Senator Collins Visits The Strainrite Companies in Auburn

Auburn, Maine – Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins visited The Strainrite Companies, a liquid filtration products manufacturing company in Auburn, to tour the facility, answer employees’ questions, and provide an update on the federal government’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  During her visit, Senator Collins was accompanied by Alan Lapoint, owner of Strainrite and Chair of the Manufacturers Association of Maine (MAME).

“As an employee-owned company, Strainrite exemplifies Maine’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to quality,” said Senator Collins.  “The coronavirus pandemic has caused great disruption to our society, especially to Maine’s small businesses, which make up nearly 60 percent of our state’s workforce. From designing and manufacturing liquid filtration products to taking extra precautions to protect staff and customers, the dedicated employees of Strainrite have stepped up to meet the challenge.”

“The Paycheck Protection Program is a lifeline for small businesses in Maine and throughout the country,” continued Senator Collins.  “As we continue to combat this public health and economic crisis, I have been working with my colleagues to extend the PPP to allow the hardest hit small businesses to receive additional loans and expand forgivable expenses to include facility modifications and personal protective equipment to ensure the safety of employees and customers.”

Strainrite, along with Alan’s two other companies, Geary’s Brewing and New England Nonwovens, received a forgivable loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).  Senator Collins co-authored the PPP to help small employers continue to keep paying their workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Since its launch in early April, more than 28,000 Maine small businesses and self-employed individuals have received nearly $2.3 billion in forgivable loans, which has helped to support approximately 240,000 jobs throughout the state.

Established in 1978, Strainrite designs and manufactures an extensive selection of liquid filtration products.  Strainrite’s filtration products are used to ensure final fluid product quality, protect equipment, and improve process yields in many industries including printing, beverages, biopharmaceuticals, electronics, and oil and gas. 

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