Manufacturing

Manufacturer invests $150M in Post Falls

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc. is investing $150 million in a Post Falls manufacturing facility to meet the company's high demand for power grid protection products.

Spokane sees spate of summer acquisitions

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Primarily driven by outside capital and nationwide corporate interest, a wave of business acquisitions and early-stage investments has swept through the Inland Northwest this summer. From Missouri and South Dakota to Georgia and Utah, out-of-town buyers and national firms are acquiring and investing in established Spokane-area companies across a variety of industries.

2026 Rising Stars: Kristopher Pockell

ericab@spokanejournal.com — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Kristopher Pockell is a software engineering manager at Liberty Lake-based OpenEye by day and the co-founder of Spokane Valley-based Elixir Sauce Co. by night.

Bunker Hill acquires mine for $163M

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Kellogg-based Bunker Hill Mining Corp. says it plans to acquire Silver47 Exploration Corp. out of Vancouver, Canada, in an all-stock transaction valued at $163 million. The potential transaction would expand Bunker Hill's mineral projects across four states.

Manufacturer begins facility expansion

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 03:00:00 -0400

ATC Manufacturing Inc. is nearly doubling its 67,000-square-foot headquarters and manufacturing facility at 1224 N. Lean with a new 57,600-square-foot expansion project.

Hotstart completes Valley facility renovations

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Hotstart Inc. is making parts for engine block heating systems out of its 90,000-square-foot facility at 6715 E. Mission, where the Spokane Valley-based manufacturer has just completed a $1.1 million renovation project.

Catching up with: Nicco and Marco Magnotto, co-owners of Nic Nac Naturals LLC

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Synthetic nicotine lozenge maker Nic Nac Naturals has expanded across the U.S. and in international markets since its product first hit shelves in 2023.

New CEO joins Remcon, plans for future growth

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Airway Heights-based conveyor system manufacturer Remcon Equipment Inc. has hired new CEO Sean Johnston, who plans to use his background in artificial intelligence and technology to improve operational efficiency and grow the company.

INW manufacturers build regional supply chains

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Inland Northwest manufacturers are positioning the region as a hub for emerging technologies as they pursue opportunities in nuclear energy, clean energy, and photonics.

Cd'A mining company finds rare mineral deposit

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Coeur d'Alene-based Idaho Strategic Resources Inc. is drawing attention from technology and aerospace manufacturers looking for a domestic supply of yttrium, one of the world's most strategically important rare earth elements.

Universities support AI-powered automation

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Some Inland Northwest-based manufacturers are starting to experiment with artificial intelligence to combat an ongoing skilled worker shortage and to improve operational efficiency.

Data center pause clouds Spokane's future

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Spokane's decision to immediately halt new developments of computer data centers for one year could affect the city's ability to compete for future billion-dollar investments.

Five Takeaways: Manufacturing & Innovation

dylanh@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

For its latest episode of Elevating The Conversation, the Journal sat down with Mike Marzetta, president of Altek Inc. and co-founder of Minds-i Inc., to discuss manufacturing and innovation.

Sleepless nights inspire Spokane invention

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

SleepVibe Inc. has increased sales of its sleep aid device by more than 300% over the past year through podcast advertisements and support from sleep apnea doctors and first responders across the Inland Northwest who are discovering the benefits of the company’s namesake invention, says CEO and founder James Marsh.

Wagstaff adds shipping hub to support growth

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Wagstaff Inc. is scaling its nuclear manufacturing capacity with the launch of a new 18,000-square-foot shipping facility, a move designed to clear the way for high-tech fabrication projects at its Spokane Valley campus.

Entrepreneur turns business success into legacy

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 21 May 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Since launching The Genova Foundation in February 2025, Mike and Sandi Genova have awarded or pledged $1.2 million in grants to nonprofits with initiatives in health care, youth, and economic development.

I-90 Aerospace Conference readies for takeoff

Thu, 07 May 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Nuclear power, quantum technology, and data centers are among the topics planned for discussion at the I-90 Aerospace+ Corridor Conference & Expo this month.

2026 Icons: Ray Lawton

dylanh@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 07 May 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Four generations of the Lawton family have maintained leadership of Lawton Printing Inc. and FILE-EZ Inc. — an accomplishment many family businesses can’t claim. Instrumental to that level of continuity has been Ray Lawton, 79, who, along with his late brother Gary Lawton, represents the third generation to lead both Spokane companies.

Continuous Composites relocates facility, expands

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Continuous Composites Inc., a Coeur d'Alene-based carbon fiber parts and machines manufacturer, is planning to expand its workforce following a successful move to a new office and warehouse space at 3875 N. Schreiber Way in the Coeur d’Alene Commerce Park.

Post Falls manufacturer snags Air Force contract

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:00:00 -0400

ATC Manufacturing Inc. will seek to prove that thermoplastic composite components can be scaled up in size for aerospace and defense uses after being awarded a $7 million contract by the Air Force Research Laboratory in March.

Servatron to shutter Valley site, consolidate out of state

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Spokane Valley-based electronics manufacturer Servatron Inc. will shut down its Spokane Valley operations at the end of the year.

2026 Large Business of the Year Winner: Jubilant HollisterStier LLC

dylanh@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Pharmaceutical contract manufacturer Jubilant HollisterStier LLC has been named the winner of the Large Business of the Year category in the Journal's 2026 Inland Northwest Business of the Year Awards.

Servatron to close at end of year

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:54:15 -0400

Spokane Valley-based electronics manufacturer Servatron Inc. will shut down at the end of the year, according to a statement from its U.K.-based parent company, Volex PLC.

Valley foundry files Chapter 11

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0500

Spokane Valley-based foundry Spokane Industries LLC has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing equipment failures, rising material costs, a structural facility collapse, and more than $1 million in employee embezzlement as factors that strained the company’s finances, according to court records filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Washington.

McKinstry expands Spokane footprint

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0500

Seattle-based contractor and energy-efficient systems manufacturer McKinstry Co. is planning a second prefabrication building on the West Plains that’s expected to double the company’s fabrication capacity in Spokane County.

Selkirk Sport receives $30M equity investment

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0500

Selkirk Sport LLC, a North Idaho manufacturer of pickleball paddles and accessories, has received a $30 million investment from Bluestone Equity Partners, intended to transform Selkirk from a domestic pickleball leader into a global sports brand, says co-founder and co-CEO Mike Barnes.

Jubilant to expand campus with $18.5M allergens facility

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 03:00:00 -0500

Spokane-based pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging company Jubilant HollisterStier LLC plans to expand its campus footprint with the addition of a new $18.5 million building to relocate the company’s Allergens Processing Business Unit.

Catching up with Patrick McHail, AAMMC Tech Hub director

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 03:00:00 -0500

Last month, the American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center Tech Hub reapplied for federal funding through the U.S. Department of Commerce, seeking $39 million that would help establish a national test bed for next-generation aerospace prototypes in Spokane.

Aerospace, green energy drive manufacturing activity

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 03:00:00 -0500

After a year marked by stalled projects and softening job numbers, Spokane’s manufacturing sector is poised to enter 2026 on firmer footing. Industry experts describe a manufacturing landscape that is stabilizing and quietly expanding, even as automation, global market pressures, and federal funding cuts impact the way companies grow.

Manufacturers invest in INW

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 03:00:00 -0500

At least $577 million in Spokane County manufacturing facility investments, developments, and expansions are planned, underway, or have wrapped up since July by major regional employers including Kaiser Aluminum Corp., Jubilant HollisterStier LLC, and Solstice Advanced Materials Inc.