News

Maine-based swab maker to open a plant in Tennessee

Maine-based swab maker to open a plant in Tennessee

Photo: 560 WGAN Newsradio


PORTLAND, Maine (AP) A Maine-based company that’s one of only two manufacturers of a specific type of swab needed for COVID-19 tests is opening a production facility in Tennessee, officials said.

The Puritan Medical Products plant would be the first outside Maine, but the company had no details on where it would be located or when it will open, spokesperson Virginia Templet told the Bangor Daily News.

The company currently has three plants in Maine.

The federal government has provided the company hundreds of millions of dollars since the start of the pandemic as the government rushed to ramp up COVID-19 testing last year.

Puritan, which is based in Guilford, opened two plants in Pittsfield last year. One was helped by $75.5 million in funding from the Department of Defense, while $51.2 million in coronavirus relief funding helped launch another plant.

In January, the federal government awarded it $110 million to purchase production equipment necessary to increase swab production.

Last June, then-President Donald Trump visited the company’s headquarters to praise the workers. The only other company that makes the specific swab is in Italy.

Latest Headlines

2 hours ago in Local

Drought Gets Worse Across Maine Impacting Drinking Water

Fresh

Drought conditions across the state have worsened over the past week.

2 hours ago in Local

Maine Housing Market Becoming More Buyer Friendly

Sellers and buyers are on more equal footing for negotiating their home purchase.

3 hours ago in Local

3 face drug charges after raids in New Gloucester, Lewiston

A month-long investigation into drug trafficking in New Gloucester and Lewiston led to three arrests on Wednesday.

4 hours ago in Local

Man accused in high-speed pursuit in Kennebec County arrested after crashing into construction zone

Police say a man led them on a high-speed chase in Clinton before crashing in a construction zone on Tuesday.

11 hours ago in Local

Maine State Police Lobby Against Red Flag Law

Maine State Police and the state Department of Public Safety strongly oppose the Red Flag Law.