JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #104 - April/May 2016 - 37

turboprop aircraft. MVP Aero makes an
all-composites amphibious aircraft. Mölnlycke uses nanocomposites technology
in the production of many of its woundcare products. RollEase uses composites
to create many of the components in its
window coverings product line. Kenway
manufactures hybrid composites beams,
bridge-building, marine infrastructure and
construction products at its nearby Augusta facility and maintains an office here.
It is a very diverse line-up of businesses.
JCM: What are your goals in the composite field?
Aerial photo of Brunswick Landing, Maine's Center for Innovation.

es throughout the United States and
around the world. We anticipate composites technology in Maine to continue
to reflect U.S. and international growth
rates of about 7% a year.
JCM: What makes you
a recognized authority in this field?

B. S.: There are many unique oppor-

tunities here for composites companies
interested in expanding operations to the
northeast U.S. Probably aerospace, specifically, is a sector well suited for Brunswick
Landing. It is an ideal location for composites businesses that works with aerospace/
aviation companies. In addition to an
airport with twin 2,439-m runways, we
have large hangars (more than 46,450 m2)
that can accommodate aircraft as large as
a 737. The airport is part of Brunswick
Landing's foreign-trade zone, which can
help cut business costs associated with duties on imported materials. We are an ideal
location for R&D as well. The Composites
Engineering Research Lab (CERL) provides businesses an on-site testing facility.
CERL is the most complete and sophisticated applied research facility for polymer
characterization in the region. Through
CERL, businesses gain access to more than
a dozen precision analytic instruments that
analyse the performance properties and
behaviours of polymer-based materials and
composites.
JCM: What can you tell us about the
composite products already manufactured
on the site?

B. S.: MRAA itself is not in that business,
but several of our Brunswick Landing
companies create composite products.
ONE Aviation makes an all-composite

JCM: Are you targeting a specific level in
the value chain (R&D, academics, processors...)?

B. S.: We'll consider any level. We have
the capacity to handle almost any type of
composites business - large or small. It
really depends on the client's needs.
JCM: How do you promote this area
dedicated to composites?

B. S.: We don't have a huge marketing
budget, but we are very determined and
aggressive and we take advantage of any
opportunity to promote Brunswick Landing's assets. We do a fair amount of direct
marketing by attending key trade fairs
such as JEC World, JEC Americas, and
CAMX. We have a growing list of industry
contacts and we work closely with our
strategic partners on business attraction.
Our partners include the Maine Composites Alliance, SMCC, CERL, Maine
International Trade Center, University of
Maine's Advanced Structures and Composites Center, and the State of Maine
Department of Economic and Community Development. We also enjoy working
with the press and media. We think we
have a great story to tell. n

No104 April - May 2016 / jec

More information:
www.mrra.us

Special JEC Americas 2016

B. S.: What makes MRRA a key player
in the Maine composites industry more
than anything else are business opportunities at Brunswick Landing that similar
economic development organizations
simply don't have, including:
- Available infrastructure and manufacturing facilities;
-Access to manufacturing workforce
training programmes at Southern
Maine Community College, which is
located at Brunswick Landing;
- World-class research and development
capabilities at the Composites Engineering Research Lab (CERL) located
at TechPlace, Brunswick Landing's
business incubator and technology
accelerator;
- World-class companies such as
Kenway-Harbor Technologies, ONE
Aviation, Tempus Jets, MVP Aerospace,
Mölnlycke Health Care and RollEase
Acmeda, which are engaged in composites and/or advanced materials and
already doing business here;
- A self-contained electrical grid,
powered by 100%-renewable energy,
including an on-site biogas power plant.

JCM: Did you develop a specific offer
for composite professionals?

B. S.: Our goal is to attract to Brunswick Landing composites and advanced
materials businesses that will create
high-quality jobs. We think the site provides everything a growing composites
company needs to expand its business.

composites magazine 37
http://www.mrra.us
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #104 - April/May 2016
