Advanced Thermoplastic Composites Inc., a young Spokane company that makes airplane parts, is gearing up its operations after a year of research-and-development work.


The company, which does business as ATC Manufacturing, is beginning production of parts that ultimately will be used in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner airplanes, ATC owner Dan Jorgenson says.


ATC recently moved to a 6,000-square-foot manufacturing space at 4008 E. Broadway from smaller quarters at 7826 N. Market. Jorgenson says the company currently has three full-time employees and three contract workers. He expects to hire up to 20 people in 2007.


The company makes reinforced thermoplastic composite brackets used to support a variety of parts made for the planned new Boeing jetliner.


Our customers are all kinds of people supplying Boeing, Jorgenson says. Were supplying a lot of their subcontractors.


ATCs parts range in size from very small brackets used in hydraulic systems to larger ones used in electrical systems, Jorgenson says. None of ATCs parts typically would be visible to a passenger sitting on an airplane, he says.


The company also has worked as a design consultant and as a manufacturer of thermoplastic composite springs used in airless airplane tires.


Jorgenson declines to disclose the companys revenues. He says it had some revenue last year, but is on pace to quadruple its sales this year. Hes projecting that the companys 2007 sales will be four times more than this years projected revenues.


ATC expects to be profitable this year, he says.


Jorgenson, an industrial engineer, has worked in the aerospace-parts manufacturing industry for 17 years. Prior to starting ATC, he worked at Boeings airline-parts manufacturing plant on the West Plains, which now is owned and operated by Triumph Composite Systems.


Contact Linn Parish at (509) 344-1266 or via e-mail at [email protected].