Temporary modular wall manufacturer STARC Systems opened a new 100,000-square-foot facility on Brunswick Landing on Tuesday.
STARC, which designs and manufactures temporary walls used in construction, has been on the Landing since the company’s inception a decade ago. With is new facility, the company joins others including Swedish bandage maker Mölnlycke in laying down roots on the former Navy base, which has drawn companies in tech, aerospace, healthcare and manufacturing since the base’s 2008 closing.
Tim Hebert of Hebert Construction launched STARC in 2014. The company moved into Brunswick Landing’s TechPlace business incubator the following year. It later leased a building on Orion Street, a facility which it still uses for some manufacturing, said CEO Chris Vickers.
“In Brunswick Landing, we felt like we got a great opportunity to keep moving into better facilities,” Vickers said.
The new building, located at 16 Katahdin Dr., includes three shipping bays and expanded warehouse and manufacturing space, the company said in a news release. STARC worked with Topsham-based Priority Real Estate, which owns the building, to develop the space.
It also brings most of STARC’s 140 employees under one roof.
“We’ve already had record shipping weeks,” Vickers said.
Temporary walls might not seem like the most exciting venture, but Vickers said the products are vital for creating safe work environments across several industries.
The wall systems were first created as a reusable alternative to drywall in hospital and healthcare environments, where debris from construction projects can lead to infection.
“The wall hides the renovation and create a seal, so even when the door opens, there’s no dust and debris that can go out into the space where there are employees, customers and patients,” Vickers said in an interview.
Today, STARC’s four product lines are used to partition off construction areas in airports, retail spaces, offices, data centers and more.
“Over the last several years we’ve grown quickly, and this new facility gives our people the space and tools they need to keep doing great work for our customers. We’re proud to keep building this company — and these products — right here in Maine,” Vickers said.
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