{"id":3141,"date":"2010-09-24T07:43:59","date_gmt":"2010-09-24T14:43:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/?p=3141"},"modified":"2010-09-24T12:55:26","modified_gmt":"2010-09-24T19:55:26","slug":"the-maine-100-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/the-maine-100-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The Maine 100"},"content":{"rendered":"

October 2010<\/p>\n

download this story as a .pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

During a tough year <\/span>the cream rises <\/span>to the top as
\n<\/span>family businesses <\/span>save the day. <\/span><\/h3>\n

Commentary by Evan Livada
\nData from Dun & Bradstre<\/span>et<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"maine100\"It\u2019s been so crazy, I didn\u2019t know what we were going to talk about this year. A number of companies have delisted themselves from Dun & Bradstreet because\u2026<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Because they want to run and hide! I would think a lot of the numbers aren\u2019t out there because they\u2019re #&%@ numbers.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What you really mean is\u2026<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Lots of businesses are simply trying to stay afloat. My general feeling is times are still pretty tough throughout the country. In Maine, I think tourism is the big story of the year. You look at the number of cruise ships coming into Portland, and it\u2019s almost doubled from last year. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The restaurant business and tourism trade have to be happy about the weather this past summer. The deeper meaning is, tourism is back as king in the State of Maine, and thank God for that. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Who was king before that?<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

When you look down the list, you\u2019ll see it\u2019s oil, papers, autos, banks\u2013businesses everyone needs that submerge Maine\u2019s distinctive identity and make us Anywhere, USA. But this year, there\u2019s a real sense that the combined tourism dollar will outpace them, and that\u2019s great for Maine\u2019s future. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also great to see a number of family-run organizations shooting up\u2013places that have been run by the same family for generations with pride in a great product.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Cianbro tops the list as a well-run Maine corporation. They\u2019ve just announced a big contract for constructing electrical building modules for Vale, a mining company based in Brazil.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

These family businesses do well because when the winds pick up in a storm, they care the most and have the most at stake. Take the Penley Paper Mill Co. Four generations of Penleys started the firm in 1923. In 2003, the sawmill shut down, but did that stop them? Nope. Resourcefulness was their resource. Now they\u2019ve retooled and are targeting all the Dollar Stores throughout the country, making clothespins, toothpicks, plastic tableware.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s Atwood Lobster, a third-generation Maine lobster firm that boasts the largest shipping facility in Maine\u2013their holding tank has 200,000 pounds of refrigerated seawater. They report selling four million pounds of lobster each year, purchasing from 70 Maine lobster boats, which is good, because the fishing industry has all but gone to New Bedford\u2013with the exception of niche lobster market leaders like Atwood. They\u2019ve dared to go national, selling 300,000 pounds of lobster to Red Lobster in one month this year.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m just loving these Maine-bred companies. The other company that struck my attention was No. 97, County Super Spuds. You\u2019ve gotta love a name like that. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It sounds like we\u2019re doing this interview in 1958.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Exactly. But if you just look at County Super Spuds, you\u2019ll see it\u2019s the McCrumb family that\u2019s been farming there since 1886. Generation after generation of McCrumbs have run this business in Mars Hill, population 1,500. Many people think of Mars Hill today because the second largest wind farm in New England is there. But for the last 200 years, the McCrumb family has been marketing high quality potatoes. In 1992, they started their own transportation company to ship their potatoes. In 2004, they bought Penobscot Frozen Foods out of Belfast. Then they bought Sunday River Farms. It\u2019s all McCrumbs going back 125 years. Imagine making your move over 100 years into the game. If you google \u201ccounty super spuds,\u201d you\u2019ll see a photo with 20 people in it, and it looks like 17 are McCrumbs. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

McFabulous! What about a dark horse to watch?<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Lincoln Paper went from 86 last year to No. 12 this year. They make 600 square miles of tissue every year, enough to cover Baxter State Park twice. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Wouldn\u2019t that be\u2026vandalism? Or would it be hailed as a Christo work of public art?<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

