SPOKANE, Wash. — Washington Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray announced that Spokane-based American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center has been designated as the U.S. tech hub for aerospace materials manufacturing. The designation was made by the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA).
The EDA received almost 200 applications; Spokane’s consortium, the American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center, was one of 31 selected.
Nearly 50 Spokane-area organizations—including Spokane-based Advanced Thermoplastics Composites (ATC), Gonzaga University, and the International Association of Machinists District 751—collaborated on the proposal to establish the American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center in Spokane.
“Today, the Department of Commerce recognized the Spokane region as the nation’s future aerospace advanced materials Technology Hub. Winning this designation to be one of the first CHIPS & Science tech hubs raises a banner over the region saying that the U.S. is all-in on Spokane's potential to generate new discoveries and new jobs," Sen. Cantwell said.
Sen. Cantwell was the main architect and key negotiator of the CHIPS & Science Act, which created the tech hubs program. According to the senators, the designation makes the Inland Northwest a hub for aerospace suppliers, private investment, new products, and companies in the U.S. aerospace supply chain.
“Washington state has a proud history of being a global leader in aerospace technology—and this Tech Hub designation will give a major boost to aviation innovation and workforce development in Spokane and across our state,” said Sen. Murray.
“Gonzaga is proud to serve as the lead for this broad-based and powerful consortium,” said Thayne McCulloh, president of Gonzaga University, “and we are grateful to our lead partner Lakeside Companies and to each one of our regional partners for the critical role they have played to date. The consortium is a dynamic partnership of entities from across the Inland Northwest, representing industry, research, education, government, and workforce, all collaborating to achieve high-rate production goals for the next generation of aerospace manufacturing.”
A press release said at least five of the announced hubs will be awarded $50-$75 million each under funding authorized by the CHIPS & Science Act.
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