Maine’s Advanced Manufacturing sector is facing both significant challenges and exciting opportunities as an aging workforce and rapid technological advancements transform the industry’s landscape.

To secure a strong pipeline of future talent, a consortium of industry leaders set out to gain a deeper understanding of Maine’s Advanced Manufacturing workforce, including where barriers to entry exist and which skills are needed for career advancement. This work was conducted in coordination with Maine’s Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub, ensuring that workforce strategies align with emerging opportunities in sustainable and bio-based manufacturing.

The Solution

The Maine Technology Institute (MTI), in partnership with the Maine Department of Labor and the Manufacturers Association of Maine, hired Camoin Associates to analyze challenges relating to the state’s workforce shortages and develop strategies to expand the Advanced Manufacturing sector.

To do so, Camoin Associates used qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze Maine’s labor market, gathering insights from employers, educators, and training partners to identify ways to better connect job seekers with in-demand opportunities in the region.

The Camoin Associates team developed a comprehensive survey targeted at distinct audiences to gain insights from a cross-section of employees, employers, and career advisors.

The Impact

Camoin Associates produced a workforce gap analysis and strategic plan, which included an overview of the existing labor supply in Maine’s Manufacturing sector and a measurement of the gap between labor market demand and workforce supply over the next five years. The team validated this analysis by inventorying current training programs, interviewing business leaders, engaging with current and potential workers, and discussing the priorities that emerged with state leadership.

This information was the foundation for developing career pathway talent maps, which visualize how workers can grow their careers in high-priority occupations. The results established strategic priorities for future workforce development, highlighting opportunities to enhance or expand talent pipelines and training programs.

View all the strategy documents

Services Provided:

• Strategic plan
• Workforce gap analysis
• Training and workforce program inventory
• Stakeholder engagement
• Survey development and analysis
• Career and occupation pathway analysis
• Career pathway talent maps

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Perry, Cape Girardeau, Scott, and New Madrid counties, and the City of Sikeston in southeast Missouri stand at a critical juncture and are transitioning to a more regionally focused economic development strategy. These communities are situated in a rural portion of the state where agriculture and manufacturing are legacy industries that continue to significantly contribute to the economy.

As market viability shifts and grows increasingly competitive, a new regional organization, Southeast Missouri Regional Economic Development, Inc. (SEMO REDI), received funding from the US Economic Development Administration to identify target industries and develop site plans for priority sites to be more competitive for business growth and attraction.

The Solution

SEMO REDI commissioned Camoin Associates to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of current industrial trends in southeast Missouri, uncovering the strengths and synergies within existing industrial clusters and spotlighting promising industries and markets ripe for development.

This analysis equipped the region with the necessary insights to effectively cater to the evolving needs of these industries and emerging subsectors, ensuring a targeted and strategic approach towards regional economic development.

Our work also included an in-depth market analysis to quantify the industrial real estate market demand to gauge the region’s readiness to site potential projects.

The Impact

Camoin Associates presented to the boards of each jurisdiction in March 2025. The data compiled for the target industries and real estate market analysis have already been valuable tools for each community and have been referenced frequently in business attraction and retention efforts.

The region continues to see progress in developing its industrial parks. In February 2025, SEMO REDI announced that an Amazon delivery station was set to open in Scott City, creating 70 jobs at the SEMO Industrial Park.

Services Provided:

• Target industry analysis
• Industrial real estate market analysis
• Site development plans (developed by Arcadis)
• Business leader engagement
• Regional competitiveness analysis
• Strategy development

What Our Client Said

“This industrial market analysis highlights key site selection opportunities in the region. The insights gained from this process will allow us to more effectively promote southeast Missouri as a region with strong access to technical talent, superior transportation and utility infrastructure, and significant market growth potential.”

CRYSTAL JONES | Executive Director | Perry County Economic Development Authority

“SEMO REDI will utilize our Industrial Site Feasibility Study to help guide targeted recruitment efforts and as a foundation upon which we can continue building stronger regional economic development partnerships throughout Southeast Missouri.”

