Discover: Hermon 2021

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DISCOVER HERMON • January 15, 2021

HERMON IS BUSTLING WITH NEW & EXPANDING BUSINESSES

BY JODI HERSEY

W

ho doesn’t want to close (and lock) the door on 2020 and open a new one to 2021? Creating new doors to walk through and windows with unforgettable views is a specialty for Mathews Brothers. The Belfast-based company expanded its business to Hermon two years ago, completely transforming a cold storage warehouse on Logistics Lane into what is now a fully functioning, climate controlled, manufacturing facility for patio doors and windows. There are 15 people working in the new building and another 10 Hermon residents currently being trained in Belfast who will soon transfer their skills to the new site.

John Magri is the company president. Brothers Alex and Kyle Hawthorne are part of the management team and the third generation of Hawthornes to work for Mathews Brothers. Their dad and grandfather helped shape the business into what it is today.

“People used to ask Alex and Kyle’s father what we do; instead of saying windows he’d say, ‘We create opportunities for families in the Belfast area, we just do it through making windows,’ and I feel the same way in Hermon. We’re creating new opportunities there,” said Magri.

With over 160 years of experience carefully crafting windows and doors, Mathews Brothers has become a big name in the industry and now Hermon gets to be part of that legacy.

“We make a lot of promises and through our facilities

we keep those promises,” explained Kyle Hawthorne.

“We brought one of our patio door production lines to Hermon. We have new machinery being installed and we are increasing our glass capabilities and continuing to move forward.”

“Some of the functions happening in Hermon are some of the higher skilled functions, and we have established our own bending lab to make geometric and radius shapes,” added Magri. “We are doing a lot of things in Hermon now that we might have contracted out in the past.”

There’s no denying COVID has affected businesses and communities in many different ways. However, despite the downturn the pandemic has caused, Hermon has been fortunate to see both business and residential growth through it all according to Hermon’s Economic

and Community Development Director Scott Perkins.

“There are a couple things going on in Hermon that we really love and that’s businesses expanding in place, businesses moving from lease to ownership, and new businesses moving here. Right now we’re fortunate enough to be experiencing all three things,” Perkins explained.

The Shop is one of the many Hermon businesses that is busier than ever. The automotive repair company located on Route 2, is owned by husband and wife Frankie and Kristin Noyes.

“We have a good percentage of fleet work. We have a lot of utility trucks that have to stay running so that’s kept us going, and snow tire season has helped our business too. We do anything from basic service needs to alignments and diagnostics and the whole range of