Buxton Barrel Business
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ACTON • ALFRED • BUXTON • CORNISH • HOLLIS • LIMERICK • LIMINGTON • LYMAN • NEWFIELD • SANFORD/SPRINGVALE • SHAPLEIGH • WATERBORO FREEEVERY FRIDAY OMMUNITY NEWSPA YOUR C PER SHOP LOCAL www.waterbororeporter.com Locally owned & independently operated VOLUME 17, ISSUE 1 PO Box 75, North Waterboro, ME 04061 • 247-1033 • [email protected] FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 2019 Howe and Howe receives business Buxton excellence award Former Governor Paul R. barrel LePage recently presented five Maine companies with a 2018 business Governor’s Award for Business Excellence during a reception at BY CYNTHIA MATTHEWS the Blaine House in Augusta. The 28th annual awards, ad- As you drive west on Route ministered by the Maine Depart- 202 in Buxton, just past Reynolds ment of Economic and Communi- Motor Sports and before you get ty Development and sponsored by to the Buxton Hannaford, you Consolidated Communications, may have spotted a red, barn-like recognizes Maine businesses that building with a big stack of wood- demonstrate a high level of com- en barrels outside and wondered, mitment to their community, em- “What is this place?” ployees and excellence in manu- The place is called River facturing or service provision. Drive Barrel Cooperage and “It’s been an honor to annually Millwork. There are barrels of recognize the best of the best here all different sizes, from smaller in Maine, businesses that clearly barrels that could be held in the go above and beyond normal day crook of your arm, to barrels to day operations,” said LePage. that are three feet tall, and some “The businesses honored today are that are even taller and wider. In dedicated to quality workmanship, the “Cooperage” they buy, sell, maintaining a loyal and dedicated make, but also recondition, repair workforce and giving back to the and refurbish oak barrels. community. I thank each of them Owner/Founder Matt Al- for doing business in our state and brecht explained that the barrels for setting the bar high.” go through a five-step inspection The five businesses who re- process. “We are a quality fo- ceived the awards for 2018 were: cused company,” Albrecht said. Howe and Howe Technolo- “These are the cribs and car seats gies, Waterboro. Internationally of the brewing industry, the best recognized for extreme vehicle barrel you ever had.” Albrecht fabrication and design, founded continued to explain that they with the vision of producing inno- are working with ‘liquid artists,’ Employees of River Drive Barrel Cooperage and Millwork in Buxton, front row, from left, Larry Smith of vative vehicles to enable life saving who want a quality product, just Gorham, Jesse Moreau of Springvale, John Weaver of Gorham, Dave Wilson of East Waterboro. Back strategies. Founders and twin broth- as an artist would want to use a row, from left, Jared Geaumont of Buxton, owner Matt Albrecht of Buxton, and Matt’s dog Jackson. ers, Geoffrey and Michael Howe quality canvas. “They are making COURTESY PHOTO BY DOUG LEVY an investment,” he said. One bar- (Continued on page 2) rel can hold over 200,000 ml of in is used, if not in a custom-made them into something.” He began liquid and if breweries are selling piece, than burned in the furnace! to do research and read up on the their brew in 750 ml bottles, that How did this place end up logging industry in Maine, and is about 268 bottles in a barrel. here, in Buxton, Maine? Well, the history, and turned that into Albrecht also explained that if like the barrel, this story has it’s a business – a reclaimed lumber the barrel doesn’t meet the qual- twists and turns, and takes awhile business. “I would learn where ity inspection, it is then sent to to get around… Albrecht grew up the wood was from books, then their wood shop, their Millwork in Connecticut, in a public safety go find it and pull it up,” he ex- operation, where it is turned into and woodworking family. Like plained, finding sunken timber other wood products, from hard- many others in his family, he be- under water in rivers and lakes wood floors, to tables and other came a Firefighter/Paramedic. in Maine. That’s where the logo furniture, to instruments, to tap He moved to Maine when work- comes from the River Driver on handles, coasters, cribbage boards ing with a live-in program in Pine a barrel. and more. That is the Millwork. Point. Then, he took a trip with Then, he went on another trip 100 percent of every barrel taken some friends to the Caribbean. with friends to Ireland, and there, There, he learned to scuba dive. “I gained a respect for whiskey, “I fell in love with it,” he said. So the history, and the barrel,” he much so, that he became certified. said. “There