U.S. Department of Commerce Awards Approximately $22 Million Tech Hubs Grant to Strengthen the Sustainable Wood Biomass Polymers Industry in Maine

Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, edamedia@eda.gov

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has selected Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub, led by the Maine Technology Institute, for an approximately $22 million Tech Hubs grant to implement two projects that aim to position Maine as a global leader in forest-based biomaterial production and manufacturing by extracting biological building blocks from forests, manipulating them for use, and manufacturing environmentally sustainable products from those components.

The Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub is among six Tech Hubs to receive awards from additional funding for the Tech Hubs Program through the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). 

The grant will support implementation of two projects that include:

• bridging forest bioproducts technological innovations with the commercialization resources and partnerships necessary to successfully bring that intellectual property to market at a globally competitive scale and serving as the backbone organization for the consortium, coordinating governance, strategy, evaluation, and community engagement; and 

• strengthening a pipeline of innovations (functionalized feedstocks, applications, and manufacturing technologies), de-risking these innovations with technical assistance, and leveraging new commercialization, advanced manufacturing, and workforce resources of the Tech Hub to accelerate the most promising innovations. 

“To out-innovate and out-compete the rest of the world, we need to ensure we’re investing in the industries of the future that will drive American innovation, manufacturing, and workforce to succeed in a 21st century economy – that's how America maintains its competitive edge,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “The Tech Hubs Program and this latest allocation of funds are the result of bipartisan cooperation in Congress – I hope that good-faith work will endure so we can continue to invest in these centers of excellence across the nation, which in return, are providing good-paying jobs in industries of the future and helping to strengthen U.S. economic and national security.”

“We are so pleased that bipartisan support in Congress for the Tech Hubs Program will allow us to make even more impactful investments in the future of America’s economy,” said Cristina Killingsworth, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “This implementation funding will empower the Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub to spur job growth, attract private investment, and fortify its regional economy as a global leader in the manufacturing of bioproducts using wood-based polymers.”

“Maine companies are leading the way in manufacturing innovative and environmentally friendly products that are changing how the world builds homes and businesses, and packages products, and more – and in doing so, they’re writing the next great chapter of Maine’s storied forest products industry,” said Governor Janet Mills. “This significant federal investment will help Maine cement its growing reputation as a global leader in the advanced manufacturing of forest bioproducts. I thank the Maine Congressional Delegation and the Biden-Harris Administration for their extraordinary support.”

“As the most forested state in the country, Maine has always welcomed innovation that helps to strengthen the industry and grow the forest sector’s work. Maine’s forest products industry is instrumental to our state economy — as well as our identity,” said Senator Angus King. “This $22 million grant for the Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub will be pivotal in modernizing the workforce and encouraging private investment, while also reinforcing Maine’s standing as a global forest products leader.”

“This grant is a game-changer for Maine’s forest products industry, driving innovation that connects our natural resources to the industries of tomorrow. By investing in sustainable biomanufacturing and turning wood-based polymers into cutting-edge products, we are not only creating good-paying jobs but also leading the way in addressing the climate crisis through greener production practices,” said Representative Chellie Pingree (ME-1). “I’m grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration for recognizing Maine’s leadership in this sector and for ensuring that rural economies like ours are at the forefront of building a more sustainable and competitive future.”

“For hundreds of years, Mainers have set the standard for excellence and innovation in the forest products industry,” said Representative Jared Golden (ME-02). “We passed the CHIPS & Science Act to unleash the full potential of this exact type of American manufacturing, and today’s funding will usher a new chapter of jobs and growth for a proud Maine tradition.”

The Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub is among 31 Tech Hubs designated in October 2023 by President Biden to scale up the production of critical technologies, create jobs in innovative industries, strengthen U.S. economic competitiveness and national security, and accelerate the growth of industries of the future in regions across the United States.  

Last year, the Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub received a $500,000 Consortium Accelerator Award to continue implementing their strategies, including the pursuit of additional capital. 

Learn more about the Tech Hubs Program at TechHubs.gov. 

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)   
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.