TECH HUB: Many benefits for region

Never has it been more important for the U.S. to rebuild our domestic supply chains. Yet, American aerospace suppliers continue to be bought by international companies or go out of business.

Senators Crapo and Risch understand how important American manufacturing is to economic and national security. With their leadership, the U.S. Senate has recognized the importance of domestic advancements of aerospace thermoplastic composites in the recent National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which requires the Department of Defense to detail to Congress “current plans and initiatives to support thermoplastic composites research, development, and manufacturing,” while noting NASA’s support and recognizing how thermoplastic composites will “reduce costs, help meet efficiency objectives, and decrease dependence on some foreign sources of certain critical minerals such as titanium.”

For this same reason, Advanced Thermoplastic Composites (ATC) Manufacturing has joined North Idaho partners Continuous Composites Incorporated (CCI), Unitech, the Idaho Department of Commerce, University of Idaho, cities of Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene, along with Boeing, Lockheed, Raytheon, Blue Origin, Gonzaga University, and more than forty other workforce, education, and economic development groups to apply for a Technology Hub designation.

This designation would repurpose a manufacturing center in the Inland Northwest to address immediate aerospace demands in a “lab to market” testbed. Coordinating from the outset with our educators, workforce and economic development partners, this Hub would incorporate and multiply proven systems of hands-on training, recruitment, and upskilling for our rural and underrepresented communities and put the Inland Northwest at the center of global aerospace demands.

Idaho is lucky to have senators who support American businesses and jobs, protect domestic manufacturers, and protect our economic and national security.

JACOB BONWELL, CEO

ATC Manufacturing

Post Falls