Recent news stories about Maine drawing newcomers faster than 46 other states, the sale of a Winslow snowmobile trailer manufacturer to Swedish sport rack giant Thule and the upcoming World Cup biathlon in Fort Kent may seem unrelated. But all are tied together by a common thread – the draw of the Maine outdoors.

According to U.S. Census Bureau figures, Maine grew 0.76 percent from 2002 to 2003, largely as a result of people moving here. Only Nevada, Arizona and Florida had higher in-migration rates. State officials caution that one year’s worth of data does not constitute a trend, but agree that the numbers are headed in the right direction after years of out-migration.

They are drawn to Maine, according to University of Maine demographer Deirdre Mageean, because of the state’s amenities, principally proximity to water, either the ocean or the state’s many lakes, and scenic places. “The studies show close proximity to bodies of water is very important to many people and to scenic places, and we have plenty of both in Maine,” said Professor Mageean, now associate vice president for research at UMaine and an in-migrant from Ireland. But, she says, great amenities alone will now draw people to Maine. They also need jobs to support themselves and their families.

C&C Distributors in Winslow provides jobs for 125 mid-Maine residents. The company makes trailers to haul snowmobiles and ATVs and has seen rapid growth in its eight years of operation. Last week the company was bought by Thule Group, the Swedish company best known for its car top bicycle and ski racks. The acquisition will allow the company to expand into new markets while maintaining its Maine base, according to founder

Bill Cleaves. It already plans to hire more workers in Winslow.

The company will stay in Maine, Mr. Cleaves says, because of the high quality work force here (recently supplemented, he added, by those laid off from nearby mills) and because of the state’s myriad snowmobile trails. Mr. Cleaves said he couldn’t find a quality trailer for his snowmobile, so he decided to make his own – in his garage. He understands what snowmobile enthusiasts want in a trailer, he says, because he is one. Plus, testing a product here is as easy as heading out the company’s door.

The success of C&C Distributors is not an accident and can be seen as a predictor of Maine’s future. With hundreds of racers and thousands of fans to descend on Fort Kent next month for the World Cup biathlon, a combination of cross-country ski racing with precision target shooting, it should be clear that Maine has an important niche as an outdoor destination. Whether the attraction is competition or recreation, this is an advantage for Maine to exploit. Not long ago, university researchers touted the manufacture of a composite racing bike by a company in Van Buren. Could composite skis be far behind? Could biathletes, some of whom have settled in Fort Kent to train, help in their design and testing here in Maine?

Maine, however, cannot replicate C&C’s example if it does not know about it. At a recent Blaine House Conference on Natural Resource-based Industry, the focus was on promoting tourism as a means to aid Maine’s ailing logging, farming and fishing industries. While much attention was focused on these industries in decline, no one from C&C Distributors was invited to share the company’s success story.

That was an oversight. Clearly, the company and others like it hidden throughout Maine have a lot to share about successful economic development. Their insight should be prized.