Northwest Aerospace News June | July 2019 Issue No. 9 | Page 22

D
an Jorgenson, owner of
Advanced Thermoplastic Compos-
ites, LLC dba ATC Manufactur-
ing, is an industrial engineer who
understands three things — the
aerospace industry, thermoplastic
composites, and being an entre-
preneur. David Leach, director of business
development for ATC Manufacturing,
said that most of their products are on
the wing or internal structures of com-
mercial aircraft. “We don’t make air-
craft interior parts,” he says, although
they do have a molded toilet seat insert
with holes meant to create suction
when the lavatory toilet is flushed.
In fact, all Boeing aircraft pro-
duced have ATC Manufacturing
products on board. The parts aren’t
glamourous, but they are strong,
light, and less expensive than
epoxy carbon fiber composite or
titanium for commercial aircraft.
They supply one million parts per
year for all 737, 747, 777, and
787s produced by Boeing. More of
their parts go on the 787 than any
other aircraft. While not romantic, the story of
Jorgenson and his drive to create this
company is an entrepreneur’s dream.
After working as a business manager
of a consulting company, he went to
work for Boeing in facilities. Initially
joining the “Boeing Spokane Team,”
he was stationed in Auburn, Washing-
ton with an assignment to set up the
Boeing Spokane plant and equipment,
moving full time to Spokane after 11
months of commuting.
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NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS
He then progressed into process en-
gineering, where he developed new
composite processes for Boeing be-
fore leaving to found ATC Manufac-
turing. Starting in 2004 he spent the
next two years developing his concept
for ATC Manufacturing, building the
thermoplastic composites fabrication
machinery and advancing the process
technologies.
He noted that the company was
not profitable for several years, but
luckily, he and his wife were debt-
free when he started the company.
Jorgenson talks like an entrepreneur
and offers analytic perspectives on
everything from local business to
growth in the aerospace industry.
Now with a 20 million dollar facility
and 150 employees in Post Falls,
Idaho, things are looking up.