Mainebiz

V O L . X X I V N O. I JA N UA R Y 8 , 2 0 1 8 14 D onna Lamberth, head of manufacturing at L.L.Bean, predicts a "great year" for the Freeport-based maker and seller of clothing and outdoor gear, which added a second produc- tion facility in Lewiston in 2017. "We've put a lot of energy over the last couple of years into building our capacity and building out a new factory," she says. "Now it's time for us to invest even more in training and support." Out of about 600 total L.L.Bean manufacturing jobs, about 100 are in Lewiston and the rest are in Brunswick. Both factories are involved in the production of L.L.Bean's signa- ture Bean Boot, and Lamberth says that having a second fac- tory is helping trim the order backlog: "We are not saying we haven't had a few back orders, but we're not seeing back orders in the tens of thousands of units like in the past." She notes a strong customer response to new styles, particu- larly lined products like Bean Boots made with shearing, an unrefi ned type of wool. She says the company will increase pro- duction in that line this year, as well as more Gore-Tex and other waterproof products. As L.L.Bean proceeds with plans to trim its nationwide workforce by 10% through early- retirement off ers, Lamberth says the emphasis in manufac- turing will be on training rather than hiring. "We've been very success- ful in bringing on an excellent workforce," she says. " e focus is really now on training that work- force and making sure they can support the more complex styles we're looking to deliver on." Taking the temperature Execs weigh in on Maine business in 2018 P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y Z A C H A U C O N S T R U C T I O N Jeff Zachau Z A C H A U C O N S T R U C T I O N , F R E E P O R T P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y L . L . B E A N Donna Lamberth L . L . B E A N , F R E E P O R T R C, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached at @ . and @ W ith the new year upon us, Mainebiz interviewed four executives to get a short-term outlook for their Maine- based businesses and industries: construction, banking, seafood and manufacturing. Most expect to start 2018 on a busy note while holding steady on employee numbers. C O N S T R U C T I O N : 'Cautiously optimistic' A fter working on major expansions for Maine Beer Co. ($5 million) in Freeport and Tyler Technologies ($20 million) in Portland, Freeport-based Zachau Construction has plenty on its plate for 2018. at includes building a new home for the Children's Museum & eater of Maine at ompson's Point in Portland and rehabilitating occupied low-income housing in Westbrook and Portland. Jeff Zachau, the company's presi- dent, says while it's too early to talk about other endeavors, he's "cautiously optimistic" for 2018. "We have a lot of potential work, but a lot of it's slow to get off the ground for various reasons compared to 2017, when we started the year with a lot of work already going," he says. He says that Zachau will hold off on hiring in the near term but expects to add talent once the new projects get going. "We're fortunate in that we employ a lot of good people," he notes. Of the sector as a whole, he says: "We've all been through the ups and downs of the construction market and I fully expect at some point it will turn again after a strong 2017." We've all been We've all been We've all been We've all been We've all been We've all been We've all been We've all been We've all been through the ups through the ups through the ups through the ups through the ups through the ups through the ups through the ups through the ups through the ups through the ups through the ups through the ups and downs of the construction market and I fully expect at some point it will turn again after a strong 2017. — Jeff Zachau President, Zachau Construction We've put a lot of energy We've put a lot of energy We've put a lot of energy We've put a lot of energy We've put a lot of energy We've put a lot of energy We've put a lot of energy We've put a lot of energy We've put a lot of energy We've put a lot of energy We've put a lot of energy We've put a lot of energy We've put a lot of energy We've put a lot of energy over the last couple of over the last couple of over the last couple of over the last couple of over the last couple of over the last couple of over the last couple of over the last couple of over the last couple of over the last couple of over the last couple of over the last couple of over the last couple of years into building our capacity and building out a new factory. Now it's time for us to invest even more in training and support. — Donna Lamberth Head of manufacturing, L.L.Bean R E TA I L : 'It's time for us to invest'

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