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V O L . X X X I I N O. X X I V O C T O B E R 1 9 , 2 0 2 6 18 M A N U FA C T U R I N G / I N T E R N AT I O N A L T R A D E O ver the years, a maker of Hispanic cheeses in Perth Amboy, N.J., has expanded throughout the U.S., Caribbean, Central and South America and Europe. is year, Tropical Cheese Industries LLC continued its growth with the acquisition of Bangor cheese-making company Pineland Farms Dairy Co. Inc. "We fell in love with it," says Victor Mehren, Tropical's president and CEO. "It's a fantastic building with great infrastructure for cheese- making. It has a great team already in place. And it's a great dairy ecosystem." e New Jersey cheese maker is one of a cluster of out-of-state com- panies expanding to Greater Bangor over the past year. TurbineOne of Virginia recently opened a defense technology innovation hub in Old Town. R Cubed Engineering LLC, a Palmetto, Fla., engineering firm, plans to open an "innovation divi- sion" in Bangor. And Seattle-based Amazon (NYSE:AMZN) is build- ing a last-mile distribution center in Hermon. Less hassle Greater Bangor is viewed as a region that offers modern conveniences without the hassle of larger metropolitan areas. "I think people are starting to realize that," says Peter DelGreco, president and CEO of Maine & Co., a Portland- based consultant for business relocation or expansion. Two of the four Greater Bangor projects have a defense component. "Right now, the hot term is 'dual use' — technologies that can have both mili- tary and civilian use," says DelGreco. "We have a lot of defense-related projects and dual-use technologies in our pipeline." Greater Bangor is becoming some- thing of a hub for companies looking to expand, attracted to perks such as a new YMCA, concerts and events, higher- education opportunities and access at Bangor International Airport. ere are always a few out-of- state companies that have their eye on the region. "It feels like there's good stuff hap- pening in Bangor, professionally and civically," DelGreco says. New Jersey cheese maker Tropical Cheese acquired Pineland's Bangor manufacturing facility and assets earlier this year, to become Tropical's second cheese manufacturing location, retaining the Pineland name. "e facility provides an important foundation for our future growth," says Mehren. "Bangor brings together Mark Whitney of Bangor cheese- making company Pineland Farms Dairy Co. Inc. says its acquisition by New Jersey's Tropical Cheese Industries LLC provides continuity and opportunity. F O C U S P H O T O / S E T H P O P L A S K I The road to Greater Bangor Out-of-state companies are drawn to growth opportunities without big-city hassles B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r