Auburn Manufacturing Inc. is a U.S. company based in Mechanic Falls, Maine.[1][2] The company produces heat- and fire-resistant fabrics for industrial use, supplying the United States Navy and other customers.[3][4] Auburn Manufacturing services industries such as glassmaking, mining, and shipbuilding, using domestic-made materials.[5][6]
Founded in 1979, Auburn Manufacturing is known for its disputes with Chinese competitors over unfair trade practices.[7][8] The company manufactures amorphous silica fabric and other products, which it sells to 30 countries.[9][10] In 2022, Auburn Manufacturing experienced double-digit growth, citing "strong global demand."[11] In 2023, the company ramped up production and hiring due to demand from defense and industrial customers.[12]
In July 2023, President Joe Biden visited Auburn Manufacturing, praising the company for weathering “decades of economic storms.”[13][14] Lauding Auburn Manufacturing’s record, Biden noted that 2023 has been the company’s best year to date.[15] Kathie Leonard, owner of Auburn Manufacturing, claimed, “[Biden's] focus on domestic manufacturing has increased demand for products like ours.”[16] CNN subsequently highlighted Auburn Manufacturing as an example of America's "factory boom."[17] Celebrating the growth of blue-collar work during his visit, Biden pointed to rising investments in construction projects by Auburn Manufacturing and other companies.[18]
Auburn Manufacturing is owned by Leonard, who serves as president and CEO.[19][20] Leonard founded the company at the age of 27, growing it into a business with two locations and about 60 employees.[21][22][23]
Before Auburn Manufacturing, Leonard began her career at a Lewiston, Maine mill that produced an industrial fabric to replace asbestos.[24] She is an advocate for female entrepreneurship, saying that it creates “ladders for women.”[25] According to the Lewiston Sun Journal, “With Leonard at the helm, AMI has become an internationally recognized source for the highest-grade materials.”[26] Leonard believes the company is well-equipped to weather recessions, saying that, "We've been through ups and downs."[27]
Kris Profenno serves as Auburn Manufacturing's shipping and logistics coordinator, working with Roger Millett to ensure product deliveries are intact and on time.[28]
Auburn Manufacturing is critical of “China’s cheating” when it comes to trade, and the company has secured two legal victories against Chinese competitors.[29][30][31] The first victory came in 2017, after Leonard took on China in a trade lawsuit that found silica products to be subsidized by the Chinese government and “dumped” into the U.S. market.[32] The second victory came in 2023, when the U.S. Department of Commerce determined that Chinese dumping negatively affects Auburn Manufacturing and other U.S.-based manufacturers.[33]
Because of Auburn Manufacturing's legal disputes with China, the company works closely with federal lawmakers.[34][35] In addition to Biden in 2023, Sen. Angus King (I-ME) visited one of the company's plants in 2022.[36][37][38] Auburn Manufacturing also hosted former Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R-ME) in 2016.[39]