October 14, 2012 in City, Idaho Companies are prepping for worldwide industrygrowth

Technician Jason Rice works on a Pratt & Whitney 127 turboprop engine at Empire Aerospace in Hayden on Oct.5. (Full-size photo)(All photos)

A growing cluster of aerospace companies in the Inland Northwest is reaping the rewards of a global surge in aircraftproduction.

Its also setting the table for a main course that could nourish the economy much like health care and education dotoday.

The ultimate prize would be an assembly or manufacturing plant employing a thousand or more workers. Its not a pipe dream when one considers the foundation in place in Spokane County and North Idaho, economic development leaderssay.

I think we are on the precipice of a real advance, said Rich Hadley, president and CEO of Greater SpokaneIncorporated.

In Spokane County alone, more than 80 direct and indirect suppliers for the aerospace industry employ more than 8,000 people, GSI officialsestimate.

North Idaho is building an aerospace cluster of its own, with three dozen companies employing about 650, state officials say. And North Idaho College recently received a $2.97million federal grant to train people for aerospacework.

The region can tout an attractive workforce size, lower labor costs than the Puget Sound area, new investment in education and training, large chunks of land ready for development, airports eager to court new business, and growing collaboration between establishedcompanies.

Originally posted here:

Inland Northwest aerospace poised for takeoff - Sun, 14 Oct 2012 PST