[Lincoln Paper] shows $141.22 million in sales. That\u2019s a huge move if that\u2019s the case. They claim to be green, by the way, with over 99 percent of their pulping tissues recycled. Among many superlatives, they are the largest manufacturer of deep-dyed tissue in the United States.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Come on! Where can we see their products, then?<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s very likely that if your airline provides a napkin with your Diet Coke, it\u2019s going to be from Lincoln Paper.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s funny; between Lincoln Paper and Penley, we have the summer picnic for the world coming out of Maine. Think of it: the paper towels, plates, plastic napkins, straws, matches, toothpicks.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Tell us about Maine Bank & Trust being sold and what it means.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

People\u2019s United is the 22nd largest bank in America by deposits. It\u2019s the largest regional bank in New England, whatever \u201cregional bank\u201d means.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

But wasn\u2019t Maine Bank & Trust\u2019s raison d\u2019\u00eatre that it was locally operated for local people and
\ntheir investments?<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s the smoke people put up. Local banks for local people. It wouldn\u2019t surprise me to see banks that are doing well, like Bangor Savings, being picked up a while down the road. There will be acquisitions. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Since so many businesses are \u201crunning and hiding,\u201d how is the chicken industry going, say, at Barber Foods?<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A company like Barber Foods that has grown and so has their niche\u2013that\u2019s the kind you won\u2019t see sold. Barber is one of the first companies that developed chicken cordon bleu for your freezer case. They\u2019re a \u201cMainestay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

How about IDEXX? You\u2019ve mentioned more than once that they are an attractive industry for purchase.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

IDEXX is brilliantly run, so it would be a nice addition to a major player.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

So this whole shakeout is helping Maine rediscover itself? Couldn\u2019t you have told us this before we set foot in this scary economic Oz?<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

You can talk about big places like National Semiconductor until you\u2019re blue in the face, but they\u2019re just trying to keep up market share, so you can\u2019t learn as much from their numbers. It\u2019s really the small family businesses who are showing the kind of backbone we can learn from. We saw it as a trend last year, when we saw all the niche breweries doing well. It all ties in with the tourism rise: If they come here, they\u2019ll want to drink what we make here.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1. L. L. Bean, Freeport, <\/span><\/span>$1.62B<\/span><\/span> *<\/span>\u20201<\/span><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

2.<\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span>Fairchild Semiconductor Internationa<\/span><\/span>l, South Portland, <\/span><\/span>$1.2B<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

3.<\/span> <\/span><\/span>IDEXX Laboratories, Westbrook, <\/span><\/span>$1.03B<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

4.<\/span> <\/span><\/span>Cianbro Companies, Pittsfield, <\/span><\/span>$390.3M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

5.<\/span> <\/span><\/span>Wright Express Corporation, <\/span><\/span>South Portland, <\/span><\/span>$318.22M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

6.<\/span> <\/span><\/span>Webber Oil Company, Bangor, <\/span><\/span>$192.34M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

7.<\/span> <\/span><\/span>Maine Employers\u2019 Mutual Insurance, <\/span><\/span>Portland, <\/span><\/span>$176.21M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

8.<\/span> <\/span><\/span>Olympia Sports, Westbrook, <\/span><\/span>$165.81M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

9. <\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span>Pine State Trading, Augusta, <\/span><\/span>$155.3M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

10. Darling\u2019s, Brewer, <\/span><\/span>$155.03M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

11. Hancock Lumber, Casco, <\/span><\/span>$150.4M<\/span><\/span> *<\/span>\u2020<\/span><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

12. Lincoln Paper & Tissue, Lincoln, <\/span><\/span>$141.22M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

13. Katahdin Paper Company, <\/span>Millinocket, <\/span>$138.77M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

14.Camden National Corporation, <\/span>Camden, <\/span>$132.78M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

15. Hutchins Motors, Augusta, <\/span><\/span>$132.5M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

16. C. N. Brown, South Paris, <\/span><\/span>$131.3M<\/span><\/span> *<\/span>\u2020<\/span><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

17. Bangor Savings Bank, Bangor, <\/span><\/span>$131.04M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

18. Associated Grocers, Gardiner, <\/span><\/span>$130.25M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

19. Bangor Hydro-Electric Company, <\/span><\/span>Bangor, <\/span><\/span>$119M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

20. Village Car, Bangor, <\/span><\/span>$116.2M<\/span><\/span> *<\/span>\u2020<\/span><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

21. Barber Foods, Portland, <\/span><\/span>$106.35M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

22. J & S Oil, Manchester, <\/span><\/span>$104M<\/span><\/span> *<\/span>\u2020<\/span><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

