"The Foreign Trade Zone designation is a great economic boon to Lewiston-Auburn and the State of Maine," said Senators Snowe and Collins in a joint statement. "An FTZ designation opens the door to international trade. This is the next big step for the Twin Cities to grow into a major hub for goods being transported to and from shipping ports in Maine and Canada. This could lead to a dramatic increase in business in Lewiston-Auburn and a substantial boost to the local economy."
The Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council has indicated that a FTZ designation is an important part of the cities' greater economic development plan. The Council expects that the FTZ will contribute to a growth in warehousing and distribution business in the area. The facilities within the new FTZ already have direct access to the Port of Halifax through the Saint Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad Company and Safe Handling Inc. is negotiating multiple contracts with foreign manufacturers. In addition, Tambrands Inc. and Formed Fiber Technology are working to obtain a "subzone" designation, since a majority of their raw materials come from overseas.
Senators Snowe and Collins were also instrumental last year in securing "port of entry" status, under the U.S. Customs Service, for the Auburn Intermodal Facility. They negotiated to have the City of Auburn designated to be within the port limits of Portland, thereby allowing federal customs inspections at the facility.
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