Liberty Lake, WA Retains Aerospace Manufacturer
Liberty Lake, WA Retains Aerospace Manufacturer
AccraFabb, a contract manufacturer and sheet metal fabricator, serves a diverse customer base ranging from aerospace, energy, telecommunications, to medical from its 155,000-sq.-ft. headquarters in Liberty Lake. The company is a Tier 2 supplier to Boeing and Airbus Tier 1 suppliers and aerospace is its fastest growing market.
Anticipating expansion, Accra-Fab, performed multi-year, due diligence on locations in Washington and Idaho. Even though moving large manufacturing equipment would be difficult, the company considered all options. Spokane faces competition from Idaho as a result of being a border community. GSI supported the company throughout the process, preparing business comparisons and eventually obtaining $200,000 in state workforce training assistance. The Spokane community pulled together, from Liberty Lake’s Mayor, Spokane International Airport and Spokane County.
Accra-Fab’s decision means 15 new jobs and 160 existing jobs retained in Washington. the capital investment is $500,000 and the annual economic impact is $53.5M.
Read the full article from Site Selection Magazine, November 2016.
Tainio Biologicals, Inc Expands in Spokane County
Tainio Biologicals, Inc Expands in Spokane County
Taino Biologicals, Inc, a family-owned company which has grown for nearly 30 years in Cheney, WA, broke ground on a 13,650 SF building in Spokane County. The new, corporate facility includes lab and research space, production facilities, offices and warehousing.
Tainio focuses on producing natural, sustainable products such as broad – spectrum microbials, specially formulated enzymes, and a balanced nutritional program to promote optimal health of plants and soil, resulting in higher yields, bigger profit margins for the farmer, and healthier food for the consumer.
In addition to sales throughout the United States, Tainio products are distributed internationally in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Central America.
GSI helped Tainio with approval for a 5-year tax deferral on sales & use tax on construction of a manufacturing facility, a pilot economic development program through the State Department of Revenue. GSI also worked with the company on the WA Sales & Use Tax exemption for Manufacturing Machinery & Equipment. In addition, GSI’s Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) helped them with a woman-owned business certification for government contracting, to expand their business.
The expansion will bring 5 new jobs, a $17.8M capital investment, and an annual economic impact of $1.8M.
For more information about GSI’s Economic Development Expansion Program, visit AdvantageSpokane.com. If your company is looking for business expansion assistance, contact Robin Toth at 509.321.3636.
CERB Grant Approved for City of Airway Heights
CERB Grant Approved for City of Airway Heights
Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) announced a $50,000 grant to the City of Airway Heights for a feasibility study to develop a master plan for the Airway Heights Industrial Center. The project will produce a “highest and best use” analysis, an economic feasibility assessment, identification of priority development sites, a “planned action ordinance” to facilitate development of those sites and a targeted infrastructure funding and development strategy for the area. CERB funds were matched by $16,667 in local resources.
As Washington’s strategic economic development resource, CERB is focused on creating private sector jobs in partnership with local governments by financing infrastructure improvements and studies that evaluate high-priority economic development projects.
Since 1982, CERB has committed nearly $163 million to local jurisdictions across the state, an investment generating more than 35,000 jobs, and private capital investments of a $5.6 billion ($34 to $1) return on CERB investment.
Business Expansion Strategy: Grow Your Customer Base Through Government Contracting
Business Expansion Strategy: Grow Your Customer Base Through Government Contracting
Learn how to do business with some of the largest government agencies and contractors. GSI’s Eastern Washington Procurement Technical Assistance Center and Fairchild Air Force Base are partnering on “Meet the BIGS!”, an event designed for business owners to meet prime contractors, get introduced to sub-contracting opportunities, and learn the requirements for doing business with the government. February 28 from 10am-2pm.
Want a “real-life” example? After expanding through new locations, the business worked with GSI’s PTAC Manager to continue expansion with new business through government contracts.
This story isn’t an isolated success…the PTAC program helped eastern Washington businesses secure 3,200 contracts in the 2015 fiscal year.
If you are interested in government contracting, contact Jessica Kirk, 509.321.3641.
Entrepreneurial Updates
From affordable coworking space to mentorships to meetups, Startup Spokane is a great, first stop for entrepreneurship assistance. Partnering with others in the area, GSI’s Startup provides connections to resources and tools.
The mix of talent and creativity is here in Spokane – look at these updates of for recent success stories.
- Etailz sells for $75 M
Etailz sells about 30,000 products online, including through Amazon. Trans World Entertainment Corp., a publicly held retailer of entertainment media and memorabilia, has over 300 stores. Together, they complement each other and hope to grow total business. Etailz will retain its employees and Spokane location. Etailz is the story of two Gonzaga University students who won the Entrepreneurial Business Plan competition in 2008. With the help of their professor and angel investor, they started Green Cupboards, an online seller of eco-friendly products. Working out of McKinstry’s Innovation Center, the company grew and adopted the name Etailz after its acquisition of ecomom.com.
- Stay Alfred Raises $15 M for Expansion
Stay Alfred, a Spokane startup, closed a $15 million Series A investment round. The vacation rentals company currently offers one- three bedroom, downtown vacation rental properties in 12 cities across the country. With this investment, the company plans to grow internationally. Stay Alfred controls the entire guest experience from furnishing and cleaning to booking for each rental, so customers enjoy the amenities of a furnished apartment with the consistency of a hotel. The startup employs 60 at its Spokane headquarters, and generated $25 million in revenue last year. Ranked in 2016 on the Inc. 500 list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies, the company has experienced a three-year sales growth of 814%. Take virtual tours and book online at StayAlfred.com.
Learn more about entrepreneurship resources at StartupSpokane.com.