Boston-based New Balance broke ground June 5 on the expansion of its current athletic footwear manufacturing facility in Skowhegan, Maine.
The company's $65 million investment will add 200 new jobs and double the factory's production capabilities through a 120,000-sq.-ft., single-story addition to the existing five-story facility, which is itself seeing a 20,000-sq.-ft. renovation.
All the work is slated to be complete by the end of 2024, according to New Balance.
Current manufacturing operations at the factory will continue during the construction phase. The company's expansion design, engineering and construction is being managed by Green Leaf Construction in Leominster, Mass.
New Balance Dedicated to American Craftsmanship
New Balance Skowhegan's expansion reflects the company's strong commitment to domestic manufacturing and highlights its longstanding pride in the American craftsmanship and innovation of its Maine associates, according to Joe Preston, its president and CEO.
"Manufacturing has always been at the core of our company culture," he said at the kickoff of the factory's newest construction. "Our Maine associates have proven that high-quality athletic footwear can be produced in the U.S., [and the] Skowhegan factory expansion ensures their skilled craftsmanship and dedication to continuous improvement will help us meet our significant [domestic] and global consumer demand and drive future business growth."
In a joint statement, Maine's top three political leaders — Gov. Janet Mills, and U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King — praised New Balance for its continued commitment to the state, in addition to calling the state "the best place in the world to run a business, raise a family or base a manufacturing plant."
"Our people's legendary work ethic and legacy of craftsmanship produces high-quality products that are sought out around the globe," the statement continued. "We're excited by New Balance's significant, job-creating investment in the Skowhegan community and look forward to seeing its lasting impact for years to come."
New Balance Skowhegan currently employs approximately 270 associates producing the brand's popular MADE 996, 997, 998 and 1300 shoe models.
When the expanded space is operational, the Skowhegan facility will see a significant increase in its production capacity, turning out about 1.3 million pairs of shoes a year, added John Campbell, New Balance's vice president for corporate services.
The original Skowhegan site was purchased by New Balance in 1981.
"We are proud to be part of the Maine business community for more than 40 years and excited to add 200 new jobs as part of our Skowhegan factory expansion," Dave Wheeler, New Balance's COO, told the groundbreaking's audience.
He added that the shoemaker is proactively working to innovate and expand its domestic supplier network for its MADE U.S. footwear as well as drive new automation and robotics opportunities to enhance associate safety and ergonomics, as well as increase productivity.
At the ceremony, New Balance also announced a $250,000 gift to the Kennebec Valley Community Action Program (KVCAP) in support of the Skowhegan Area Early Childhood Education Center that will be built as part of the new MSAD 54 Margaret Chase Smith Community School.
"New Balance has always been strongly committed to the communities where our associates live and work," explained Raye Wentworth, the company's director of domestic manufacturing. "We're thrilled to be able to support this important opportunity to add quality, affordable education and childcare resources for local families."
New Balance is the only major athletic shoe manufacturer that has continued to maintain factories in the United States. Including the Skowhegan facility, the company owns five plants in Maine and Massachusetts where approximately 1,300 workers prepare, cut and mold athletic shoe materials and components before sewing, pressing and assembling them into the final product.
Just last year, the company opened its fifth athletic shoe factory in Methuen, Mass.
New Balance has been producing footwear in the United States for more than 75 years. Besides its factories in New England, the company owns another in the United Kingdom. In total, the company employs 8,000 associates around the world, and, in 2022, reported global sales of $5.3 billion.
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