Howe and Howe Technologies of Waterboro has earned a 2018 Governor’s Award for Business Excellence. Geoffrey Howe, left, and Michael Howe flank Gov. Paul LePage while Acting Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development Denise Garland and Sarah Davis of Consolidated Communications, a sponsor of the awards, look on. COURTESY PHOTO

WATERBORO – Howe and Howe Technologies has earned a 2018 Governor’s Award for Business Excellence. The Waterboro company is among five Maine businesses to do so.

“It’s been an honor to annually recognize the best of the best here in Maine, businesses that clearly go above and beyond normal day-to-day operations,” said Maine Gov. Paul R. LePage. “The businesses honored today are dedicated to quality workmanship, maintaining a loyal and dedicated workforce and giving back to the community. I thank each of them for doing business in our state and for setting the bar high.”

Howe and Howe Technologies, founded by twin brothers Michael and Geoffrey Howe, currently employs 50 people at their facility on Route 202. The company is known for a myriad of unmanned tracked vehicles, including the Ripsaw tank, innovative Bulldog firetrucks, Thermite firefighting robots, and a unit used in police standoffs, called the Swatbot, which can be operated remotely or used to shield law enforcement personnel during a standoff.

The brothers developed the first Ripsaw, along with other vehicles, at night. In 2006, they opened a shop in an Eliot business park, and announced a move to Waterboro in 2009.

Michael and Geoff were featured on the Discovery Channel’s series “Black Ops Brothers: How and Howe Tech” earlier this decade.

The 28th annual Governor’s Awards for Excellence, administered by the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, recognize Maine businesses that demonstrate a high level of commitment to their community, employees and excellence in manufacturing or service provision.
Others receiving the award are: Enercon Technologies in Gray; Sappi North America in Westbrook, South Portland and Skowhegan; Sea Bags in Portland and Main-Land Development Consultants, Inc. of Livermore Falls.

Howe and Howe Technologies has now become a solely-owned subsidiary of Textron. The sale agreement was announced at the end of October and executed earlier this week.

Textron Inc., the parent company of Textron Systems, is known around the world for its brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Textron Off Road, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training.

“This is great news for Maine and for Waterboro,” said Michael Howe in a telephone interview when the sale agreement was announced. “We’re keeping the facility here, expanding, and the focus will be on research and development for robotic platforms for the U.S. military.”

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com.