ABB 2006/7 | State Profiles | North Atlantic region | Maine

The advantages of doing business in the state of Maine are no longer a secret as more and more companies begin to invest in this burgeoning part of the American economy. With New Brunswick and Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east and Boston and New York to the south, Maine is ideally positioned for UK businesses entering the North American market. Complementing Maine’s geographic advantages are its excellent transportation and communications infrastructure, reasonable wages, quality of life and nationally-acclaimed education system.

The highly-developed infrastructure in Maine allows importers to distribute to Canada and the US without the congestion of big city ports and transportation routes. There are three major ice-free, year-round deep water seaports, including the eastern seaboard’s closest port to Europe and New England’s largest tonnage seaport. Maine has 64 public airports, 15 of which accommodate corporate jets. The state has six private short-line railroad companies operating over 1,400 miles of track. There are 1,200 miles of National Highway Service roads and a 20-year maintenance improvement plan for the infrastructure. Interstate 95 runs the length of the state and connects with the provincial highway network in Canada.

Maine was recently awarded first place for quality of life in fDi magazine’s 2005 “US Cities and States of the Future” contest. Our coastal areas offer a beautiful and healthy living environment, equipped with top-ranked schools and leading healthcare facilities. There are 39 acute care and speciality hospitals throughout the state. Maine Medical Center in Portland has 606 licensed beds and provides comprehensive inpatient services in all medical specialities.

In terms of education, Maine leads the country in high school graduation rates of 94.5%. Maine also has a highly-educated workforce with 24% of Maine residents holding a bachelors degree. Maine is also well suited for R&D investments. Seven technology-orientated business incubators have partnered with educators to offer training, technical resources, business planning and financial aid, space for offices, laboratories and manufacturing, as well as administrative support and assistance with start-up needs. The Maine Technology Institute invests millions annually in promising technologies and grants. There are also numerous tax incentives for technology companies, including the Research Expense Tax Credit, R&D Super Credit, High-technology Investment Tax Credit and Sales Tax exemptions.

Ryan Walling of the UK’s Tate & Lyle Group commends the dedication and pride of Maine’s workforce: “The employees that I have are very committed to the plant, to me, and I think that that’s certainly one of the strengths of this facility and this area is that people appreciate a good job and are willing to do lots of little extra things to make it successful.”

For more information, contact Janine Bisaillon-Cary,
President of Maine International Trade Center on:
Tel: +1 207 541 7400
E-mail: info@mitc.com

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