are Biblical refer- He then started helping people, ences to the barrel or cask, and using this new found skill, scuba the process hasn’t changed much diving to help recover property, or in 2000 years.” The bands around untangle props, etc. the barrel are made of steel these “I’ve always been fascinated days, versus wood. with the history of Maine,” Al- In 2008, Albrecht began to brecht continued. “I’ve always play with old barrels as reclaimed had an appreciation for wood and wood. He then began talking to trees, and how you could turn (Continued on page 5) NEW EVERY FRIDAY! Find everything you need to know about 1,000 points! YOUR local community every Friday! McKenzy Ouellette with Carmen Dame Gawronski, the only other FRee Massabesic player in history to score 1,000 career points. (See Page WEEKLY LOCAL News • LOCAL eVeNTs • LOCAL FACes • LOCAL BUSINESSES 5 for more.) PHOTO BY DAWSOREN MEDIA PAGE 2 Friday, January 4, 2019 REPORTER Community Calendar HOLLIS FREE COMMUNITY DIN- 28, from 6-9 p.m., at St. David’s the library is open) 6-8 p.m. All NER Saturday, Jan. 19, 5-6:30 Episcopal Church, Route 1, two writers are welcome. Bring a p.m. at Goodwins Mills Advent miles south of Kennebunk Vil- short piece to read and discuss. Christian Church on the Mill lage. Evergreen Quilters usual- Pond, Route 35, Goodwins Mills. ly meet the 4th Monday of each Shepherd’s Pie, applesauce, green month except July and December. Email salad, rolls, and brownies. Newcomers are always welcome. news@waterboro CALLING ALL QUIL- MONDAY WRITERS at the TERS! The Evergreen Quilt Waterboro Public Library, first reporter.com Guild will meet on Monday, Jan. Monday of every month (when HOWE AND HOWE Falls. A growing land consulting and a Shared Service Center in (Continued from page 1) company; providing engineer- South Portland. In 2016, the Sap- ing, land surveying, and environ- pi Somerset Mill modernized its first gained notoriety in 2001 with mental sciences to land owners woodyard and completed a major and municipalities since 1974. investment to rebuild Paper Ma- Kelley Heath, Hollis Dems Secretary, gives Hollis Selectman, Dave the introduction of the world’s McCubrey a check fo $2,314. The money was raised at the polls fastest tank, the Ripsaw; an un- Main-Land’s vision is that every chine #1, expanding the mill’s ca- landowner can use their land to pability to make high-quality con- on voting day and half was raised by Hollis voters and half was manned ground vehicle designed matched by committee members. Funds to be used for emergency achieve the ‘American Dream’. sumer-based packaging as well as for the US Military; and soon heating oil needs. Dave Durrell, Committee President looks on. Main-Land’s mission is to help coated graphics, representing a after turned their talents in a dif- COURTESY PHOTO ferent direction creating extreme people add value to their land: significant shift in Sappi’s North fire trucks, unmanned firefight- to understand it, develop it, and American business. Together, ing robots, and off road tracked protect it. Main-Land’s strength Sappi invested more than $200 wheelchairs. is in its personable staff who aim million in these two projects. New life for Hollis and Enercon Technologies, Gray. for friendliness, and thus achieve Sea Bags, Portland. Incorpo- Provides electro-mechanical great service and lasting relation- rated in 2006, Sea Bags started product development and con- ships with their customers. by making totes and accessories Buxton Democrats tract manufacturing services to Sappi North America. Roots from recycled sails in Portland. This past year renewed inter- that raised more than $3,700 dol- the medical, industrial, and de- can be traced back as far as 1854 Today, the company designs and est in local Democratic commit- lars for our local communities. fense markets. Its integration of to the S D Warren Company, up manufactures a diverse line of tees has experience a rebirth. In In combination with the gen- engineering and manufacturing until its acquisition by Sappi Lim- totes, bags, and home goods, all 2017, about a dozen Hollis resi- erosity of both Hollis residents services streamlines the product ited in 1994. Today, headquar- made in Maine from recycled dent began meeting monthly to and the Hollis Democrats who development cycle, improving tered in Boston with over 2,000 sails. CEO - Don Oakes, Pres- reinvigorate their party. Two of matched each donation, a check quality while reducing time-to- employees and three mills in ident and COO - Beth Shissler, their efforts were a booth at the for $2,314 was given to Town market and total project costs for Maine and Minnesota, Sappi is a and CFO - Bill McGonagle, have summer Hollis Pirate Fest and a Selectman Dave McCubrey, to their customers.