Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 9 J U N E 1 , 2 0 2 6 systems make Flight III Arleigh Burkes the most technologically advanced sur- face combatants in the world, accord- ing to a news release. Deadly fire at Searsmont lumber mill State and federal investigators looked for the cause of the May 15 fatal fire and explosion at Robbins Lumber Inc. in the Waldo County town of Searsmont. e fire killed one firefighter and injured a number of others, several of whom were reported by the Maine State Fire Marshal to be in serious or critical con- dition. "e impact of this emergency will be felt for years to come," investiga- tors said. Utility company opens northern base in Kennebec County A Hallowell-based investment group bought an industrial building in the Kennebec County town of Clinton and leased it to a utility company that had been seeking an operations center for its northern territory. Pelican-Hill LLC bought 162 Hinckley Road from A & A Brochu LLC for $1.3 million. TC Haffenreffer and Sylas Hatch from the Dunham Group and Ben Spencer from CORE brokered the transaction. N O T E W O R T H Y C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N The Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast in Augusta said it raised $134,610 for the Children's Miracle Network during its 31st Annual Meeting. Saddleback Mountain in Rangeley an- nounced that it enjoyed a record sea- son in 2025-26, with a 7% increase over the previous winter season. Rinck Advertising in Lewiston an- nounced the retirement of Kristel Wagner after 20 years with the agency and more than 30 years working in mar- keting and communications in Maine. The Associated General Contractors of Maine in Augusta started the Maine Construction Academy Immersion Program at the Fairfield campus of Kennebec Valley Community College. The program is one of five running in 2026 as part of a partnership with the Maine Community College System and The Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine's Workforce. Bangor YMCA project lands $4M boost e $57.8 million cost to expand the Bangor Region YMCA will be supported by $4 million in new market tax credit-financing recently approved by the Finance Authority of Maine, a quasi- independent state agency. e project broke ground last fall and is expected to transform a vacant stretch of downtown Bangor into a community hub. Additional financing includes a fundrais- ing campaign that raised over $40 million. e city of Bangor allo- cated $2 million to the project and Penobscot County used $3 million from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to support the effort. 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 MaineStream Finance in Bangor is celebrating 25 years of helping Mainers pursue homeownership, grow businesses and strengthen their financial future through flexible financ- ing and financial coaching. Municipal WasteHub and Municipal Waste Solutions in Orono awarded five scholarships to graduating se- niors and first-year post-secondary students totaling $10,000 as part of its 2026 Municipal WasteHub Scholarship Program. Sarah's House, a nonprofit in Holden that provides no-cost lodging for Maine families traveling for cancer treatment, held a groundbreaking of its Elevated Expansion Project in part- nership with Bowman Constructors in Newport and WBRC in Bangor. The project will include four addi- tional guest rooms, expanded ADA- compliant accommodations, a new elevator and several critical infra- structure improvements designed to better support guests with mobility challenges. B R I E F STARC Systems moves into larger space at Brunswick Landing B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r J ust a year after moving into an 85,000-square-foot manufacturing and administra- tive facility at Brunswick Landing, STARC Systems is expanding its operations there. This time, the manufacturer has relocated to a 107,000-square-foot manu- facturing and logistics facility at 16 Katahdin Drive. "Contractors are under more pressure than ever to deliver projects faster and with less disruption," said Chris Vickers, the company's president and CEO. "This facility allows us to scale production to meet that demand while continu- ing to build our products and our team right here in Maine." Office employees moved into the new facility in January and the production team began operating there in February, Vickers told Mainebiz. The company's previous facility, located about a mile away, was developed by Priority Real Estate Group for STARC as a long-term lease tenant. STARC's new plant, also developed in partnership with Priority, expands the company's manufacturing capacity, warehousing and shipping operations, includ- ing three full shipping bays to support increased production and distribution. STARC will retain its lease of an 18,000-square-foot facility at 166 Orion St. STARC has grown from 100 employees in 2024 to about 140 today and has seen growing demand from construction projects across the U.S., Vickers said. About the company Founded in 2014 by Tim Hebert of Lewiston-based contractor Hebert Construction, STARC's reusable wall systems are designed to contain dust, reduce noise and allow facilities to remain operational during con- struction. Hebert was honored as a Mainebiz Business Leader of the Year in 2020. The expansion comes as con- tractors face increasing pressure to reduce project delays, address labor constraints and minimize disruption in occupied environments such as hospi- tals, data centers, airports and commercial buildings, according to a news release. STARC's growth has been supported by organizations including the Maine Technology Institute and TechPlace at Brunswick Landing, as well as investment partners Blue Heron Capital and North Branch Capital. Reduced disruption The temporary wall systems help contractors reduce disruption in active envi- ronments like hospitals and data centers. The business started in the health care market but has expanded heavily into other sectors, including airports, data centers, offices, retail and hospitality. STARC's reach is supported by a partnership with Sunbelt Rentals, an equip- ment and tool rental company headquartered in South Carolina with 1,400 locations across North America. STARC recorded sales of more than $70 million last year. The products can be found at thousands of construction projects at any given time across the U.S. and in international markets such as Canada, the U.K., Japan, Germany and Australia, said Vickers. About 40% percent of the business is new customers. "Customers from day one continue to buy, so we have huge repeat business as well," Vickers said. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y S TA R C S Y S T E M S STARC relocated a mile from its 85,000- square-foot plant to a new 107,000-square- foot manufacturing and logistics facility. C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N

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