SHAD BURNER | Chief Executive Officer | SEMO REDI

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Maine’s ability to strengthen its economy through domestic trade depends on how effectively goods can move throughout the state and across regional markets.

However, businesses, particularly in rural areas, often face challenges related to limited infrastructure, high logistics costs, and a lack of access to warehousing and cold storage. These constraints can make it difficult for companies to reach new markets or scale operations efficiently.

At the same time, much of the in-state demand for transportation and logistics services is being met by out-of-state providers, representing a missed opportunity for local capacity building.

Leaders across the state saw the need for a clearer understanding of the sector and where strategic investments could make the greatest impact.

The Solution

To help address these issues, Camoin Associates partnered with Maine’s Department of Economic and Community Development to develop a comprehensive report that examined the state’s transportation, warehousing, and logistics (TWL) sectors.

Through a combination of economic analysis and stakeholder engagement, the project identified both system-wide trends and specific challenges impacting businesses’ ability to grow through domestic trade. The resulting strategy highlights priority areas—such as targeted infrastructure improvements, regional aggregation models, and enhanced workforce development—that can help Maine-based businesses better connect to new markets.

The analysis also offers actionable insights for public and private partners looking to expand supply chain capacity and support industry growth.

The Impact

This report not only helps identify where new infrastructure and partnerships are needed, but also elevates opportunities for regional collaboration, rural development, and market access.

This work positions the state to better align its economic development strategies with the needs of its business community—ensuring that more of the benefits of domestic trade stay within Maine and contribute to long-term, inclusive growth.

Services Provided:

• Economic and industry analysis
• Infrastructure assessment and gap analysis
• Freight flow and commodity movement mapping
• Stakeholder engagement
• Statewide business roundtable facilitation

Learn more about our industry analytics and strategy services

Maine’s food and beverage processing industry plays an important role in adding value to the state’s agricultural and seafood products. As the industry continues to evolve, the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development saw an opportunity to better understand how to support its long-term growth and competitiveness, particularly in relation to infrastructure needs, market access, and domestic trade.

Many small and medium-sized producers experience hurdles when it comes to scaling their operations, accessing cold storage, and connecting with broader distribution networks. Identifying where strategic investments and targeted support could make the greatest impact was a key priority in helping the sector thrive and expand its reach across state and regional markets.

The Solution

Camoin Associates worked closely with the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development to develop a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of the state’s food and beverage processing industry.

The project included an in-depth regional comparison, analysis of infrastructure and industrial real estate, and case studies on collaborative models that support small and medium-sized businesses.

By identifying Maine’s competitive advantages, gaps in cold storage and distribution, and opportunities to grow high-value subsectors, the report helped outline strategic priorities for expanding domestic market access and supporting resilient local economies.

The Impact

With this report in hand, Maine is better positioned to strengthen its role in the regional food supply chain and support producers in reaching broader markets.

The findings provide a foundation for future investment and policy decisions that align with business needs—whether that’s improving logistics, advancing workforce strategies, or supporting infrastructure development.

Most importantly, the insights help Maine leverage its unique assets to retain more value in-state and expand participation in domestic trade networks that benefit rural communities, small businesses, and the state’s economy as a whole.

Services Provided:

• Industry benchmarking and regional competitiveness analysis
• Real estate and infrastructure assessment
• Cold storage and processing facility mapping
• Stakeholder engagement
• Case studies

Learn more about our industry analytics and strategy services

The Central Avenue corridor in Albany, NY, has faced a challenging economic situation since the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes in consumer preferences, real estate market trends, and overall shifts in the role of commercial corridors have impacted the environment, safety, and overall potential for new investment.

The Solution

The Central Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) set out to re-evaluate the state of the corridor, as the last planning effort was completed over 20 years ago under much different market conditions. The BID contracted Camoin Associates, with the support of Empire State Development funding, to conduct a real estate opportunity study. The BID viewed the study as a launch point to reinvigorate the neighborhood through targeted investment and emphasizing the existing corridor assets.

