Governor Janet T. Mills (D), with Brian Whitney, President of MTI, at Last December’s Grand Opening of COVETRUS on Munjoy Hill.
Governor Janet T. Mills (D), the first woman governor of Maine and its first woman AG, today welcomed the announcement by the Biden-Harris Administration that it has designated Maine’s Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub as a Federal “Tech Hub.” It is based in Brunswick. The designation acknowledges that Maine’s forest bioproducts sector has the potential for rapid growth and opens the door for significant Federal investment in the future.
The Maine Technology Institute and the Mills Administration applied for this designation earlier this year. The Forest Bioproducts Tech Hub will accelerate research and development of natural polyners and other wood fiber bioproducts that can sequester carbon and replace plastics and toxic chemicals, while bolestering “Made in America.” supply chain goals.
The Mills Administration and MTI partnered with more than 30 leading Maine industries, businesses, innovators, workforce entities, and institutions of higher education to propose the Tech Hub. This consortium includes the Unversity of Maine, the Roux Institute, the Maine Community College System, Sappi, IDEXX, Thornton Tomasetti, FOR/Maine, the AFL-C10, the Maine Venture Fund and more.
The consortimum is just one of 31 Tech Hubs to receive an inaugural designation under the Tech Hub program created by President Biden’s CHIPS ad Science Act. The bipartisan legislation, supported by Maine’s Congressional Delegation, makes historic investments designed to position American workers, communities and businesses to suceed and keep the US the leader of cutting-edge industries.
“Maine’s forest products sector is a key part of our state’s heritage and a cornerstone of our economic future. This exciting designation signifiies to the world that Maine is a global leader in developing and manufactduring climate-friendly sustainable products that create jobs and strengthen the US supply chain,” said Governor Janet T. Mills. “I thank the Biden-Harris Administration for its continued support of Maine manufacturing and I thank US Senators Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Golden for supporting the CHIPS and Science Act that made this designation possible.”
“MTI is honored to lead this impressive consortium of Maine partners engaged in government, industry, higher education, workforce and economic development as we embark on this vital effort to further bolster our state’s reputation for manufacturing forest-derived, climate friendly products,” said Brian Whitney, President of Maine Technology Institute. “We are incredibly grateful to the FDA for this coveted designation.”
“When the CHIPS and Science Act passed last Congress, we sent a message to the world that America values domestic innovation and manufacturing. That message is being realized as the Biden Administration estabalishes Tech Hubs across the nation to supercharge and strengthen economic opportunity in our communities and work towards a more sustainable supply chain,” said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine). “As the most forested state in the nation, Maine’s centuries-old forest products industry is a critically important part of our state’s economy and way of life. This industry is prime for the exponential growth and innovation the Biden Admnistration’s Tech Hub’s program epitomizes. I am thrilled to see the Biden Administration invest in this critical work in Maine and recognize the immense potential for the forest bioproducts industry to be a key part of the climate solutions,” Pingree conclulded.