Skowhegan, Maine Business Hopes to Expand in 2026

Even though the plans have changed over the last 5-ish years, Maine Grains is still hoping to expand its operation in the next year.

According to an article in the KJ, the company is looking to purchase other properties in the Skowhegan area.

Potential Site at Northgate Industrial Park

At the top of that list is vacant building space at the Northgate Industrial Park off North Avenue.  Because the company needs to purchase space rather than lease it, the quasi municipal Skowhegan Economic Development Corp has opened a request for proposals for buyers interested in the entire 36,000 square foot building.

Amber Lambke, founder and CEO of Maine Grains, which opened in 2012,  said plans are still very much in flux.  She said SEDC is working through a process designed to be fair to existing tenants while also determining what a fair price for the building should be.

The request for proposals is open through Dec. 31.  The building currently has three tenants and about 14,500 square feet of vacant space.

According to SEDC, its board will evaluate offer price, intended use of the property, impacts to current tenants, financial capacity, alignment with Skowhegan economic development goals, and any contingencies or restrictions.

Last summer, the company scrapped plans for a major expansion next to its current facility at 42 Court Street, the former site of the Kennebec Valley Inn, and began looking elsewhere.  Lambke purchased the Court Street lot in 2020 through Land and Furrow LLC after the hotel was demolished in 2018, though plans for that site have changed several times.

In December 2024, Maine Grains announced plans for an 80,000 square foot building to house new equipment for producing grain based foods beyond raw ingredients. Financing challenges in a post pandemic economy, combined with new tariffs on materials like steel, ended up forcing a change in direction.

Economic Impact and Job Creation

Whether at Northgate or another site, Lambke said the goal remains the same.  The new facility would house a precision single screw extruder, equipment not currently available on the East Coast, and something other businesses are already interested in collaborating around.

Once operational, the new facility is expected to employ about 15 people.

As we are always cheering on the expansion of local businesses, we wish her entire team the best.