Manufacturing

Aerospace industry searches for skilled workers

Labor gap looms as many workers near retirement

June 19, 2014

As demand for aerospace products rises worldwide, the industry here and across the state is experiencing a shortage of skilled workers, and the gap could continue to widen, industry leaders here say. Mike Marzetta, president of Liberty Lake-based Altek

Growth strategy amply energizes Schweitzer Engineering

Sales projected to exceed $1 billion within five years

June 5, 2014

Mike McLean

Pullman-based Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc. is plugged into an aggressive growth strategy as it increases its lines of products and services and expands its markets, says Luis D'Acosta, SEL's chief operations officer. The 30-year-old comp

Companies here pursue waste gasification project

Wheeler to build gasifier for a demonstration site

May 22, 2014

Judith Spitzer

MPM Technologies Inc., a 25-year-old Spokane-based company that develops waste-to-energy technology, says its Carbon Cycle Power subsidiary is in discussions with Spokane Valley machining and manufacturing company Wheeler Industries Inc. to build a patent

Cell booster maker shifts focus away from retail

ClearRF sets its sights on machine-to-machine uses

May 22, 2014

Linn Parish

ClearRF LLC, the 4-year-old Spokane Valley-based maker of wireless signal amplifiers, is leaving the consumer market and plans to focus fully on what's called the machine-to-machine, or m2m, sector. The move is intended to enable the company to purs

Hydraulic concern sees growth in manufacturing

ACM supplies, services equipment parts, valves

May 22, 2014

Mike McLean

Advanced Concepts in Man-ufacturing LLC, a young Spokane Valley manufacturing equipment service and supply company, has grown fourfold since its first year of operation and expects that growth to continue as the economy improves, says Eric Wellington, vic

Entering new dimension

Emerging 3-D printers useful in wide array of applications

May 22, 2014

Judith Spitzer

Once perceived as grist for sci-fi aficionados in a distant future, 3-D printing is turning up in unexpected places, in vastly different industries, and with surprising applications from the manufacture of prototypes, to the creation of synthetic body par

Nonprofit, partners to launch RE:Source sustainability network

Program aims to recycle waste, unused products

May 8, 2014

Katie Ross

Spokane educational nonprofit Sustainable Resources Inland Northwest is partnering with businesses and public organizations here to launch a new sustainability project this summer, called RE:Source. RE:Source is what's known as a byproduct synergy net

StanCraft boat manufacturer rides wave of growth

Post Falls boat maker to move to larger space

May 8, 2014

Mike McLean

Stan-Craft Boat Co., the Post Falls-based venerable wooden boat manufacturer that's no stranger to staying afloat in turbulent times, actually thrived during the Great Recession and is now stronger than ever, its third-generation owners say. Coeur d'

Key Tronic posts dip in earnings

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April 29, 2014

Staff Report

Key Tronic Corp., the Spokane Valley-based provider of electronic manufacturing services, announced today net income of $1.4 million, or 13 cents a diluted share, for its 2014 fiscal year third quarter that ended March 29, down from income of $2.9 million

VPI Quality Windows to buy assets of Oregon company

VPI-Mercer Windows deal expected to close by July

April 24, 2014

Mike McLean

VPI Quality Windows Inc., a Spokane Valley vinyl window and patio door manufacturer, has agreed to buy the window and door manufacturing assets of Beaverton, Ore.-based Mercer Windows. Burke Blevins, president and CEO of VPI, says that specifically, the