bangor. The University of Maine in Orono was awarded a total of $2.25 million in funding from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to study a group of chemicals known as PFAS in order to help com- mercial farmers manage its presence. Fidium, a national internet provider, expanded its internet service to Fort Fairfield, bringing its fiber network to more than 1,600 homes and businesses. B R I E F Bigelow Lab set to open $31M center for ocean education and innovation B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r B igelow Laboratory's 25,000-square-foot addition, sched- uled to open this summer, has been named for the project's largest private donor. An $8 million gift from the Harold Alfond Foundation, which is led by Gregory Powell, was essential to breaking ground on the $31 million addition, which is expected to broaden the lab's business innovation, applied research and education programs. The Harold Alfond Center for Ocean Education and Innovation constitutes a 40% increase in the East Boothbay laboratory's footprint, providing space to accommodate a growing staff and a growing portfolio of research. A ribbon-cutting is scheduled for June 26. Bigelow is an independent, nonprofit research institute with a focus on the foundation of global ocean health. Education at the core The expansion includes dedicated, high-tech teaching labs and classrooms so more students, scientists and resource managers can benefit from the institute's educational and professional development programs. Labs will accommodate several new research groups, while newly endowed funds will provide grants to explore early-stage ideas. The expansion includes a 300-seat forum that will serve as a hub for international scientific collaboration and com- munity education. The current facility has three research wings, with no teaching labs and only one classroom. U.S.-made materials Bigelow's current campus was the first scientific research laboratory in Maine to achieve LEED Platinum status. The addition was built in compliance with the Build America Buy America Act, federal legislation enacted in 2021 that prioritizes U.S.-made materials. In addition to the Harold Alfond Foundation, the project relied on a total of $13 million in other philanthropic gifts as well as a $12 million grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The total includes a $2 million maintenance endowment contributed by an anonymous donor, which will permanently support capital repairs and equipment replacement. "We're so grateful to everyone who made this possible, from the Harold Alfond Foundation and individual donors to lawmakers and our local community," said Deborah Bronk, Bigelow's president and CEO and a 2025 Mainebiz Business Leader of the Year. "It's a reminder of what's possible when we work together. This new space will be infused with that spirit while we use it as a gathering space, a nexus for marine science and a launch pad for bold and urgent innovation." N O T E W O R T H Y M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T N O T E W O R T H Y N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N N O T E W O R T H Y C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F B I G E L OW L A BO R AT O R Y F O R O C E A N S C I E N C E S Bigelow Laboratory named its 25,000-square-foot expansion in honor of Harold Alfond. It's a reminder of what's possible when we work together. This new space will be infused with that spirit while we use it as a gathering space, a nexus for marine science and a launch pad for bold and urgent innovation. — Deborah Bronk Bigelow Laboratory

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