[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 148 (Wednesday, October 14, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S10432]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             RECOGNIZING AUBURN MANUFACTURING, INCORPORATED

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, today I celebrate the vital work 
that a small business in my home State of Maine is doing to provide 
extreme temperature textiles to dozens of industries worldwide. Auburn 
Manufacturing, Incorporated--or AMI--of Mechanic Falls is a veritable 
leader in its field, and has been designing and manufacturing advanced 
industrial textiles since its inception in 1979.
  Auburn Manufacturing's name is synonymous with quality and 
dependability because of its longstanding dedication to providing 
customers with products made using the most cutting-edge technologies. 
AMI develops and manufactures top-of-the-line products for welding 
protection, gasketing and sealing, and pipe and hose covering, as well 
as safety apparel like gloves and clothing. And the company's 48 
employees make all of its products at the company's central Maine 
facility.
  One of AMI's major new products is the Ever Green Cut 'n Wrap 
insulated cover. Designed for companies seeking to reduce greenhouse 
gas emissions and heat loss while saving on energy costs, the custom-
fit insulation blankets fit flexibly over valves and piping and reduce 
room temperatures for workers in extreme conditions. In fact, the Ever 
Green Cut 'n Wrap kits can reduce heat loss by over 85 percent, and 
they have a payback of less than 1 year. Last month, AMI received a 
seed grant from the Maine Technology Institute to help the company 
commercialize this forward-thinking, environmentally friendly product.
  Additionally, earlier this year Auburn Manufacturing announced that 
it had received dual contracts to provide the U.S. Navy with the 
company's remarkable AMI-SIL fabrics that are used for hot work 
protection during the repair of naval ships. The Navy has certainly 
demonstrated its approval of this impressive product, having awarded 
AMI five contracts over the past 15 years to supply it with more than 
1.25 million yards of fabric.
  Another quality that makes AMI special is its status as a Women's 
Business Enterprise, a certification made by the highly regarded 
Women's Business Enterprise National Council. Additionally, AMI owner 
Kathie Leonard was recently named one of Mainebiz's 2009 Women to 
Watch. In my estimation, Kathie Leonard has been a woman to watch 
throughout her entire career. She founded AMI in 1979--at the age of 
27--when she realized the vast potential of new heat-resistant fabrics 
which were developed to replace asbestos. Over the company's 30-year 
history, Ms. Leonard has been a part of several major professional 
organizations both national and local, including the National 
Insulation Association and the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council, 
which she previously chaired. She readily admits that these connections 
have helped her company grow into the giant it is today.
  The quality of AMI's numerous products afford its clients a sense of 
confidence that has solidified the company's status as a premier 
developer and manufacturer of extreme textiles nationwide. I 
congratulate Kathie Leonard and everyone at Auburn Manufacturing for 
the incredible work they do, and I wish them much success in the 
future.

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