The study assessed the factors impacting the local retailers, demonstrated where Central Avenue’s competitive assets are, and identified catalyst development areas. A public perception survey demonstrated that consumers frequent the corridor and would come more often if the public realm were tailored more for walkability and the City addressed public safety concerns.

A crucial component of the study was fostering entrepreneurship along the corridor. The study emphasized the importance of creating an environment conducive to entrepreneurial growth by identifying opportunities to support emerging and established businesses.

The Impact

The report was included in the BID’s 2024 year-end wrap-up Board presentation. The data and insights provided by Camoin Associates have already empowered the BID to engage with developers and entrepreneurs.

Moving forward, the study will be used to demonstrate market potential with City of Albany leadership and potential investors, showcasing the corridor’s market potential and the opportunities available for entrepreneurial endeavors.

Services Provided:

• Real estate opportunity analysis
  • Public perception survey
  • Existing conditions review
  • Retail gap analysis
  • Real estate market snapshot of office, residential, entertainment, and hospitality
  • Catalyst development site identification
  • Entrepreneurship and small business needs assessment
• Stakeholder and leadership engagement

Learn more about our Real Estate Development Analytics and Advisory Services

Learn more about our entrepreneurship and innovation services 

The Challenge

FocusMaine was looking for a team to help them identify achievable actions to maintain and accelerate food sector job growth in the state. To do so, they were looking for a researcher to conduct data analysis and a facilitator to lead a series of forums to inform the action plan.

The Solution

FocusMaine retained Camoin Associates to fill both roles. In the researcher role, Camoin Associates conducted an in-depth literature review to identify gaps in Maine’s food system and highlighted partnerships and programs to leverage.

The team conducted data analysis on the food economy, food processing, cold storage real estate, the food economy workforce, access to capital, and innovation. Camoin Associates also conducted a SWOT analysis to distill this information into a digestible format and make sense of the findings.

In the facilitator role, the team led a series of five virtual forums, each with different themes and many featuring a panel of speakers from local food businesses who shared their knowledge about topics such as sustainability, capital, technology, and more.

These forums provided attendees with the opportunity for engagement, and Camoin Associates launched a survey during the project to gain additional input into the strategic plan.

The Impact

Throughout this project, the Camoin Associates and FocusMaine team engaged with stakeholders across the state in every area of the food industry. A wide range of voices were incorporated into this work, informing the strategies and actions in the resulting report.

Services Provided:

• Strategic planning
• Stakeholder engagement
• Facilitation of virtual forum series
• Economic overview
• Supply chain analysis
• Workforce and talent trends analysis
• SWOT analysis

View the final report

The Challenge

Long Island’s Home Building sector provides jobs to the local Long Island economy while also contributing heavily to the critically needed development of housing in the Long Island economy. The Long Island Builders Institute (LIBI) is an industry association that represents businesses working in the Home Building sector and beyond and works to balance the economy, the environment, and the achievement of home ownership. LIBI was interested in conducting an analysis of the economic contribution of the Home Building sector that could be used to support its industry advocacy efforts.

The Solution

LIBI retained Camoin Associates to evaluate the total economic contribution of the Home Building sector, including the direct impacts of primary industries (residential building construction) and the supporting cluster (engineering, hardware stores, other goods and services critical to the sector).

Camoin Associates also conducted in-depth interviews with builders and partnered with Stony Brook’s Real Estate Institute to examine the impact of New York’s “Scaffold Law.”

The Impact

The economic contribution analysis Camoin Associates completed found that Long Island’s Home Building sector supported over 194,000 jobs and $15.4 billion in earnings, representing 14% of total employment and 12% of total earnings on the island. Meanwhile, the sector contributes over $153 million in tax revenues to Long Island and over $729 million in tax revenues to New York State.

