It’s been said that success attracts success, and the Twin Cities of Lewiston and Auburn have a lot going for their share of Maine’s progress. Just 40 minutes from Portland, Lewiston-Auburn is one of Maine’s thriving economic centers. The second largest community in the state, L-A has become a hub for world-class companies including a Wal-Mart Food Distribution Center, Procter & Gamble’s Tambrands facility, GE, Kellogg’s Snacks, Lepage Bakeries (manufactures Country Kitchen bread), precision manufacturers Formed Fiber, Geiger, White Rock Distilleries and L.L. Bean, financial institutions FISC, Androscoggin Bank and TD Bank.

No longer a mill-dominated community, the reformation of the Twin Cities continues. The mills lining the mighty Androscoggin River have now become modern business, commercial, and industrial powerhouses, fueling the Twin Cities economy into tomorrow. Today, Lewiston-Auburn’s key industries include health care, high-precision manufacturing, transportation and logistics, telecommunications and financial services. Retail, food and beverage production, printing, and the service industries including recent edition Carbonite, continue to expand as the Twin Cities becomes a destination of choice.

Companies such as Proctor & Gamble have fully utilized Lewiston-Auburn’s efficient workforce, which has been recognized nationally by Industry Week and Inc. Magazine. In fact, Lewiston-Auburn is perfectly positioned geographically to tap labor pools in nearby areas including Oxford and Franklin counties and surrounding communities where unemployment is traditionally higher.

One high-profile project that illuminates how L-A is playing to its new strengths, and attracting international attention in the process, is Lufthansa Technik’s historic Lockheed Constellation restoration project. With a global reach, Lufthansa had the opportunity to locate anywhere on the face of the planet. With the entire globe as their footprint, Lufthansa ultimately chose the Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport as their base of operation for the restoration efforts.  Once the project is completed, the famed aircraft will take back to the air, restored and fully operational, built just as it would have come off the assembly line in the 1950s.

Lewiston-Auburn can joke about a lot of things, especially our four seasons- winter, still winter, not winter, and almost winter. But when it comes to business and making L-A a destination of choice, we take our logistics and infrastructure seriously. The tools any organization needs in order to make their business hum can only be found in L-A. In fact, excluding oil shipments, the Port of Auburn is the state’s largest port of call. An inland port found 20 miles from the ocean, you could say L-A is redefining the shipping business.

If you have product to move, logistically, Lewiston-Auburn is right for you. The area’s central location in the state is a major selling point, as nearly 60 percent of the state’s population or 786,000 Mainers live within an hour’s drive of downtown. With multiple modes of transportation including rail, air, and highway access that connects L-A to a global market, the Twin Cities have strategically implemented incentive offers.

For those shipping high value and high quantity products, consider what the Foreign-Trade Zone and Pine Tree Zone can offer you, because you won’t find an FTZ in southern Maine, but you can, right here, in Lewiston-Auburn.

 It’s been said that in upwards of 60 percent of Americans move at least twice after college, often times to a new state and frequently to a different city. That’s why L-A is bringing them back. Home to five colleges — Bates College, Kaplan University, University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston Auburn College, Southern New Hampshire University, and Central Maine Community College —  the Twin Cities are a thriving academic destination for those looking to continue their education.

A progressive and diverse community, Lewiston-Auburn is a hot destination for the young and talented. Earlier this year, the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council partnered with the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce to help a local entrepreneur, who had left the area, relocate back to Lewiston-Auburn to open a business. The winner of the competition, Revelation Massage, is already hiring and expects to open its doors in a newly renovated Auburn location this September. Now that’s what we call community!

When it comes to quality of life, Lewiston-Auburn has much to offer as well. Rated as one of the 100 best small arts communities in the country, L-A has a lively arts scene. Performances by the Mid-Coast Symphony Orchestra, the Maine Chamber Ensemble, the Androscoggin Chorale, The Public Theatre, Community Little Theater, community art walks and gallery openings color L-A’s cultural landscape. Our skyscape is even defined by the arts. Take another look at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul while driving though the cities and tell us it’s not breathtaking. In fact, take another look at L-A and tell us you’re not proud to call the Twin Cities home.

In closing, the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council, along with the partnerships of many organizations, simply does what it takes to make the customer happy. From providing logistically feasible transportation options to attracting youth and development, we do it all. All it takes is a phone call, an email or a quick Google search and we will provide you all the information you need to know in order to make the best decision for your company. Ultimately and fundamentally, it’s safe to say that in Lewiston-Auburn, business really is happening here!

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