PORT ANGELES — The Port of Port Angeles has approved an agreement fulfilling its $1.35 million commitment over three years to the Composite Recycling Technology Center.
The port Monday agreed to pay $732,911 to the Composite Recycling Technology Center (CRTC) plus more than $30,000 in in-kind services such as rent for the CRTC building labor, materials and equipment, use of the port’s meeting room and others.
This comes a month after the CRTC unveiled its first product, a recycled aerospace-quality carbon fiber pickleball paddle, which officials say is the first of many products the facility will produce as it works toward building a new industry and providing local jobs.
CRTC officials said Monday the nonprofit is still on track to have paddles available early this year.
So far, the CRTC has created 10 jobs.
Officials anticipate it will create 111 jobs within five years.
The proposed agreements require the CRTC to help the port in its goals set forth in the action plan for composite recycling economic and industrial development.
Those goals include development of additional CRTC productions and hiring a management team and critical staff.
This year, the CRTC is to provide quarterly progress updates and a report on the state of the recycled composites industry.
One of the hurdles the CRTC is facing now is developing machinery to process the carbon fiber that comes into it.
The CRTC is working with scraps that come in irregular shapes, said its CEO, Bob Larsen.
Officials have said the goal is to unveil more products this year. They have also told the Port of Port Angeles the CRTC would be self-sufficient by the end of 2017.
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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.
