Mainebiz

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 4 M A D E I N M A I N E M aine is a special place to call home, and there's something special about the people who choose to build their businesses here. ey embody that roll-up-your-sleeves Maine ingenuity. From manufacturers investing in new equipment to entrepreneurs turning their craft into a growing business, Maine makers are constantly finding new ways to innovate, create, and contribute to our economy. Every time a business starts or grows, our communities get stronger, jobs become more attainable, and Maine families become more secure. at's why, for more than 150 years, Maine Community Bank has been all in on serving the local businesses that make Maine what it is. We see firsthand what it takes to build a business here. Our role is to help them seize opportunities and navigate financial challenges to keep driving Maine forward. Last year, we were honored as Granite State Development Corp.'s "504 Bank of the Year." Maine Community Bank was also the state's No. 1 Small Business Administration (SBA) lender in loan volume for fiscal year 2025, providing more than $26 million in SBA-backed funding to help Maine's small businesses thrive. But supporting Maine's entrepreneurial spirit goes beyond lending. Since its founding in 2013, our Launch- Pad program has grown into Maine's premier small business competition and one of the most mean- ingful investments we make in Maine's entrepreneurial ecosystem. For 13 years and counting, LaunchPad has awarded more than $650,000 in no-strings-attached grants and in-kind services to some of Maine's most innovative entrepreneurs. For us, LaunchPad is about putting resources behind the resilient people and startups building a stronger, more vibrant Maine. As the only bank headquartered in Cumberland County and the largest mutual savings bank operating exclusively in Maine — with nearly $3 billion in assets, 21 branches, and almost 400 employees — we're proud to help fuel the continued success of Maine makers. Because when Maine makers thrive, Maine thrives. Steve deCastro President & CEO Maine Community Bank F RO M T H E P R E S E N T I N G S P O N S O R All in on Maine makers Nichols Portland has a strong commitment to our employees through ongoing people focus and engagement in becoming an Employer of Choice. Building the Future Through Innovation Founded in 1924, Nichols Portland, Inc. has spent more than a century building a reputation for precision manufacturing, engineering expertise, and innovative product development. From its two manufacturing facilities in Portland, Maine, totaling approximately 240,000 square feet, Nichols Portland designs and manufactures highly engineered components and complete assemblies for customers across the automotive, commercial vehicle, industrial, agricultural, marine, medical, and other demanding markets. Nichols Portland's capabilities extend from gerotors, mechanical and electric pumps, specialty valves, and gear assemblies to advanced metal-forming technologies including conventional powder metallurgy, metal injection molding, sintered stainless steel, and metal additive manufacturing. By combining product design, prototyping, tooling, material development, precision machining, automated manufacturing, and testing capabilities, the company is able to support customers from initial concept through full-scale production. Its engineering and development teams use advanced modeling, simulation, validation, and laboratory testing to create solutions designed around each customer's specific performance requirements. Innovation is backed by a strong commitment to quality and reliability. Nichols Portland provides extensive in-house testing for product performance, durability, environmental conditions, vibration, electromagnetic compatibility, and more. Whether developing a custom pumping solution, producing high-volume precision components, or rapidly prototyping a complex new design, Nichols Portland brings together generations of manufacturing experience with modern technology to help customers turn challenging ideas into dependable, production-ready solutions. nicholsportlandinc.com Let's Build Something Better, Together Steve deCastro Every time a business starts or grows, our communities get stronger, jobs become more attainable, and Maine families become more secure. That's why, for more than 150 years, we've been all in on serving Maine businesses.

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