Puritan & Cianbro Partnership Continues

206 SAS Drive

206 SAS Drive facility, before

BUILDING MARKET

n By Pete Malikowski

In October 2020, Puritan announced a second major expansion in Pittsfield, Maine in a continued partnership with Cianbro. This second facility, located at the former San Antonio Shoe manufacturing site, complements Puritan’s first manufacturing plant at 129 North Main Street and is expected to increase swab production by an additional 50 million swabs per month.

Design and construction planning activities on this second facility started in late September. The plant is expected to start producing swabs at the beginning of January 2021. This project will once again employ more than 650 individuals who will retrofit the facility on an extremely aggressive schedule.

The new facility includes approximately 78,840 square feet of total building space including 38,330 square feet in three separate cleanroom manufacturing spaces for the production of flocked polyester swabs. An adjacent three-story brick building has been demolished to create space for future possible expansion by Puritan.

Puritan evaluated various sites in central Maine for their second expansion. After collaborative negotiation, San Antonio Shoe (SAS) of Texas, agreed to donate approximately 29 acres of land and their former buildings in Pittsfield to the Pittsfield Development Corporation. Pittsfield Development, in turn, contributed approximately 11.5 acres of land and the former manufacturing building to Puritan Medical Products. The remaining acreage has been retained by Pittsfield Development Corporation for future development opportunities. The second factory in Pittsfield would not have been possible without the generosity of Lisa Armstrong and Cheryl Remmert, the daughters of Maine native Terry Armstrong, who co-founded San Antonio Shoe.

Given the historical significance of the buildings, the

“I believe this is a momentous occasion and a celebration for us all, and particularly the town of Pittsfield.”

Armstrong family requested a number of items from the building including bricks, wooden beams, granite window sills and various pieces of equipment be preserved and included in a family “remembrance room” in recognition of the SAS Founder, Terry Armstrong, his family, and the SAS company.

Pete Vigue, Chairman of The Cianbro Companies, shared with a small gathering the announcement of the second Puritan expansion. “I believe this is a momentous occasion and a celebration for us all, and particularly the town of Pittsfield,” Vigue said. These projects have contributed to a revitalization of the community and the town of Pittsfield, Maine.

In the midst of the pandemic and economic insecurity, the projects have brought many construction teams to the town which has benefited the local businesses and the surrounding area. The project also created new jobs for Cianbro and Puritan which has provided further economic stability for the community. ✔ 69,944 Project Safe Hours