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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z M A R C H 1 9 , 2 0 1 8 O n any given day, Auburn Manufacturing Inc. CEO and President Kathie Leonard has a packed schedule, overseeing opera- tions at Auburn Manufacturing's locations in Auburn and Mechanic Falls, overseeing product develop- ment, planning for expansions of facilities and equipment and seeking new ways to streamline operations. Running a business-to-business operation, she's on top of the latest in high-tech fi bers and enhance- ment technologies that come in, and the ever-growing product variations designed to meet customers' specifi c needs. Recently, she was expecting that portfolio to grow, thanks to the federal government's new tax law, which is expected to result in new capital investments in equipment throughout industries she serves. " at requires materials that our products are used in," she says. "So we're seeing much higher demand for our fabrics" since the fourth quarter of 2017. at's resulted in her latest plan to invest $500,000 over the com- ing year in new equipment, includ- ing yarn-making and yarn-handling machines, to increase capacity; plus, with an outside consultant, she's been examining operational effi ciencies to maximize workfl ow. At the same time, as a member of the National Council of Textile Organizations and the U.S. Department of Commerce's Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Textiles and Clothing, she makes frequent treks to Washington, D.C., to provide a New England voice on global trade issues. Leonard expresses her company's drive in the catchy tagline "Innovation on fi re." It seems Leonard herself is a fi ery force of nature. "She is a force to be reckoned with, as far as thinking strategically and managing the business," says Wayne Messer, a senior project man- ager with the Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership, which in 2017 awarded Leonard its Manufacturing Excellence Award of the Year. Messer 21 Innovation on fire Kathie Leonard stokes the global market for heat- resistant materials B Y L A U R I E S C H R E I B E R P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » NETWORK CABLING | AUDIO/VISUAL | SOUND MASKING | SECURITY | TELEPHONE | WIRELESS | CELL BOOSTERS connectivitypoint.com 866-782-0200 Failed Sales Calls = Failed Sales Goals What does one dropped call mean to your business goals? WilsonPro cell signal boosters detect the available signal outside the building, bring that signal inside and amplify it, and then distribute the amplifi ed signal throughout the building, assuring strong, reliable cell coverage wherever and whenever you need it. CONTACT US TODAY FOR A FREE SIGNAL TEST! SMALL COMPANY Kathie Leonard President and CEO, Auburn Manufacturing Inc. Auburn Manufacturing Inc. 34 Walker Road, Mechanic Falls, headquarters 130 First Flight Drive, Auburn, manufacturing plant Founded: 1979 Revenue: Would not disclose Employees: 48 Contact: 800-264-6689 www.auburnmfg.com Kathie Leonard, president and CEO of Auburn Manufacturing, in the weaving department at the Auburn facility. As one observer says, 'She knows her business very well.'

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