business backgrounder | manufacturing
fifth generation takes the reins
When Eckstrom Industries started in the 1890s, horses were walking up and down the streets of pioneer-era Everett. The family business began as a furniture store, then pivoted to sheet metal fabrication, pulp and paper, HVAC, and stainless-steel kitchen and coffee roasting equipment, experiencing more than 120 years of industrial change.
Today, Eckstrom’ s specialty is architectural metals and precision components for the marine, aerospace and defense industries. The company is transitioning to its fifth generation of leadership, with brothers Jerry and Nick Cloud at the helm. The business still resides in its original building in downtown Everett and has 20 employees.
“ It’ s very rooted in family,” said Jerry Cloud, chief operating officer.“ It’ s rooted in the passion to keep the business going.”
“ It’ s very rooted in family. It’ s rooted in the passion to keep the business going.”
— Jerry Cloud, chief operating officer and fifth-generation leader at Eckstrom Industries in Everett big tent, no problem
Largo Tents in Marysville manufactures custom tents, canopies, awnings and tarps. The husband-and-wife team of Jacob Largo and Christina Alameda founded the company in 2021, helping many local businesses during the pandemic.
“ This is a small space, but we can make big things out of here,” Jacob Largo said, explaining that they make tents as large as 40 × 90-feet— all within their compact 900-square-foot shop.
When the bus rolled up, it was greeted by employees waving signs and pom poms. The positive vibes extend to the shop floor, where 12 employees cut and sew fabric and repair tents to extend their lifespan.
Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring, who joined the tour, said Largo Tents is a success story.“ It’ s really inspiring,” he said.“ They’ re true entrepreneurs, and they give back to the community so much.”
carbon capture scales up
When AWB first visited CarbonQuest in 2022, the Spokane Valley startup was a small team developing technology to cut carbon emissions in natural-gas powered buildings. Three years later, the now five-yearold company has expanded, filling more than half its large production floor and growing to 37 employees.
CarbonQuest’ s system captures carbon emissions at the source before they enter the atmosphere. The captured CO2 is converted into liquid form on-site and reused in industrial processes. Since 2020, the company has installed its technology in residential buildings, universities and industrial sites. This summer, it announced its first beverageindustry customer, where CO2 is reused for carbonation, chilling and
Jacob Largo and Christina Alameda give a tour of their Marysville tent manufacturing facility.
46 association of washington business