Washington Business Winter 2020 | Washington Business | Page 43

business backgrounder | industry
Celebrating Manufacturing
From Ferndale to Clarkston, from Vancouver to Colville, AWB
crossed the state again in October to show off the strengths — and
challenges — of today’s diverse, modern manufacturing sector.
Brian Mittge
AWB’s third-annual Manufacturing Week bus tour covered nearly 2,500 miles and almost 40
manufacturers. From a family-owned handmade glove factory to makers of high-tech silicon, the
sheer variety of Washington-made items was impressive. So was the dedication to innovation.
At A Glance
As Washington’s designated
manufacturing association, AWB
held its first Manufacturing Week
tour in 2017. This year’s tour covered
four far-flung corners of the state,
beginning in Vancouver, then
heading north to Ferndale, east to
Colville, south to Clarkston, and
ending in Yakima.
Manufacturing is a huge driver for
Washington’s economy. The state
has more than 7,600 manufacturers,
generating $59 billion in annual
economic output — 12% of the
state’s total.
Manufacturing jobs change lives.
That was in evidence as AWB’s third-annual Manufacturing Week tour spent seven days
visiting nearly 40 manufacturing sites across the state in October.
At Pioneer Industries in Seattle, where a sign on the wall reads “Safe products, safe
flights,” the product is not just aerospace parts, but people.
General Manager Felicia Bowen started at the company 20 years ago as a de-burrer. She
rose through the ranks as she rebuilt her life after a run-in with the criminal justice system.
“I didn’t grow up thinking I would be in manufacturing but I took a wrong turn and
ended up here,” Bowen said. “It changed my life. Manufacturing helps us help people help
themselves. I see it every day.”
A few blocks down the road, 60% of the 550 employees at Skills Inc. have a disability. The
company makes aerospace parts for commercial and military platforms.
Manufacturing creates good
jobs for families, with average
annual compensation of more
than $88,000 per year. Statewide,
manufacturing accounts for 287,000
jobs in nearly every county.
AWB’s Manufacturing Week
www.awb.org/manufacturing-week
Social media roundup
www.bit.ly/MFGisWA19-social
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