22. (tie) R H Foster, Hampden, <\/span><\/span>$104M<\/span><\/span> *<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

24. Reed & Reed, Woolwich, <\/span><\/span>$100M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

24. (tie) GreenPages, Kittery, <\/span><\/span>$100M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

26. Diversified Communications, <\/span>Portland, <\/span>$95.4M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

27. Oakhurst, Portland, <\/span><\/span>$91.34M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

28. Melton Sales & Service, Milford, <\/span><\/span>$90M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

28. (tie) Sargent Corporation, Stillwater, <\/span><\/span>$90M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

28. (tie) Hammond Lumber Company, <\/span><\/span>Belgrade, <\/span><\/span>$90M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

31. Acadia Auto Group, Richmond, <\/span><\/span>$87.89M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

32. Creative Apparel Associates, Morrill, <\/span><\/span>$86M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

33. Lee Chrysler Plymouth, Westbrook, <\/span><\/span>$76.2M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

33. (tie) Redlon & Johnson, Portland, <\/span><\/span>$76.2M<\/span><\/span> *<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

35. First Bancorp, Damariscotta, <\/span><\/span>$75.32M<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

36. Jerome Group, Augusta, <\/span><\/span>$75.1M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

37. Clark Insurance, Portland, <\/span><\/span>$70M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

38. White Rock Distilleries, Lewiston, <\/span><\/span>$68.3M<\/span><\/span> *<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

39. Yankee Ford, South Portland, <\/span><\/span>$60.8M<\/span><\/span> *<\/span>\u2020<\/span><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

40. Bar Harbor Bankshares, Bar Harbor, <\/span><\/span>$60.4M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

41. Everett J. Prescott, Gardiner, <\/span><\/span>$60.3M<\/span><\/span> *<\/span>\u2020<\/span><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

42. R. H. Reny, Newcastle, <\/span><\/span>$56.58M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

43. Mainetoday Media, Portland, <\/span><\/span>$54.88M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

44. Fabian Oil, Oakland, <\/span><\/span>$54.47M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

45. Charlie\u2019s Motor Mall, Augusta, <\/span><\/span>$53.1M<\/span><\/span> *<\/span>\u2020<\/span><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

46. Johnson & Jordan, Scarborough, <\/span><\/span>$52.59M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

47. Maine Energy Recovery Company, <\/span>Biddeford, <\/span>$52.26M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

48. Patriot Mortgage, Windham, <\/span><\/span>$50M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

49. Ford Rowe Sales, Westbrook, <\/span><\/span>$48.31M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

50. Norway Savings Bank, Norway, <\/span><\/span>$47.95M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

51. Geiger Brothers, Lewiston, <\/span><\/span>$45.5M<\/span><\/span> *<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

52. Northeast Bancorp, Lewiston, <\/span><\/span>$45.3M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

53. Bill Dodge Buick-Pontiac-GMC, <\/span>Westbrook, <\/span>$44.4M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

54. Key Plaza Holdings, Winthrop, <\/span><\/span>$44.1M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

55. Powerpay, Portland, <\/span><\/span>$44M <\/span><\/span>2<\/span><\/sup> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

56. Stonewall Kitchen, York, <\/span><\/span>$43.5M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

57. Kennebunk Savings Bank, Kennebunk, <\/span><\/span>$42.3M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

58. Gorham Savings Bank, Gorham, <\/span><\/span>$42.2M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

59. Twin Rivers Paper Company LLC, <\/span>Madawaska, <\/span>$42M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

60. Saco & Biddeford Savings, Saco, <\/span><\/span>$41.7M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

61. Maritime Energy, Rockland, <\/span><\/span>$40.8M<\/span><\/span> *<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

62. Androscoggin Bancorp, Lewiston, <\/span><\/span>$40.62M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

63. PM Construction Company, Saco, <\/span><\/span>$40.39M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

64. CPM Constructors, Freeport, <\/span><\/span>$40M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

65. Freightliner of Maine, Bangor, <\/span><\/span>$39.42M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

66. P A Intermed, South Portland, <\/span><\/span>$39.4M<\/span><\/span> *<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

67. Twin Rivers Paper Company Corporation, Portland, <\/span><\/span>$38.1M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

