PORT ANGELES — The Composite Recycling Technology Center, formed to create products from recycled carbon fiber, developed an entirely different project that involved no carbon fiber — new cabinets for the Port Angeles Salvation Army.
The agency, which has sufficient space for a food pantry, lacked storage for other relief items. As a community service project, the CRTC teamed up with Nathan Saxe of Twisted Elm Woodworking and Julian Lamarche of Mervin Manufacturing to build and install new wood cabinets.
CRTC employees purchased wood for the new cabinets with help from Lamarche and Mervin Manufacturing, and cabinets were constructed by Saxe.
The CRTC team then sanded, routed, installed cabinet doors and completed the installation in the designated space on Nov. 30.
Salvation Army Major Ron Wehnau thanked the CRTC and other volunteers for their service to the agency.
“We cannot thank the CRTC team enough for all the work they did for us,” Wehnau said.
“The cabinets came out beautiful and the added storage space is a real blessing. It will be put to immediate use to store clothes and personal care products to help those in need.”
The Salvation Army serves as a resource for the Port Angeles community, fulfilling basic human needs such as food, warmth, shelter and safety to those who are vulnerable and less able to help themselves.
“The CRTC truly admires all the work the Salvation Army does for our community,” said David Walter, CEO of the CRTC at 2220 W. 18th St., in Port Angeles.
“The daily care and support they provide to those in need is really outstanding and I know the meals they provide twice a day mean a lot. It was definitely our privilege to give a hand up by providing them with some added storage space.”
Said Emily Dexter, people operations manager of the CRTC: “It is always entertaining to watch our team of engineers come up with the best, most efficient way of doing things, even when it’s cabinet door handles. They truly are brilliant and a well-functioning team.”
The Port of Port Angeles supported the CRTC in the beginning, committing $1.35 million to it in exchange for economic development.
Port officials said that the facility was the first of its kind in the United States, recycling non-cured carbon fiber waste that has been pre-impregnated with epoxy.
Walter told port and county commissioners in October that the nonprofit had turned a profit and would be self-sufficient in 2018.
He said that the company was working to fill orders on a portable pickleball net, an industrial composite brace and on a private label contract that is under a non-disclosure agreement.
Salvation Army of Port Angeles needs donations of non-perishable food items, which can be delivered directly to 206 S. Peabody St. It also accepts donations to support the community. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
For more information on Salvation Army of Port Angeles, contact Majors Ron and Barbara Wehnau at 360-452-7679 or nwcontact@usw.salva tionarmy.org.
For more information on the Composite Recycling Technology Center, contact Dexter at 360-819-1204 or edexter@compositerecycling.org.
