business backgrounder | manufacturing
“ We need to find ways to increase access to Washington ’ s hydropower resources .”
— Alex Fitzsimmons , head of government affairs for Sila , about the importance of improving and building new power infrastructure .
Sila is already building a workforce pipeline , partnering with the Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center and Big Bend Community College to prepare high-school graduates and college students for positions at the new factory .
“ We can ’ t express how excited we are to have the partnerships and relationships that we ’ ve already built in such a short time . This helps us plan for the future ,” Dougher said . “ We ’ re not just going to Moses Lake to build something and then moving on . Our scaling and investment plans are centered around Moses Lake for the next 10 years .”
Sila will provide each school $ 1 million for equipment and curriculum development . The program will provide hands-on training in technical , mechanical , electrical and software skills , and include onsite visits , coaching by Sila industry experts , and training with newly-developed , mock equipment .
“ Moses Lake is becoming a hub for innovation and new manufacturing jobs ,” said Sara Thompson Tweedy , president of Big Bend Community College . “ We have the workforce needed to support this growth and now we have a program designed to give our students the skills they need to enter these new industries and succeed .”
Group14 Technologies and OneD Battery Sciences are the other two companies opening facilities to produce silicon battery materials .
U . S . Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm visited Moses Lake in February to learn about the area ’ s growing electric vehicle industry .
“ Moses Lake , you guys are like the center of the universe . What is happening here ? It is amazing ,” she said at a roundtable with Washington lawmakers and industry leaders , the Columbia Basin Herald reported .
Historically an agricultural hub , Moses Lake has become a magnet for high-tech and clean energy manufacturing . The new industries are helping diversify the area ’ s economy , said Brant Mayo , executive director the Grant County Economic Development Council .
The main challenges , he said , are how to provide enough electricity and water to industrial customers and educate people about job opportunities .
“ For a rural area , we are facing the same challenges , whether it ’ s electrical infrastructure , housing or daycare ,” Mayo said .
Power access is a main issue for Sila and other local companies . The company currently has enough electricity to support its first phase but lacks enough for subsequent phases .
42 association of washington business