68. Nelson & Small, Portland, <\/span><\/span>$36.2M<\/span><\/span> *<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

69. Gage Company, Portland, <\/span><\/span>$36M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

70. Maine & Maritimes Corporation, <\/span><\/span>Presque Isle, <\/span><\/span>$35.74M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

71. Patriot Insurance Company, <\/span>Brunswick, <\/span>$35M<\/span><\/span> <\/span>3<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n

71. (tie) Shaw Brothers Construction, <\/span>Gorham, <\/span>$35M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

73. Nickerson & O\u2019Day, Brewer, <\/span><\/span>$34.65M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

74. Kennebec Savings Bank, Augusta, <\/span><\/span>$34.33M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

75. Tex-Tech Industries, North Monmouth, <\/span><\/span>$34.3M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

76. Eastland Shoe Corporation, Freeport, <\/span><\/span>$33M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

76. (tie) Outsource Works, Lewiston, <\/span><\/span>$33M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

78. Penley Corporation, West Paris, <\/span><\/span>$31.2M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

79. Butler Brother\u2019s Supply Division, <\/span>Lewiston, <\/span>$30.02M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

80. Orthopaedic Associates of Portland, Portland, <\/span>$30M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

80. (tie) Atwood Lobster Company, <\/span>Spruce Head, <\/span>$30M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

80. (tie) Port Harbor Marine, <\/span>South Portland, <\/span>$30M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

83. Linnehan Leasing, Ellsworth, <\/span><\/span>$29.73M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

84. Down East Toyota BMW, Brewer, <\/span><\/span>$29.6M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

85. Sheri-Key, Fairfield, <\/span><\/span>$29.55M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

86. John Lucas Tree Expert Company, <\/span>Falmouth, <\/span>$29.45M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

87. CCB, Westbrook, <\/span><\/span>$29.14M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

88. Daigle & Houghton, Fort Kent, <\/span><\/span>$29M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

88. (tie) Hewins Travel Consultants, <\/span>Portland, <\/span>$29M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

90. Medical Mutual Insurance Company of Maine, Portland, <\/span><\/span>$28.8M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

91. Magellan Petroleum Corporation, <\/span><\/span>Portland, <\/span><\/span>$28.19M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

92. Dearborn Precision Tubular, Fryeburg, <\/span><\/span>$28M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

92. (tie) Miller Drug, Bangor, <\/span><\/span>$28M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

94. Katahdin Trust Company, Patten, <\/span><\/span>$27.09M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

95. Tssd Services, Oakland, <\/span><\/span>$26.83M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

96. Sanford Institution For Savings, <\/span>Sanford, <\/span>$26.6M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

97. Philip E. McPhail, Lincoln, <\/span><\/span>$25M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

97. (tie) County Super Spuds, Mars Hill, <\/span><\/span>$25M<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

97. (tie) Maine Wood Treaters, <\/span><\/span>Mechanic Falls, <\/span><\/span>$25M <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

100. Nappi Distributors, Gorham, <\/span><\/span>$24.7M<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Key to the Numbers<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Companies must be for-profit and headquartered in Maine. All numbers were obtained by Dun & Bradstreet and represent 2009 gross revenue. (Revenue figures are the most up-to-date available and self-reported. Please contact D&B, not Portland Magazine<\/em>, for error corrections.) <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Symbols:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

* 2008 number used; no data for 2009 available<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2020 Delisted their sales figures from D&B<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Notes:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1. Public annual report lists 2009 net revenue at $1.4B.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2. CEO Stephen Goodrich estimates 2009 gross revenues at $120-125M.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

3. President Lincoln Merrill says 2009 gross revenue is $45.62M.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Additional Comments:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013<\/span> <\/span><\/span>Dead River Company (with branches reporting over $688M in revenue) is not listed due to incomplete revenue information. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013<\/span> <\/span><\/span>Marden\u2019s (with branches reporting over $106M in revenue) is not listed due to incomplete revenue information. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013<\/span> <\/span><\/span>Downeast Energy is not listed due to incomplete revenue information. President John Peters estimates 2009 gross revenue
\nat $150M.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Bookmark<\/a><\/p>\n

send us your comments<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

October 2010
\nDuring a tough year the cream rises to the top as family businesses save the day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3141"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3141\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3230,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3141\/revisions\/3230"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}