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V O L . X X I I I N O. X I X A U G U S T 2 1 , 2 0 1 7 24 G R E AT E R B A N G O R F O C U S there's plenty of room for us." e aim is for the Bangor plant to produce milk blend by the late summer or early fall of . Credence Research Inc., which uses a broad de - nition for dairy ingredients in its research, predicted that market, valued at . billion in , would grow to . billion by . Pulling it all together After Whitney adds the electric, milk lines, water, pipes and the refrigeration for half the plant to age cheese, the Mars Hill operation will move its machinery to Bangor. He expects the cut, wrap and aging operations to be up and running by the May , , deadline. So far, no Mars Hill employees have indicated they want to move to Bangor, so Whitney expects Bob Evans to hire them. Next, the New Gloucester operations will be moved up. Cheese is made there to the point where it is hardened into -pound blocks that still are being trucked to Mars Hill. After the move, they will be made in Bangor, where they also will be aged, cut, wrapped, sold and shipped. After the cheese operation is consolidated, Whitney can focus on getting all the milk blend machines in place. About ve people from New Gloucester, plus Whitney, are moving to Bangor. In all, the new Pineland dairy investment could be about million, including , for the building and property, . million in building and property renovations and million for cooler pan- els to age the cheese. Libra bought the building from real estate inves- tor Lawrence Springer of Brewer. More hiring expected Fifty more people are expected to be hired locally by Pineland Farms Dairy. About half will be in the cheese operation initially, and the rest in milk blends and administration. Whitney said the dairy company just hired a sales person, and is ready to extend an o er to its rst local employee, a man who worked at Grant's Dairy for years and another ve years at Garelick in various positions. Pineland Farms Dairy also has hired Al Lorenz, former plant manager for both Grant's and Garelick, as a consultant. "Al knows the blends processing and I know the cheese," says Whitney, who expects other former dairy workers to come forward and apply. He also expects the plant to at some point make other products like yogurt in the of the factory space left for expansion. e resurrected plant also is good news for local dairy farmers, who typically have to pay to haul their milk for processing. Now, the distance will be shorter, he says. While the new company plans to make , pounds of cheese in New Gloucester this year, Whitney says he could easily make up to million pounds a year in Bangor. Libra's Michelson says he hasn't gured out the total economic impact of the resurrected factory to Bangor, but points to the jobs at the plant, the construction jobs, the restaurants and gas stations nearby that bene t from the activity and the oppor- tunity for farmers to save transportation money and potentially expand their herds to meet demand at the new plant. "Being able to drop milk o at our plant within a -mile radius is a huge bene t to farmers," Michelson says, noting that the concentration of dairy farms and milk supply within that radius is one of the largest milk clusters in the state. L V, Mainebiz senior writer / content specialist, can be reached at @. and @LV » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E Mark Whitney, president of the newly formed Pineland Farms Dairy Co. Inc., in Bangor, in front of a steam boiler, one of the few working pieces of equipment remaining in the former Grant's Dairy, then Garelick Farms, facility after Garelick parent company Dean Foods sold it. P H O T O / L O R I VA L I G R A WE'VE GOT MAINE* COVERED ALL DAY AND EVERY DAY *with nightly and weekend routes to New Hampshire and Massachusetts with nightly and weekend routes to New Hampshire and Massachusetts WE WANT TO BE YOUR COURIER! CALL 800-427-7547 For sales and information CALL 848-7546 For service and dispatch FIRST TIME CUSTOMER? Mention this ad for 50% off of your first pick-up and delivery order. Get engaged, inspired and connected with a print + digital subscription to Mainebiz. You'll receive bi-weekly issues, special publications and full online access! F U L L C O N T E N T S O N PA G E 4 F U L L C O N T E N T S O N PA G E 4 F U L L C O N T E N T S O N PA G E 4 S O U T H E R N M A I N E S O U T H E R N M A I N E S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S F O C U S F O C U S Economy Economy Economy motion motion motion $2.00 $2.00 $2.00 July 10, 2017 July 10, 2017 July 10, 2017 VO L . X X I I I N O. X V VO L . X X I I I N O. X V VO L . X X I I I N O. X V www.mainebiz.biz www.mainebiz.biz www.mainebiz.biz Know Maine Business. Or call: 845.267.3008 Subscribe online: mainebiz.biz/knowmainebiz F O C U S F O C U S F O C U S S O U T H E R N M A I N E S O U T H E R N M A I N E S O U T H E R N M A I N E Southern Maine builds Southern Maine builds Southern Maine builds on diverse industries on diverse industries on diverse industries S O U T H E R N M A I N E S O U T H E R N M A I N E S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S F O C U S F O C U S Economy Economy Economy motion motion motion S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S S TA R T S O N PA G E 1 1 S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S S TA R T S O N PA G E 1 1 S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S S TA R T S O N PA G E 1 1 » in in in Economy in Economy Economy Economy in Economy in Economy in Economy Economy Economy in Economy motion in motion motion motion in motion in motion in motion motion motion in motion F U L L C O N T E N T S O N PA G E 4 F O C U S S O U T H E R N M A I N E M U S H RO O M A N D C O N S T R U C T I O N P H O T O S / T I M G R E E N W AY P O R T S M O U T H N AVA L S H I P YA R D P H O T O S / J I M N E U G E R 12 Anchoring Kittery The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, a major employer in southern Maine, gears up for the future. 16 A real estate surge A shortage of existing homes has contractors scrambling to meet the demand for housing. 19 Ag's next wave? Mushroom growers are cultivating a variety of fungi to keep up with demand from chefs and consumers. Southern Maine builds on diverse industries S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S Economy motion S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S S TA R T S O N PA G E 1 1 » in $2.00 July 10, 2017 VO L . X X I I I N O. X V www.mainebiz.biz F U L L C O N T E N T S O N PA G E 4 F O C U S S O U T H E R N M A I N E M U S H R O O M A N D C O N S T R U C T I O N P H O T O S / T I M G R E E N W AY P O R T S M O U T H N AVA L S H I P YA R D P H O T O S / J I M N E U G E R 12 Anchoring Kittery The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, a major employer in southern Maine, gears up for the future. 16 A real estate surge A shortage of existing homes has contractors scrambling to meet the demand for housing. 19 Ag's next wave? Mushroom growers are cultivating a variety of fungi to keep up with demand from chefs and consumers. Southern Maine builds on diverse industries S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S Economy motion S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S S TA R T S O N PA G E 1 1 » in $2.00 July 10, 2017 VO L . X X I I I N O. X V www.mainebiz.biz