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Sponsored by: Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority
Updated: August 2, 2021 2021 Fact Book: Doing Business in Maine

Brunswick Landing

Photo / Courtesy STARC Systems STARC Systems, manufacturer of reusable debris containment panels, is one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S., growing from a small space in TechPlace to occupying nearly 100,000 square feet at Brunswick Landing in just five years.

A Decade of Economic Growth with No Signs of Slowing Down

What a difference a decade makes.

In 2011, Brunswick Landing, Maine’s Center for Innovation, opened for business at the decommissioned Naval Air Station Brunswick.

The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA) has managed the transition of the former Navy properties, in Brunswick and Topsham, from military to civilian usage.

The results?

  • Nearly 2,500 jobs created by 140 businesses.
  • Over a quarter of businesses at Brunswick Landing and Topsham Commerce Park never existed in Maine before.
  • Nearly $1 billion in private sector capital investment in the properties.
  • Nearly $200 million in new real estate valuation, generating nearly $4 million in annual property tax revenues, in the towns of Brunswick and Topsham.

“We’ve been fortunate to have this much success in a short time,” said MRRA Executive Director Steve Levesque, who will retire at the end of 2021. “We’ve been able to implement the reuse master plan and attract investment with backing from the business community and our strategic local, state and federal partners. That collective support has been a critical element to our success.”

MRRA surpassed original economic development goals faster than projected. Today Brunswick Landing is a robust work-live-play community within beautiful, historic Brunswick – and a draw for innovative people and high-tech businesses. A great example of Maine’s future!

Unique assets

Brunswick Landing’s unique assets set it above other industrial or business parks. Our regional executive airport has twin 8,000’ runways, quality infrastructure, community college, manufacturing business incubator, independent power grid running on renewables, and high-speed fiber optic and data network.

Brunswick Executive Airport is home to 20 aerospace companies – flight schools, unmanned aircraft systems, new-space, aircraft maintenance and aircraft manufacturing. These businesses fill over 300,000 square feet of hangar and shop space, creating exciting opportunities for additional aerospace initiatives. We are also home to the Maine Technology Institute, a key partner in Maine’s technology industry growth.

Plenty of space remains available for aeronautical businesses, including a 15,000-square-foot air traffic control facility and several hundred acres of developable airport land for lease. To bolster the workforce, MRRA is working with the FAA and University of Maine/Augusta to open an aviation maintenance and technicians school this year – which will in turn attract more businesses.

The New Space industry thrives: bluShift Aerospace (earlier this year launching the world’s first commercial rocket powered by biofuel), VALT Enterprises, and the Maine Space Grant Consortium all call Brunswick Landing home, as will the future Maine Spaceport Control Center.
 

Photo / Courtesy bluShift Aerospace
Brunswick Landing startup bluShift Aerospace became the first company to successfully launch a commercial rocket powered by bio-derived fuel on January 31 at the former Loring Air Force base in Limestone, Maine.


TechPlace

bluShift exemplifies the success of Brunswick Landing’s 95,000-square-foot incubator facility, TechPlace, which opened in 2015 and now houses 35 businesses along with a shared machine shop, welding booth, composites layup facility and bioproduction laboratory.

bluShift expanded out of TechPlace in 2019, adding more employees and 3,000 square feet of production space, and raising capital for the launch of a larger rocket next year.

Other innovative TechPlace graduates are STARC Systems and VividCloud.

STARC launched its construction debris containment panel manufacturing business at TechPlace in 2015 with three employees. It’s now one of the nation’s 1,000 fastest-growing businesses, with over 100 employees and utilizing nearly 100,000 square feet in three buildings at Brunswick Landing.

VividCloud, a software company specializing in “internet of things” applications, started in TechPlace with three employees in 2018. It now employs nearly 100 and recently broke ground on a 20,000-square-foot office building.

“Supporting the success and growth of these innovative companies is exactly what we envisioned when we first talked about developing TechPlace,” said Kristine Logan, TechPlace’s Director and Levesque’s successor.

TechPlace membership continues to grow and other companies continue to seek out Brunswick Landing for its many assets and for a culture designed to support their needs.

For any business needing an additional location on a campus that is forward-thinking, accommodating of new business needs, and with a proven record of success, Maine’s Center for Innovation is the place to be.

The Future is ours to capture! That’s the vision of Maine’s Center of Innovation!

Brunswick Landing, Maine’s Center for Innovation

15 Terminal Road, Brunswick, ME 04011

Steve Levesque, Executive Director
Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority
207-798-6512, stevel@mrra.us

www.mrra.us