IntelliPaper LLC, the Edwall, Wash.-based company that makes paper-based USB flash drives, is receiving a $15,000 state grant for a feasibility study to identify an appropriate site for a permanent facility in Lincoln County.

The Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board, part of the Washington state Department of Commerce, approved the grant in late November, to target business growth and job creation. CERB also approved two additional grants totaling $100,000 for the Port of Pasco, in the Tri-Cities, and the Port of Skagit, in Skagit County, north of Seattle.

Andrew DePaula, intelliPaper’s CEO, says the company has grown so much it will need to move to a larger facility in the next 18 to 24 months, which it intends to build to accommodate its manufacturing process. 

“We have some unique needs for a light-manufacturing firm,” DePaula says.

He says the company needs a permanent building that will have custom equipment fixtures and internal infrastructure specific to the manufacture of digitally-enhanced paper products. He anticipates the site study will help it evaluate costs for site preparation and building. 

IntelliPaper, currently located in a 3,500-square-foot facility in Edwall, was founded by DePaula in 2009 and now has 19 full-time employees.

IntelliPaper matched CERB funds with a $5,000 investment.

“When we’re done, we should have a pretty accurate budget of what the project will cost,” he says. 

DePaula says the company has considered relocating to another state, but will use the grant to evaluate up to four sites in Lincoln County before making a decision. 

Although he declines to give specific details, he says one of the potential sites is located in Edwall, another is in Reardan, and the other possible sites are as yet undetermined. Edwall is about 40 miles southwest of Spokane, and Reardan is located about 15 miles north of Edwall. 

The study is currently out for bid, he says, and he hopes to make a decision by the end of the year. “We would like the location to be in Lincoln County,” he adds. 

As reported in an earlier Journal story, the company has several months backlog of work, partly from orders that were promised as rewards during a Kickstarter campaign which attracted more than 900 backers. The backers collectively committed more than $115,000, over and above the $10,000 original goal. 

Kickstarter is an online venue for people to back creative projects with money pledges that provide funding in exchange for a creator’s products, services, or other goods. Projects are funded only if supporters meet the creator’s goal.

IntelliPaper’s primary product is called the swivelCard, a foldable business card with the company’s paper USB drive built into it.