The EDB continues to do its thing to smooth the way for successful expansions and seamless transitions as local businesses grow operations, and companies make plans to locate and create jobs in Pierce County. The new year kicks off with a robust pipeline of $233 million in potential private sector capital investment.

Bringing jobs to the South Sound

The recruitment pipeline has been steady and strong, according to Sarah Bonds, EDB Vice President for Business Recruitment. The EDB is working on 40 active projects, ranging from aerospace and manufacturing to biosciences, new tech, logistics and more.

New on the list are:

• A Japanese manufacturer of sushi-related products looking to open a facility in the U.S. by 2023. The project would create 200 jobs and $30 million in capital investment. The EDB is assisting with a site search for a 170,000-square-foot building, workforce information and available incentives.
• A German-based firm that specializes in small electric passenger aircrafts. The company has a local investor and its eyes on Puget Sound. Once the technology is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the company hopes to relocate some of its supply chain manufacturing while establishing ports in the U.S. The EDB is coordinating intros and helping to identify infrastructure needs during the early phases of this project.

Here are two additional projects the EDB is involved with:

• Nordstrom is building a 500,000-square-foot fulfillment and distribution center in space in Tarragon’s SeaPORT Logistics Center in the City of Sumner. The project is expected to invest $130 million in capital expenditure and create 500 full-time employees by the end of 2023. The EDB partnered with the city, Washington State Department of Commerce and WorkForce Central to help Nordstrom explore incentives and continues to provide staffing and grand-opening support.
• Ashley Furniture purchased 40 acres in Frederickson. The EDB partnered with Pierce County to provide work force data, incentive information, community demographics, and business introductions that enabled the client to make a sound site-selection decision.

If you’d like to know more about the benefits of doing business in Pierce County, contact Sarah Bonds at [email protected] or 253.383.4726.

Business retention and expansion: On the road and back in person

It’s been a busy couple of months filled with in-person presentations, client meetings and new projects, according to Maddie Merton, EDB Vice President for Business Recruitment and Expansion (BRE). Here are some recent BRE activities:

• Two new projects include an equipment expansion and a facility expansion.
• Fire recovery and disaster assistance presentation in the City of Sumner. The EDB is providing support to businesses impacted by the recent Main Street fire.
• Presentation for the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) in Lakewood.
• Developer tour of a 50-acre industrial site in the Peak 410 business park in Bonney Lake.
• Outreach to Pierce County businesses that will receive Working Washington Grants: Round 5 awards from the Washington State Department of Commerce.

Merton also has conducted client visits with:

• General Plastics Manufacturing Company (with City of Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards)
• Bite Me Cookies
• Columbia Bank
• Cutting Edge Meats
• First Transit
• Hemstad Consulting
• Innova Architects
• KPG/Psomas
• McInnis Engineering
• Merit Construction
• Print NW
• Seattle Credit Union
• Sekisui Aerospace
• Teeter
• Hughes Group
• Wane+Flitch

Interested in more information about growing and expanding operations in Pierce County? Contact Maddie Merton at [email protected] or 253.317.1903.