Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/654267
V O L . X X I I N O. V I M A R C H 2 1 , 2 0 1 6 14 T wo words sum up the kind of year Pineland Farms Potato Co. in Mars Hill had in 2015: Red hot. Sales of its refrigerated mashed potato and cut potato products — which had been averaging 15% annual growth since 2010 — skyrocketed by 38%, topping $50 million at year's end. Employment, which stood at 135 employees at the end of 2014, is now more than 200. A $7.5 million expansion completed in the early part of the year, which doubled the company's storage and production capacity and included a $1 million upgrade to the packaging line, already is old news. e company's explosive growth spurred three addi- tional expansions by the year's end. All told, the company has invested $24 million in capital improvements over the past six years, increasing capacity and improving effi ciency at what is now an 113,000-square-foot manufacturing plant running 24/7. For Rodney McCrum, president and chief operating offi cer of Pineland Farms Potato Co. and Mainebiz's 2016 Business Leader of the Year in the large company category, the company's suc- cess goes far beyond being a personal 'We're just beginning' P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Congratulations Every great success starts with a clear plan and a solid team. We can help with both. Congratulations Rodney McCrum, Joshua Davis and Danielle Ripich on being chosen as the Mainebiz Business Leaders of the Year. Family Wealth Partners UBS Financial Services Inc. One City Center, 7th Floor Portland, ME 04101 866-791-5512 ubs.com/team/fwmp ©UBS 2016. All rights reserved. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG. Member FINRA/SIPC. 7.00_Ad_9x2.75_MH0303_TenS Pineland Farms Potato Co. President Rodney McCrum won't be resting on any laurels B y J a m e s M c C a r t h y Rodney McCrum, president and COO of Pineland Farms Potoato Co., in the packaging area of the new facility in Mars Hill.