Inland Northwest ‘ready’ for tech hub
David Weeks addressed area business leaders during the Coeur d’Alene Area Economic Development Corp.’s annual meeting Thursday at the Coeur d’Alene Resort.
KAYE THORNBRUGH/Press
COEUR d’ALENE — The U.S. has reportedly fallen behind Europe and Asia in a race to manufacture thermoplastic composites that will be needed for next-generation aircraft, but a proposed manufacturing center could propel the Inland Northwest to the forefront of aerospace manufacturing.
“Here in the Inland Northwest, we already play a critical role in the aerospace supply chain,” David Weeks, president of Spokane-based Lakeside Companies, told a crowd of about 200 on Thursday. “But we definitely need to improve our domestic capabilities and meet global demand. The idea of this hub is it will help accelerate capabilities while keeping manufacturing jobs here in this region.”