Findings from in-depth interviews with builders also identified the top obstacles to home building, including zoning delays and the cost of construction insurance. The economic contribution report and its data provided LIBI with hard data that has proven useful in its advocacy efforts for the Building industry in Long Island.

Services Provided:

• Economic and fiscal contribution analysis
• Interview engagement
• Case studies

View Infographic (PDF)

The Challenge

The City of Kalamazoo prioritized equitable economic development and community wealth building as it set out to develop an economic development strategy in 2024. Yet, it was unclear how current initiatives were contributing to those goals and how progress was being measured over time.

With several transformative projects underway during the planning process, it was critical to consider the impacts of these projects and how they would contribute to or hinder the City’s goals. Additionally, Kalamazoo’s economic development system contains dozens of non-profits, public organizations, private organizations, as well as educational partners.

To harness the energy and participation of these groups toward developing a shared vision, the strategy would emphasize the roles of different parties across the ecosystem and support the City’s ability to strategically partner with them.

The Solution

The Camoin Associates team incorporated 70+ stakeholders and in-depth data analytics throughout 10 months of planning and strategy development.

The strategy is built on four goal areas that cover target markets, entrepreneurship, neighborhood connections, advancing conditions for growth, and improving the downtown experience.

The plan maintains an approach to economic development where neighborhoods are not pitted against downtown or the city against the region. While a place-based approach is sensible based on certain unique circumstances of a corridor or neighborhood, each investment must tie back to a shared vision for the city. This unified approach will yield the greatest economic gains within the city.

The Impact

The plan was unanimously accepted by the City Commission after spirited discussion from the public and many iterations were vetted by stakeholders. City staff immediately began working with partners on pieces of the strategy suited to their strengths and building consensus on the next steps moving forward.

The plan prepares Kalamazoo to be a Redevelopment-Ready Community, which means that they have access to certain exclusive state resources and funding.

“Our new economic development strategy will serve as a guiding blueprint for the next 3-5 years, casting a shared vision and ensuring a unified approach that fosters equitable opportunities for Kalamazoo residents, neighborhoods, and businesses to achieve lasting economic prosperity.”

– Chelsie Downs-Hubbarth, Community Investment Manager

View the final strategy

Services Provided

• Economic base analysis
• Real estate market analysis
• Stakeholder interviews and facilitation
• Strategy development
• Presentations to City leadership

Centre County, PA, home to Penn State University, is known for its natural beauty and devoted community members — both locally and among Penn State fans and alumni worldwide. Yet, in 2023, the county was at an economic development crossroads. Despite offering a high quality of life by most standards, it was equally evident that residents, businesses, and workers faced many of the same challenges affecting many other college towns and rural communities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Although Penn State is renowned for significant research output as Pennsylvania’s land grant institution, State College and the surrounding region (which many people refer to as “Happy Valley”) have not experienced the levels of tech translation expected of a college town. Centre County residents and workers also felt that a tight and expensive housing market, reduced airport service, and other aging infrastructure constrained their community’s ability to prosper.

Furthermore, despite a well-educated population, Centre County struggles with income disparities and a limited labor force participation rate due to a transient student population. The county’s economic structure remains heavily reliant on education and healthcare, two sectors that do not guarantee long-term economic resilience.

Recognizing these issues, the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County (CBICC) sought a roadmap that would strengthen the county’s economic foundation while promoting a future that competitively positioned the area for future growth. CBICC believed that addressing these issues required an action-oriented yet targeted plan that tapped into Centre County’s existing assets and strong relationships to overcome barriers to industry, workforce, housing, and infrastructure improvements.

The Opportunity

To tackle these challenges, CBICC enlisted Camoin Associates to develop Centre County’s first countywide economic strategy in over two decades.

The strategic planning process sought to capture what made Centre County unique and align with broader priorities articulated through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s PA Gets It Done effort.

