Evolution of manufacturing in Queen City

UNH Manchester invites you to the Sidore Lecture Series, a three-part discussion on the past, present and future of manufacturing in Manchester. This series will explore how the city has evolved dramatically over the last two centuries, from once housing one of the largest textile factories in the world to now building an industry to engineer human tissues and organs.

The mills of Manchester’s Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, once one of the largest textile factories in the world, served as a model of planning and progress to the industrialized world. Formed in 1809, the company produced miles of woven cloth per hour fueled first by New Hampshire farmers, then eventually attracted French Canadian, Greek, German, Swedish and Polish immigrants in the early 1900s. Threatened by cheaper labor in the south and overseas as well as the economic challenges of the Depression, many Manchester mills closed in 1935. The industry that had sustained the city for a century fell into steep decline.

Fast forward to today, Manchester has now developed an industry to rival the impact of textiles and shoe production of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The goal of the 2023 Sidore Series is to provide both the historical perspective and future vision for these industries: the first which established Manchester as a world leader in the production of textiles and shoes, and the latest, which has the potential to put Manchester back on the world map of manufacturing leadership, this time in the production of life-saving tissues and organs.

Thanks to the generous support of the Saul O Sidore Memorial Foundation, these events are free and open to the public. All events will take place at UNH Manchester, 88 Commercial Street, Manchester. Free parking is available in the lots surrounding the building.

Feb. 13, 6-7:30 p.m.

Famous for its dominance in textile production, Manchester was also home to more than 70 shoe companies, once affectionately known as “Shoe City.” This presentation discusses how the shoe industry was vital to the region’s economic and employment prosperity, especially among the immigrant population, and how its innovative methods inspired businesses today. Register at https://unh.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cMY3fzVgpUUTxzM. 

March 20, 6-7:30 p.m.

This presentation recalls the history of the Pandora building, originally part of the renowned Amoskeag Manufacturing Company and now home to UNH’s Manchester campus. We’ll explore one of its best-known occupants, Pandora Industries, with its advanced human resource policies and the progressive Sidore family at the helm. Register at https://unh.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_50VQHehc5HnTtFY. 

April 17, 6-7:30 p.m.

There are many challenges to establishing a commercially viable industry for the manufacture at scale of tissues and organs. In this presentation, a panel of local experts will discuss the industry’s challenges from manufacturing technology development to regulatory practices to workforce development. Register at https://unh.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8hJ6Icaw7Rgze3Y.