News

Inland Northwest Economic Developments, Fall 2015

The following are projects, initiatives and economic developments making news in eastern Washington and northern Idaho. This email is distributed by the Inland Northwest Economic Alliance (INEA) on behalf of its regional partners.

LEWISTON, Idaho – Clearwater Paper held a groundbreaking ceremony for its $160 million state-of-the-art continuous pulp digester. The equipment will reduce emissions, reduce energy costs and increase efficiency in converting wood chips to pulp for use in Clearwater’s private label tissue and paperboard production. The project is expected to take two years for construction. Clearwater Paper has 1,370 direct employees at the Lewiston mill, which supports nearly 4,000 total jobs in the region.

For more information, go to http://www.clearwaterpaper.com.

Pacific Cabinets, Ferdinand, Idaho-based manufacturer of high quality commercial cabinets, is opening a branch office in Lewiston. The new branch will house engineering employees that will accomplish data input for construction drawings, quantity takeoffs and material orders for commercial cabinet manufacturing and installation projects. Pacific Cabinets is locating an office in Lewiston in order to take advantage of skilled workforce being generated by Lewis Clark State College, Walla Walla Community College, University of Idaho, and Washington State University. To learn more, go to http://www.pacificcabinets.com.

MOSES LAKE, Wash. – Fuji Chemicals, the parent company for Moses Lake-based AstaReal Technologies, hosted Washington State Governor Jay Inslee and Moses Lake delegates in its Tokyo offices. At the meeting, it was officially announced that the AstaReal facility located in the ASPI Technology Park in Moses Lake will be expanding. The company will invest $30 million in new facilities and hire 50 new employees to complete the expansion. Over the next five to seven years, Fuji Chemicals expects to continue its growth and investment in Grant County with an additional 100 jobs. Once the expansions are complete, total employment at AstaReal will exceed 200. For more information, visit http://www.grantedc.org or http://www.astareal.com.

SPOKANE, WHITMAN AND ASOTIN, Counties – An appropriation was recently approved for Startup Washington 365 (SW365) that will provide operating dollars to create two rural Centers for Entrepreneurial Success in eastern Washington to be located in Whitman County and Asotin Counties where entrepreneurs will meet, share, work and learn together. The centers will be linked with the urban entrepreneurial ecosystem in Spokane County, being led by Greater Spokane Incorporated. In addition, a regional online community is being established so that entrepreneurs and small businesses can access regional events, support resources, training, blogs and podcasts on a 24/7 basis. To learn more, visit http://startupspokane.com.

COEUR D?ALENE, Idaho – Kootenai Health?s expansion project on the main campus in Coeur d?Alene is over halfway complete. The three-story expansion will provide a family birthing center, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), 10 percent more patient rooms, a new hospital entrance and registration area and expanded visitor waiting areas. The facility is expected to open in late January 2016 and is estimated to add between 100 and 150 new jobs. To learn more, visit http://www.kh.org.

The Coeur d’Alene Airport unveiled its new welcome mat for air travelers. The $600,000 parking area improvement project includes an increased structural base course, a new asphalt section, new aircraft tiedowns, new security fencing and gates and lighting upgrades. The project is a critical step in ensuring the airport can fulfill its mission of helping create economic development for North Idaho. For more information, read the Coeur d’Alene Press article.

SPOKANE, Wash. – Alorica Inc., an Irvine, Calif.-based company that bought call center operator West Corp.’s client agent services operations earlier this year, plans to hire up to 350 new employees in Spokane by next year. Last March, Alorica announced its acquisition of West Corp.’s client agent services for $275 million. Alorica has a base of about 450 employees in Spokane. To learn more, read the Spokane Journal of Business article.

CLARKSTON, Wash. – Walla Walla Community College is building a $5.1 million Workforce and Business Development Center In Clarkston. The facility is expected to open in time for the 2017 school year, offering training in manufacturing maintenance, fabrication and related fields. In order to meet the immediate demand for skilled workforce, Walla Walla Community College has partnered with the Clarkston School District and is currently conducting industrial maintenance classes in the high school shop. This program will offer students a certificate in industrial maintenance technology. Other programs will include welding and fabrication, along with precision machining. Ultimately, students will be able to earn an AA degree in advanced manufacturing. To learn more, visit http://www.wwcc.edu.

Renaissance Marine Group, the region’s largest jet boat builder, is planning an expansion at the Port of Clarkston. It will move from its current facility into a 56,000-square-foot building. Renaissance Marine Group currently employs about 125 people in Clarkston. For more details, read the Lewiston Tribune article.

POST FALLS, Idaho – Kootenai Health is planning to break ground in November 2015 on an expansion to the Post Falls campus. As part of Kootenai Health’s master facility plan, the expansion will provide new space for additional clinic locations and ancillary services. It will create over 75 construction jobs and 20 permanent positions. To learn more, visit http://www.kh.org.

RATHDRUM, Idaho – The City of Rathdrum has purchased 30 acres off Lancaster Road for $650,000 as a site for future city facilities. City hall, the police station, the parks and recreation department and public works are nearing their capacity. The land will be developed to house the city facilities over the next five to 10 years. Read the Coeur d’Alene Press article for more details.

GRANT AND ADAMS COUNTIES, Wash. – A visiting delegation from Gunpo City, South Korea recently toured Grant and Adams counties. The delegation met with a dozen local businesses that have products and services in demand in the Korean market. The visit was capped by a trade expo held at the Columba Basin Technical Skills Center where students have been involved in international business projects between Washington State and South Korea. Gunpo City has extended a reciprocal invitation and a delegation from Grant County will visit South Korea in May 2016 for business-to-business meetings. For more information, visit http://www.grantedc.com.

About the Inland Northwest Economic Alliance (INEA)

The Inland Northwest Economic Alliance (INEA) is an alliance of 13 regional economic development agencies representing 16 counties in Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington. The collaborative effort is aimed at building economic growth through enhancing the brand recognition of the Inland Northwest and its communities and showcasing its business value. To learn more, visit http://www.inlandnorthwestregion.com.

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