OAK RIDGE, TN – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and top officials from the University of Maine (UMaine) to tour Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The partnership between ORNL and UMaine advances research in additive manufacturing and 3D printing using bio-based products, which will create new markets for Maine’s forest products industry and support innovation in a broad range of industries in Maine including boat building, composites, and civil engineering. The partnership recently resulted in the unveiling of the world’s largest polymer 3D printer and largest 3D printed object. During today’s visit, participants toured the lab’s state-of-the-art facilities, examined 3D printer use in advanced manufacturing, and discussed opportunities to expand the partnership between the two institutions.

“Maine is blessed with an abundance of wood fiber, and thanks to the collaboration of UMaine and ORNL, we’re finding all sorts of new ways to use this resource,” said Senator King. “This partnership has already made important strides, and with two top-notch research facilities working on it, I know more advances are coming. The combination of these two world-class facilities is a boon for Maine’s forest economy, and for all the people and communities who rely on this historic industry. The work being done here deeply matters to Maine people, and I can’t wait to see what they discover next.”

“I enjoyed hosting my friend, Senator Angus King and the University of Maine in Oak Ridge today, where we were able to visit Oak Ridge National Laboratory and see firsthand the lab’s 3D printing technology,” said Senator Alexander. “National laboratories are our secret weapon in the rapidly changing world economy, and the partnership between the University of Maine and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a model for how science and technology can transform our economy and advanced manufacturing.”

“We appreciate the opportunity to visit this world-class laboratory with Senator King and Senator Alexander to see the extraordinary and compelling work up close,” said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, President of the University of Maine. “The University of Maine is excited to grow and advance its partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. UMaine's Advanced Structures and Composites Center and Oak Ridge are collaborating with 20 companies and universities in Maine and Tennessee, fostering opportunities for discovery that benefit the students, workforce and economy in Maine and beyond. This initial effort is a great model of collaboration that we hope to expand into many other areas, including building technologies, transportation and advanced computing/AI.”

"Our visit to Oak Ridge National Laboratory confirms the wisdom of the partnership we have already established and the importance of expanding the relationship to benefit the Maine economy and our collective national interests," said Dannel Malloy, Chancellor of the University of Maine System.  "We are grateful that Senators King and Alexander were able to participate in our tour and for the support we receive from the entire Maine congressional delegation for our public university research mission." 

The partnership between ORNL and UMaine launched a first-in-the-nation, large-scale bio-based additive manufacturing program. The cooperation provides UMaine’s Advanced Structures & Composites Center (ASCC) students, faculty and associated companies with access to ORNL’s assets and expertise in advanced manufacturing. ORNL researchers, in turn, gained access to UMaine’s facilities and expertise in sustainable composites. The partnership will continue to advance 3D printing capabilities with wood residuals, establishing Maine as a global leader in a new manufacturing process and developing fresh markets for Maine’s forest products industry.

Senator King is a strong supporter of efforts to revitalize Maine’s forest economy to further economic opportunities for Maine people. He was key in establishing the Forest Opportunity Roadmap Maine (FOR/ME) Initiative, an industry-led initiative that is helping to diversify the state’s wood products businesses, attract investments, support research and development, and develop greater economic prosperity for rural communities impacted by mill closures. The FOR/ME Initiative was funded as a result of the Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT) requested by Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and King in 2016, with support from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration in order to create strategies for job growth and economic development in Maine’s rural communities. FOR/ME is implementing a roadmap and action plan for the development of new markets for Maine’s forest resources, including the strengthening of existing forest products manufacturing, the attraction of investment in emerging technology, and the utilization of forest products residuals in CHP biomass plants, microgrids, modern thermal systems, and new forest products development. The FOR/ME Initiative has already resulted in multiple funding opportunities for Maine organizations and new investment in Maine’s forest economy.