IMG_1684smMaine Built Boats hosted its third-annual Global Outreach Conference on Thursday, December 4, in Bath, Maine. Featuring seminars on sourcing services, enhancing marketing, and establishing global partnerships, the conference gathered boatbuilding-related professionals from around New England. Attendees left with new ideas for business development.

Open to the regional boatbuilding industry, the Global Outreach Conference annually provides industry executives, managers, technicians and marketers with ideas for expanding their business outside of Maine and the nation. In addition to a full seminar series, the conference offers an exhibition featuring products and services that are important to the industry.

The conference opened with a presentation on 3D printing by John Belding of the University of Maine. Belding also joined the second seminar, which gathered representatives from a panel of businesses that provide plug and tooling services including CNC machining, water-jet cutting, and five-axis machining.

Sandy Spaulding of Hodgdon Yacht Services provided an economic forecast of the global marine industry during a mid-day session. That was followed by a seminar low-cost and digital marketing by Nicole Jacques of Rhumbline Communications. The final seminar presented by James Anderson and Chris Franklin of Hodgdon Yachts showcased the recent construction of COMANCHE, a 100-foot carbon yacht making international headlines.

Dates for next year’s Maine Built Boats Global Outreach Conference will be announced in spring 2015.