The staccato pulse of sewing machines and bursts of compressed air paused briefly at a factory in Methuen on Monday as Gov. Charlie Baker declared that manufacturing is alive and well in Massachusetts.
Baker visited a factory along Route 110, along with U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan and local leaders, to participate in the grand opening of New Balance’s newest manufacturing hub.
“The opening of New Balance’s facility here in Methuen is a signal to folks across the Merrimack Valley that good-paying domestic manufacturing jobs aren’t just a thing of the past,” Baker said in prepared remarks ahead of a tour of the facility.
“Rather, as we emerge from the pandemic, this new factory is a sign that right here in the birthplace of America’s Industrial Revolution, these family sustaining jobs are here to stay.”
The 80,000-square-foot facility opened for business in January after undergoing $20 million in renovations, according to the company.
It currently employs over 90 workers, many on hand Monday morning to welcome the governor, in what New Balance described as skilled manufacturing roles. That’s just the beginning though, according to Dave Wheeler, New Balance chief operating officer.
“I look forward to doubling the number of skilled associates and doubling manufacturing at this facility in the next year,” Wheeler said.
The facility will produce New Balance’s popular MADE 990v5 running shoe.
After giving the gathered employees a round of applause, Baker praised them and the company for choosing to work in the commonwealth.
“New Balance is a jewel. The leadership is astonishing and the people who work for this very special company are amazing,” he said. “Time and time again the people of New Balance have shown us all what it means to be a truly great corporate citizen.”
Baker said the company, during the pandemic, stopped manufacturing shoes at several facilities and switched to making masks. The company produced over a million general-use masks, which were donated or sold for cost, according to the governor’s office.
“You make us all so proud every day to be able to watch your performance and your growth and your success and to play a little bit of a part in what is truly a global and beautiful story of success across many, many decades,” Baker said.
Trahan, a Democrat representing Massachusetts’ 3rd Congressional District, said that reinvigorating manufacturing has been a focus of hers since joining Congress three years ago.
“We’re here today because each of us recognizes how much potential there is for job growth right here in the Merrimack Valley and Methuen,” she said. “These are great jobs that pay family sustaining wages. That is exactly what we need more of as we continue recovering from the pandemic.”
