Response to pandemic has been inspiring
By now, we’ve heard numerous stories about manufacturers converting operations to make face masks, hand sanitizer, swabs or even vaccines. But the stories keep coming out about resourceful businesses finding ways to cope with the COVID-19 crisis.
For most small businesses, survival is the first instinct.
One of my favorite stories of late is the emergence of Rugged Seas, a maker of tote bags and backpacks founded by a young Cape Elizabeth couple. It had been a side hustle for several years, but during the pandemic they had more time to devote to it, and now suddenly sales are taking off. The young couple has commercial fishing in the blood. Taylor and Nikki Strout make the bags out of the heavy duty material used in fishing waders, topped with heavy canvas. It’s one of the stories that’s come out of the crisis, and I think you might appreciate it. See Page 8.
Another story is from our focus on Lewiston/Auburn and western Maine. Maureen Milliken asked Central Maine Healthcare in Lewiston to take her back through the early stages of how they dealt with the crisis. It starts in January with a lone epidemiologist at the hospital sounding the alarm, and continues with a newly hired facilities manager having to set up a COVID-19 unit at the hospital even as he was just learning the hospital’s layout. The story evolves with more and more staff members being called into confront the crisis. Through it all, the hospital has emerged stronger and better prepared to deal with what’s still ahead of us. See Page 18.
Elsewhere, the pandemic shut down ski areas around March 15, just as they were winding down the season, as Laurie Schreiber reports. But, after years of investing in off-season attractions and building wedding and event businesses, the resorts are now recalculating their summer forecasts. See Page 20 for more details.
On the western edge of Maine, Renee Cordes talks to businesses that have expanded into New Hampshire. Hannaford and Hancock Lumber are just two of the companies straddling the state line to conduct business. See Page 12.
On our list, Covetrus tops the list of Maine’s largest public companies. See Page 26.
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