ChiefExecutive.net

Aiming High

A recent study by PwC ranked Washington as the top state for aerospace manufacturing attractiveness, with high scores for industry, infrastructure and talent. The state remains a primary base of operations for Boeing, and rapidly expanding AIM Aerospace plans to grow its workforce by 30% by 2023.

Key Contacts

Dept. of Commerce

Lisa Brown, Director
360-725-4000
1011 Plum Street SE
P.O. Box 42525
Olympia, WA 98504-2525
lisa.brown@commerce.wa.gov
http://www.commerce.wa.gov/

Key Incentives

B&O Credits: Offers tax credits of up to $4,000 per position for jobs in manufacturing, R&D laboratories and commercial testing facilities in rural counties that pay wages of $40,000-plus.

Committed Private Partner Program: Offers grants of up to $150,000 and loans of up to $2 million for the construction of public infrastructure to support business expansion.

Reduced B&O Rate for Aerospace Business: Offers a reduction in B&O tax liability for manufacturers and processors for hire in the aerospace sector.

B&O Tax Credit for Washington Customized Training Program: Offers a tax credit of up to 50% of the full cost of a training program with up to $500,000 in training allowances per year.

EDCs

Washington State Department of Commerce: commerce.wa.gov

Choose Washington State: choosewashingtonstate.com

Seattle Economic Development Commission: seattleedc.com

Greater Spokane Inc.: advantagespokane.com

Highlighted Program or Initiative

The Career Connected Washington Task Force released recommendations to bring career-connected learning to scale in the state. It has a goal of connecting 100,000 Washington youth during the next five years with career-connected opportunities that prepare them for high-demand, high-wage jobs. Ongoing initiatives include apprenticeships, internships and grant funding for education.

Big Deals

• Katerra announced in September 2017 it will construct a new manufacturing facility and create 150 jobs in Spokane Valley.
• Etailz announced in March 2018 it was moving its headquarters to Spokane Valley in part of an ongoing expansion.
• Serta Simmons Bedding announced in September 2018 the opening of a larger plant in Puyallup as part of a multi-year, $100 million investment to expand its operations.
• AIM Aerospace announced in October 2018 it was expanding operations in Sumner and Renton. The company expects to grow its workforce by 30% by 2023.

Big Companies

10 Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in the state:

Amazon
Costco
Microsoft
Starbucks
Nordstrom
Paccar
Weyerhaeuser
Expedia
Expeditors International of Washington
Alaska Air Group

C-Suite Testimonials

“We are excited to have the governor’s support as we are creating a better company that is more technologically advanced in the state of Washington, while adding more value to our customers, our employees and our shareholders.”
—Daniele Cagnatel, CEO, Aim Aerospace

“I think the preponderance of technologists in the [Silicon] Valley causes them to lose sight of the real world. Seattle, on the other hand, has just the right mix; enough of us to feel part of the tribe, but in small enough measures that we don’t, inadvertently, create an echo chamber bubble of boredom.” —Spencer Rascoff, CEO, Zillow

“We are excited to open a new, larger manufacturing facility in Seattle, a city that is a known incubator for game-changing innovation in the U.S.” —Michael Traub, CEO, Serta Simmons Bedding