Sunday Spotlight: Andrew Coughlin
Most successful teams have at least one person who can be relied on at any point in time to take care of whatever needs to be done. At Mast Landing, one of those folks is Andrew Coughlin, our Facilities Manager & Safety Officer. Andrew - known around the company as “Lina” - has been with Mast Landing for close to 4 and a half years, and has taken on just about every job along the way. It’s easy to see Mast Landing circa 2022 and forget that there was a time when things were a bit more manual - talking to Andrew is a chance to dive into the backstory of the company:
“I started out at our Main Street location primarily lending a hand on the packaging line. We were still destacking can pallets by hand and sanitizing in buckets. Shortly after, we purchased our depalletizer and it really became a game changer for how much more efficiently we could get through our day. We were also in a constant battle with limited space we had to work with. Between the brew house operations, cellar, packaging, and distribution in such a tight area we really had to coordinate with each other to operate smoothly.”
As the world of MLBC has grown & changed, so have the roles that need to be filled. One of the biggest changes on the production and facility side was the late 2019 addition of our standalone Westbrook production facility and Andrew was a huge part of that:
I had the opportunity to work with the General Contractor on the layout of the building and what our projected growth would look like so we could continue to expand in the next few years. This building has given us the opportunity to hire even more great help that brings a vast knowledge of the beer industry as well as a chance to experiment with some killer new beers.
Flexibility and positive energy are the name of the game for a role like this, and Andrew is the absolute master of staying on top of the ever-changing environment. The company at large, and especially our brewing & packaging teams, benefit immensely from his skills & energy. As Weston Shepherd, our Production Manager, puts it:
“Lina is the 'fixer' at Mast Landing. In spite of the fact that he can literally fix and troubleshoot almost everything at the brewery and taprooms, his most valuable skill is a mindset rather than specific ability. Lina is happy to pitch in wherever and whenever you need him. He'll pack orders for distro, catch cans during a packaging run, build furniture from scratch for the taproom and repair a broken brewery pump all in the same day without complaining and without giving off so much of a hint that he is stressed, frustrated, or overwhelmed. Lina's even keel and willingness help to set a tone at the brewery that no one is above any work or too important to lend a hand, pick up a wrench or fold a case tray.”
Not only is he the master of many jobs, but also a process-minded worker. Mast Landing’s wide reach and constant activity can sometimes mask the fact that we’re a relatively lean crew here. Many folks take on multiple roles and fill their days with work that spans a variety of environments. Andrew takes a calm and methodical approach to this challenge, and it shows in his ability to be ever-productive in all facets of his role:
“The best way I’ve found to approach adapting is to just take it one thing at a time. I think it’s important to remember you can only control so much at once. Breaking things down throughout the day is much more manageable especially when you are being pulled in different directions. Not that it always goes that way but it’s definitely something I always try to keep in mind and relay to others.”
Although he’s the first person called to solve a problem, Andrew’s role is far from just a problem-solving, fix-it guy job. His ingenuity and innovative mindset helps us tackle many new and emerging projects as we navigate the opportunities of an ever-growing brewery. In particular, Andrew has taken on the task of ensuring that Mast Landing’s work is always as safe, efficient, and as low impact as possible. It’s an aspect of the work that has resonated with him:
“One achievement that I am proud of is my work with the Portland Water District and creation of our waste water policy for the company. We have been developing better practices for side streaming our bi products from the brewing process. This is a growing issue in the industry and especially in Maine where the density of brewers versus the number of farmers or facilities that can handle those bi products is limited.”
Through it all, it’s clear that there’s a real teamwork mentality to everything that Andrew does. As one of the few members of the crew that visits both of our tasting rooms and our production facility on a near-daily basis, there are numerous touchpoints between his work and the work of each department here at MLBC. Getting to know everyone in the company gives him a unique perspective on how the people we have on our staff are integral to our success. It’s hard to imagine our crew without Andrew and his passion for the job:
“The amount of growth we have had has been a direct reflection on the people we’ve hired. Everyone has come in eager to help build our brand and expand our day to day operations to keep up with growing demand. […] My favorite element of the job is the amount of different interactions I get to make across the company. I’m able to build relationships with people from various backgrounds and skill sets every day. I’m always eager to learn something new and see what perspective someone else might have and my role has been perfect for that.”
