Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I N O. X V J U LY 1 4 , 2 0 2 5 10 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 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 Swedish manufacturer Mölnlycke Health Care said it will invest $134 million to expand the facility at Brunswick Landing. Mölnlycke, with 129 employees in Brunswick, makes wound care products at the site. County potato processors get tax credit Gov. Janet Mills has signed legislation that will support economic invest- ments and job growth for manufactur- ing businesses, including two potato processing facilities in Aroostook County. LD 1951, An Act to Promote Food Processing and Manufacturing Facility Expansion and Create Jobs, extends tax credits to the family- owned Penobscot McCrum potato processing facility in Washburn as well as for a 96,000-square-foot Taste of Maine potato chip factory under construction at the Loring Commerce Centre. e bill modernizes Maine's income tax credit for major food processing or manufacturing facilities to make Maine more competitive for these large-scale food industry invest- ments, especially in rural areas, the governor's office said. e McCrum facility employs 145 people and the Taste of Maine chip factory is expected to create 100 jobs in Limestone when it opens in 2026. Amazon eyes Caribou for distribution center Amazon Inc. has picked the rural Aroostook County city of Caribou, population 7,328, for its first warehouse site in Maine. "Caribou has a great location in central Aroostook County and we appreciate this investment," City Manager Penny ompson told Mainebiz. She confirmed the com- pany's plans to fit out a warehouse at 33 Aldridge Drive for a new distribu- tion hub. Amazon said in April that it planned to invest $4 billion to expand its rural delivery network. 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 Northern Light Cancer Care at the Lafayette Family Cancer Institute in Brewer brought two state-of-the-art linear accelerators online. N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N B R I E F Portland Sea Dogs step up to the plate with new $10M clubhouse B y R e n e e C o r d e s B ehind the left-field line at the home of the Portland Sea Dogs stands a two-story building that most baseball fans may never notice or set foot inside. Painted dark green to sync with the 31-year-old ballpark, the two-story structure with a single window (for the grounds crew) is a new $10 million clubhouse that opened in June. Getting the structure built entailed a team effort among the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, the city of Portland and a group of contractors led by Gorham-based Great Falls Construction Co. Out of 26 contractors or sub-contractors who worked on the project, 21 are based in Maine. "This is a very excellent clubhouse," Mike Coziahr, direc- tor of clubhouse services and equipment manager for the Sea Dogs, told Mainebiz during a press tour. "It has a lot cleaner look, a lot less clutter, and that laundry room — oh my god. I can do an entire game's worth of laundry includ- ing towels in one hour and 15 minutes." The ballpark was recently renamed Delta Dental Park at Hadlock Field. Moving parts Construction started in September and was originally slated for completion around the start of baseball season, in early April. However, delays were caused by wind storms and the team's negotiations to extend its lease on the city-owned stadium until 2045. "We wanted to make sure we didn't put $10 million into the ballpark, and then in three years not be able to get a lease extension," Geoff Iacuessa, president of the Sea Dogs, told reporters before giving the tour. "The entire experience has been great. I think it's a state-of-the-art facility." The team, owned by private equity-backed Diamond Baseball Holdings since December 2022, will fund part of the cost with $2 million in public tax credits spread over 15 years. The Sea Dogs employ a year-round staff of 25 full-timers and a 275-strong seasonal workforce. To make room for the new clubhouse, construction crews removed a 500-seat ballpark section popular with fans and their pooches on "Bark in the Park" days, as well as an outdoor picnic area. Building features At 20,410 square feet, the new two-story clubhouse is nearly triple the size of the team's former clubhouse, which is now used for visiting teams. The new facility includes changing areas and showers for female staff and umpires; a weight room with the lat- est fitness equipment; a well-stocked commissary; and a major league-worthy double batting cage. Planning for the new clubhouse began in 2021, when Major League Baseball took over its teams' minor league affiliates and required each to have both home and visiting team clubhouses that provide the necessary practice areas — and creature comforts — for up-and-coming ball players. P H O T O / J I M N E U G E R The Portland Sea Dogs invested $10 million in a brand new team clubhouse. Dakota the dog is pictured in the refurbished home locker room.

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