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V O L . X X X I I N O. X X I V § 2 O C T O B E R 1 9 , 2 0 2 6 12 M A D E I N M A I N E F O C U S "So we're trying to emphasize the basics of guitars, what our build phi- losophy is, what our guitars sound like," he adds. Mass production Premium manufacturers also contend with giant corporations with propor- tionately large advertising budgets. Coast of Maine sells through inde- pendently owned garden centers and hardware stores, rather than retail giants like Lowe's or Home Depot, Drake notes. And while customers may appreciate this focus on local, small businesses, the manufacturer's prod- ucts are still side-by-side with mass- produced, less expensive materials. "e easiest thing for a consumer to do is just … go to a retailer and see pallets of this [mass-produced] prod- uct they had seen on TV with big signs that say they're on sale," Drake says, and they "just grab the cheap bag that they've heard of before." For smaller companies like Coast of Maine, "we have to engage that consumer long enough for them not just to hear the price, not just long enough for them to remember the brand, but to learn about what makes our brand and our products, our soils, our fertilizers better," he adds. Sea Bags has also "done some right-sizing in the last year and a half that has forced us to really look at how well we sell and what chan- nels we sell through," Greenlaw says. Value remains foundational While customer experience, company mission and marketing play essen- tial roles for premium manufactur- ers, those within the sector note that money and quality remain supreme. ese aspects have been top of mind at Sea Bags since the compa- ny's founding, Greenlaw notes, with customers sometimes investing more than $200 into one of the company's large tote bags. "We tried to build something that wasn't just a product, but something kind of iconic that would last a long time," Greenlaw says. "Our competition could be pay- ing for gas in your car or groceries, so that's what we have to be conscious of," Greenlaw says. "ere are plenty of tote bags out there, and we think ours are different and special." Mass producers "lean a lot into the wood products," says Drake, "and so often, there are some soils out there that almost feel like you're opening a bag of mulch and there's nothing in there but ground-down wood. "We include all of those, but then we include compost," says Drake. "When you add compost, that living soil, it really supercharges the soil and brings it to the next level … We don't just go with the cheaper ingredients." And at the end of the day, Barden notes, the money talks. "People come in and say ... tell me about why that value is worth it for me," Barden says, "especially if (they're) already pinching pennies." "More than anything, I try to pro- vide them with anecdotal information from our clients or put them directly in touch with clients that were in the same sort of space when they first began." ese customers "can show them and tell them that not only was it a really solid investment because of how it performs going forward," Barden says, "but just how quickly they were able to make their money back … with the efficiency and production poten- tial that we build into our products." J a c q u e l y n V o g h e l , a f r e e l a n c e w r i t e r, c a n b e r e a c h e d a t e d i t o r i a l @ m a i n e b i z . b i z A U B U R N M F G . C O M A small Maine manufacturer with a GIANT industrial footprint! Heat-resistant textiles for process industries keeping people, equipment and facilities safe. A small, but mighty team proud to be a Maine company that has always been "Made in America!" Check us Out! We're growing! HERE FOR THE MAKERS. Local support for big ideas and hard work. Let's get to work Skowhegan Savings is here with the financial services your business needs, from business loans and cash management to commercial equipment financing, all to keep you moving forward. 800.303.9511 | skowhegan.com B U S I N E S S F I N A N C I N G » C ONTI NU ED FROM PR EVI OU S PAGE P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Dana Bourgeois of Bourgeois Guitars in Lewiston.

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