EDITOR’S NOTE — This story has been corrected to fix in unemployment figures. In July, they were 6.9 percent in Clallam County, 6.5 percent in Jefferson County and 5.6 percent statewide.
PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Economic Development Council is hoping to attract a Seattle boat-building company looking for a new site and bring 60 family-wage jobs to Port Angeles.
The EDC submitted a packet of information on potential sites and the county’s workforce to the state Department of Commerce for submittal to the company, EDC Director Bill Greenwood told the organization’s board Thursday.
He did not reveal the name of the company, saying even he did not know it.
The company wants to be up and running in its third boat-building facility by March, Greenwood said.
“I would bet on 9-to-1 that we get this, and I’m very excited,” he said.
“[The company] would like to have a facility here of around 2 to 4 acres ready to build fishing or Coast Guard-type vessels.
“They have great long-term contracts and would like to come to our port.
“A couple of our boat-building companies are having a rough time, and this certainly would take up the slack.”
Greenwood said the EDC learned Sept. 12 that the company was looking for a site and submitted a proposal six days later, on Thursday, which was the deadline.
Collaboration
He said the application was submitted with assistance from Ken O’Hollaren, Port of Port Angeles executive director, who offered information on available port property; Luke Robins, Peninsula College president, who added data on the college’s workforce training program; and Nathan West, city community and economic development director, who added information about incentives the city could offer.
“This is an example of how we should be doing things,” Greenwood said.
“All three parties ‘went to town’ and did it.”
The boat builder, which would bring 10 of its own employees to the North Olympic Peninsula, could gain considerable tax breaks because of Clallam’s status as a “distressed” county, Greenwood said.
Those tax breaks “are just unbelievable,” he added.
“They give us a real competitive advantage over the non-distressed counties that has to do with unemployment.”
Unemployment in July was 6.9 percent in Clallam County and 6.5 percent in Jefferson County.
Statewide unemployment in July and August was 5.6 percent. County-by-county jobless figures have not yet been released for August.
“I just feel we are perfect for what they want,” Greenwood said.
Other proposals
Greenwood said at the meeting that the EDC also is preparing proposals for the following new facilities:
■ An aerospace company that wants to open a new production facility to manufacture composite parts for the automotive industry that would employ 100 workers
■ A Washington plywood manufacturer that needs to relocate by June 30 and would employ 140 workers.
■ An international company that wants to build a furniture-manufacturing facility that would employ 400 workers.
In a later interview, Greenwood said he did not know when he would get a response on the proposal submitted Thursday.
“I expect to hear on the boat builder fast because the boat builder’s need is urgent,” he said.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