Specifically, this included calling out opportunities in key industries across the Commonwealth:

• Agriculture
• Energy
• Life sciences
• Manufacturing
• Technology

CBICC also recognized that its recently formed Economic Development Council — composed of over 50 individuals from various sectors — could play a pivotal role in the strategic planning process and, ultimately, oversee the plan’s implementation. By bringing together experts and leaders across disciplines, the council could provide a wide yet nuanced perspective on the county’s economic needs and opportunities.

Strategic Planning Approach

The strategic planning process included several phases, each building on core values, data findings, and stakeholder input.

Vision and Guiding Principles

In November 2023, CBICC and Camoin Associates launched the planning process with an in-person kickoff meeting. During this session, CBICC’s Economic Development Council established core values to guide the strategy:

• Collaboration
• Sustainability
• Open-mindedness
• Accountability
• Imagination

The Council selected these values to underscore the goals of economic resilience, sustainable growth, technological advancement, and entrepreneurship.

Data Collection and Analysis

To develop a more objective understanding of Centre County’s landscape, Camoin Associates produced a comprehensive analysis of the area’s demographic, economic, and occupational trends, comparing them with state and national benchmarks.

The final data product, a Summary of Economic Conditions, highlighted the county’s key challenges and identified areas of opportunity, such as untapped potential in emerging sectors and the need for workforce development to support growth.

Stakeholder Engagement

Camoin Associates worked closely with CBICC to run an extensive engagement process that included over 100 stakeholders, ranging from small business owners to municipal representatives.

The process also engaged experts from critical fields such as healthcare, tourism, infrastructure, and academia, providing a holistic view of Centre County’s economy and fostering a shared commitment to the strategic plan’s success.

Strategy Development and Iteration

In May 2024, Camoin Associates presented a Situational Assessment to the Economic Development Council, outlining the following key priorities:

• Business retention and expansion
• Targeted and emerging industries
• Workforce and education
• Built and natural environment

Council members provided feedback on potential implementation approaches, which helped Camoin Associates hone bold and achievable strategies for the county.

In September 2024, CBICC convened another Economic Development Council meeting to recap the strategic planning process, invite Camoin Associates to report on the final strategies and discuss the next steps to advance strategy implementation with Council members.

Outcome and Impact

CBICC officially launched Centre County’s Economic Development Strategy in October 2024 at the Voice of Business Luncheon, which attracted over 300 attendees from throughout Pennsylvania.

Event speakers featured several influential leaders, including Dr. Neeli Bendapudi, President of Penn State University; Commissioner Mark Higgins, Centre County Government; Ben Kirshner, Chief Transformation and Opportunity Officer for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and Luke Bernstein, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry.

View the final Economic Development Strategy (PDF)

Learn about Camoin Associates’ Strategic Planning Services

Henrico County Economic Development Authority (Henrico), a county-level economic development authority in Virginia, sought to understand its website traffic more deeply and to more effectively generate business attraction and recruitment opportunities for its business development team.

The Solution

Camoin Associates provided Henrico with a customized version of our ProspectEngage platform, including the addition of supplemental target industry research to be used by the client’s business development and marketing teams.

We developed a strategy to identify website visitors within their target sectors, such as Fintech, Advanced Manufacturing, Professional Services, and Health and Life Sciences. Henrico’s business development team then used that data to follow up and engage with the prospects directly, leveraging the detailed information provided through our ProspectEngage dashboard, including contact information for C-Suite executives.

The Impact

Camoin Associates has worked closely with Henrico’s marketing and business development teams to help them understand their website traffic through the detailed information we provide on our ProspectEngage dashboard and automated reports. Additionally, we have helped them better identify potential prospects from their target industries and provided them with customized lists of companies beyond what we’re tracking on their website.

Henrico has leveraged the data and the platform in multiple ways, allowing them to conduct outreach and drive traffic through marketing campaigns more precisely. They continue to be an ongoing client.

Services Provided:

• Customized version of ProspectEngage
• Target industry list research